Throughout our website here at UsingJoomla.com we give many tips, hints and suggestions.
Tip
Many articles include boxes like this one that include a brief tip, hint, or some food-for-thought.
There are articles on web-hosting, and Joomla Tools.
However - this article goes in a slightly different way.
Sometimes when we are building our website things "go wrong" - it happens in all walks of life.
There are however some things we can do to "fault find" - from simple things to much more complicated.
Here we aim to list some of the more simple things we can try.
Tip
The first thing we should do is:
Keep calm !
Ask yourself some questions:
- What is not working ?
- When did it go wrong ?
- Do you get any error or warning messages ?
- Is it possibly a browser issue rather than a website issue ?
Things you can consider are:
- Clear your Joomla caches;
- Clear your server caches - for example: opcache
- Clear your browser cache, close your browser, re-open your browser and visit your site again - browsers can cache your website meaning changes might not always work properly;
As well as . . .
- Have you just installed a new extension/component/plugin/module ?
- If you have:
- Have you enabled all necessary features ?
- Have you recently changed a setting or parameter ?
- If you have changed a setting or parameter try changing it back to what is was;
- Have you recently updated one or more component, plugin, module (extension) ?
If you are having an issue with the "front-end" - something not working or "looks terrible"
- Try a different browser - does it work / look as expected ?
- Try the same browser on a different PC / Laptop;
- If trying a different browser, or different PC / Laptop is not such an easy option - have you added one or more browser extension - try disabling browser extensions - these too can interfere with website functionality.
If you have recently enabled, or disabled, plugins or modules?
- Try disabling plugins / modules, one at a time that you have recently enabled - does the issue go away ?
- Try enabling plugins / modules, one at a time that you have recently disabled - does the issue go away ?
Tip
Above we say: try disabling plugins/modules one at a time.
Two important points to remember:
1) Disable - do not (yet) uninstall - there is a major difference between disabling and uninstalling;
2) Take a note of what you disable - you may need to enable them again after your tests;
If you have updated one or more component, plugin, or module - developer mistakes happen.
Mistakes happen
A couple of very true and apt quotes:
'One who makes no mistakes makes nothing' Giacomo Casanova.
'It's only those who do nothing that make no mistakes, I suppose.' Joseph Conrad.
When you are aware that an update is available, consider:
- Visiting the developer's change-log for that (those) extension(s);
- What does the change-log indicate has changed ?
- This will give you a good idea of what has changed and maybe what to expect, or to look at if there is an issue for you ("Forewarned is forearmed");
- Waiting a few days, for example 3 - 5 days, before updating; Why ? Reported issues may well get resolved quickly.
- What does the change-log indicate has changed ?
- Visiting the developer's support forums:
- Has there been an increase in support requests since the updated version was released ? ('Forewarned is forearmed');
- Visit the developer's latest releases page:
- Has a new release been made available relatively quickly addressing any support requests ?