Task Manager Pro

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Troubleshooting Guide ​

This guide helps you resolve common issues with Task Manager Pro. If you encounter a problem, start here.

🚨 Common Issues ​

Installation & Activation ​

Plugin Won't Activate ​

Symptoms:

  • Plugin fails to activate
  • Error message: "Plugin could not be activated because it triggered a fatal error"
  • White screen of death (WSOD)

Solutions:

1. Check PHP Version
  • Ensure PHP 7.4 or higher is installed
  • Check your PHP version: php -v
  • Contact your hosting provider to upgrade if needed
2. Check PHP Extensions
  • Required extensions: mysqli, curl, json, mbstring, openssl, zip, gd, xml
  • Check extensions: php -m
  • Enable missing extensions in php.ini
3. Check File Permissions
  • Ensure files have correct permissions (644 for files, 755 for directories)
  • Verify WordPress can write to plugin directories
  • Check upload directory permissions
4. Check for Plugin Conflicts
  • Deactivate all other plugins temporarily
  • Try activating Task Manager Pro again
  • Reactivate plugins one by one to find conflicts
5. Check PHP Memory Limit
  • Increase PHP memory limit to at least 256MB (512MB recommended)
  • Add to wp-config.php: define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '512M');
  • Or add to php.ini: memory_limit = 512M

Database Errors During Activation ​

Symptoms:

  • Error message about database tables
  • Tables not created
  • "Database connection failed" error

Solutions:

1. Check Database Connection
  • Verify database credentials in wp-config.php
  • Test database connection from hosting control panel
  • Ensure database user has CREATE and ALTER permissions
2. Check MySQL Version
  • Ensure MySQL 5.6+ or MariaDB 10.1+
  • Check version: mysql --version
  • Upgrade if necessary
3. Manually Create Tables
  • Deactivate and reactivate the plugin
  • Tables should be created automatically on activation
  • If issues persist, check error logs for specific table creation errors

Symptoms:

  • Task Manager menu not appearing in WordPress admin
  • Missing submenu items
  • Access denied errors

Solutions:

1. Check User Permissions
  • Ensure you're logged in as Administrator
  • Check user role capabilities
  • Verify user has access to Task Manager features
2. Clear Cache
  • Clear browser cache
  • Clear WordPress cache if using caching plugin
  • Clear server-side cache (OPcache, Redis)
3. Check Plugin Status
  • Verify plugin is activated
  • Go to Plugins page and check activation status
  • Try deactivating and reactivating the plugin

Tasks & Projects ​

Can't Create Tasks ​

Symptoms:

  • "Add New Task" button not working
  • Task creation form not loading
  • AJAX errors in browser console

Solutions:

1. Check JavaScript Errors
  • Open browser console (F12)
  • Look for JavaScript errors
  • Check for conflicting JavaScript from other plugins
2. Check AJAX Endpoints
  • Verify AJAX URL is correct
  • Check admin-ajax.php is accessible
  • Ensure nonce verification is working
3. Check Permissions
  • Verify you have permission to create tasks
  • Check project permissions if creating within a project
  • Ensure you're assigned to the project

Tasks Not Displaying ​

Symptoms:

  • Tasks not showing in lists
  • Boards appear empty
  • Tasks missing from dashboard

Solutions:

1. Check Filters
  • Clear all filters on task list
  • Check date range filters
  • Verify status filters are not excluding tasks
2. Check Permissions
  • Verify you have permission to view tasks
  • Check if tasks are in projects you can't access
  • Ensure tasks aren't marked as private incorrectly
3. Refresh Page
  • Hard refresh browser (Ctrl+F5 or Cmd+Shift+R)
  • Clear browser cache
  • Try incognito/private browsing mode

Boards & Kanban ​

Board Not Loading ​

Symptoms:

  • Board view is blank
  • Tasks not dragging
  • Columns not displaying

Solutions:

1. Check JavaScript
  • Disable browser extensions (ad blockers, etc.)
  • Check browser console for errors
  • Ensure jQuery is loaded
2. Check Database
  • Verify board exists in database
  • Check board configuration
  • Ensure tasks are assigned to board
3. Check Permissions
  • Verify you have permission to view board
  • Check project permissions
  • Ensure board is not archived or deleted

Drag and Drop Not Working ​

Symptoms:

  • Can't drag tasks between columns
  • Tasks snap back to original position
  • No visual feedback when dragging

Solutions:

1. Browser Compatibility
  • Use supported browser (Chrome 90+, Firefox 88+, Safari 14+, Edge 90+)
  • Update browser to latest version
  • Try different browser
2. JavaScript Conflicts
  • Disable other plugins temporarily
  • Check for JavaScript conflicts
  • Ensure no console errors

Permissions & Access ​

Permission Errors ​

Symptoms:

  • "Access denied" errors
  • Can't view/edit tasks or projects
  • Permission checks failing

Solutions:

1. Clear Permission Cache
  • Permission system uses intelligent caching
  • Cache should auto-invalidate, but can be manually cleared
  • Clear browser cache if available
2. Check User Roles
  • Verify user has correct role
  • Check role permissions in Team → Permissions
  • Ensure user is assigned to project/task
3. Check Project/Task Permissions
  • Verify project/task visibility settings
  • Check if marked as private
  • Ensure user groups are assigned correctly

Performance Issues ​

Slow Loading ​

Symptoms:

  • Pages take long to load
  • Tasks/projects load slowly
  • Dashboard is sluggish

Solutions:

1. Enable Caching
  • Use WordPress caching plugin (WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache)
  • Enable object caching (Redis, Memcached)
  • Clear existing caches
2. Optimize Database
  • Optimize WordPress database
  • Clean up old data
  • Remove unnecessary plugins
3. Increase Resources
  • Increase PHP memory limit to 512MB+
  • Upgrade hosting plan if needed
  • Use CDN for static assets
Note: Task Manager Pro includes intelligent permission caching that reduces database queries by 80%, significantly improving performance for large teams!

Public Visibility ​

Public URLs Not Working ​

Symptoms:

  • Public task/project URLs return 404
  • Shortcodes not displaying
  • Public links not accessible

Solutions:

1. Flush Rewrite Rules
  • Go to WordPress Settings → Permalinks
  • Click "Save Changes" (no need to change anything)
  • This flushes WordPress rewrite rules
2. Check Public Settings
  • Verify task/project is marked as "Public"
  • Ensure public slug is set
  • Check slug format (lowercase, hyphenated)
3. Check Shortcode
  • Verify shortcode syntax is correct
  • Check project/task ID is correct
  • Ensure task/project exists and is public

Time Tracking ​

Time Not Recording ​

Symptoms:

  • Timer not starting
  • Time sessions not saving
  • Time data missing from reports

Solutions:

1. Check JavaScript
  • Check browser console for errors
  • Ensure AJAX is working
  • Verify nonce verification
2. Check Database
  • Verify time tracking tables exist
  • Check database permissions
  • Ensure data is being saved

Import/Export Issues ​

CSV Import Not Working ​

Symptoms:

  • CSV file not uploading
  • Import fails silently
  • Data not importing correctly

Solutions:

1. Check File Format
  • Ensure file is valid CSV format
  • Check column headers match expected format
  • Verify file encoding (UTF-8)
2. Check File Size
  • Ensure file doesn't exceed upload limits
  • Check PHP upload_max_filesize setting
  • Split large files if needed
3. Check Permissions
  • Verify you have permission to import
  • Check file upload permissions
  • Ensure write permissions for temp directory

🔧 Debugging Steps ​

Enable Debug Mode ​

// Add to wp-config.php define('WP_DEBUG', true); define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true); define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false); @ini_set('display_errors', 0);

After enabling:

  • Check /wp-content/debug.log for errors
  • Review error messages carefully
  • Disable debug mode after troubleshooting

Check Error Logs ​

WordPress Error Log:

  • Location: /wp-content/debug.log
  • Contains PHP errors and warnings

Server Error Logs:

  • Location: Varies by hosting provider
  • Check hosting control panel
  • Contains server-level errors

Clear All Caches ​

  1. Browser Cache: Clear browser cache or use incognito mode
  2. WordPress Cache: Clear via caching plugin
  3. Server Cache: Clear OPcache, Redis, Memcached
  4. CDN Cache: Clear CDN cache if using CDN

System Check ​

Use WordPress built-in system check:

  1. Go to Tools & Utilities → Performance for system status
  2. Review all requirements
  3. Fix highlighted issues

Or check manually:

  • PHP version
  • PHP memory limit
  • MySQL version
  • Required PHP extensions
  • File permissions

📞 Getting Additional Help ​

If you've tried the solutions above and still have issues:

Before Getting Help ​

  1. Gather Information:

    • WordPress version
    • PHP version
    • Task Manager Pro version
    • Error messages (if any)
    • Steps to reproduce the issue
    • Browser and version
    • List of active plugins

  2. Check Documentation:

    • Review relevant guides
    • Check FAQ section
    • Search documentation for similar issues

  3. Enable Debug Mode:

    • Enable WordPress debug mode
    • Capture error logs
    • Note any error messages

Getting Help ​

Documentation: Check the documentation for more information.

Include in your message:

  • Description of the issue
  • Steps to reproduce
  • Error messages or screenshots
  • System information (WordPress, PHP versions)
  • List of active plugins
  • Debug log (if available)

🆘 Emergency Fixes ​

Plugin Completely Broken ​

If the plugin causes your site to crash:

  1. Via FTP:

    • Rename /wp-content/plugins/task-manager-pro folder
    • Site should work without plugin
    • Reactivate when fixed

  2. Via Database:

    • Access phpMyAdmin
    • Deactivate plugin via database
    • Reactivate when ready

Database Issues ​

If you suspect database corruption:

  1. Backup First: Always backup before repairs

  2. Run WordPress Repair:

    • Add to wp-config.php: define('WP_ALLOW_REPAIR', true);
    • Visit: yoursite.com/wp-admin/maint/repair.php
    • Remove line after repair

  3. Check Tables:

    • Verify all wp_tmp_* tables exist
    • Check table structure
    • Repair if needed via phpMyAdmin

✅ Prevention Tips ​

To avoid common issues:

  1. Regular Backups: Back up your site regularly
  2. Keep Updated: Update WordPress, PHP, and plugins
  3. Test First: Test updates on staging site
  4. Monitor Resources: Watch memory and disk usage
  5. Check Logs: Regularly review error logs
  6. Use Caching: Enable caching for better performance
  7. Limit Plugins: Only use necessary plugins
💡 Tip: Most issues can be resolved by checking permissions, clearing cache, and ensuring system requirements are met. Always start with these basic troubleshooting steps.

Need more help? Check the FAQ.

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