Debugging Issues

At times, WordPress to SocialPilot Pro may not be able to send your status to SocialPilot through the SocialPilot API.

Before opening a support request with us, please always ensure you’ve completed the following steps:

  1. Enable Logging.  This can be done via WordPress Administration > WP to SocialPilot Pro > Settings > Enable Logging.
  2. Disable the “Use WP-Cron” setting.  This can be done via WordPress Administration > WP to SocialPilot Pro > Settings > Use WP Cron?
  3. Review the logs of the failed Post.  This can be done by either:
    1. Editing your Page, Post or Custom Post Type, or
    2. Clicking on WP to SocialPilot Pro > Logs, searching by Post ID.

Make a note of any error messages that appear in the Log window.  If the SocialPilot: Response provides a meaningful error message, take a moment to review that and act as necessary.  For example, if the error states that your SocialPilot queue is full, or that the status message is similar to the previous message, then you’ll need to make changes.
WordPress to SocialPilot Pro: Logs

When sending your support request, be sure to include:

  1. An Export of your Plugin Settings (WP to SocialPilot Pro > Import/Export > Export)
  2. An Export of your Plugin Log (Edit Post > View WP to SocialPilot Pro Log > Export Log)
  3. A copy of any on screen errors you see whilst trying to publish a Post to SocialPilot.

Please note: If we receive a support request that does not demonstrate all of the above items have been completed, we will ask that you complete them.  On average, we can resolve tickets 85% faster this way.

SocialPilot API Error #401: Authentication Error.

See the Documentation on how to:

  • Deauthorize the Plugin at WP to SocialPilot Pro > Settings > Deauthorize
  • Re-authorize the Plugin at WP to SocialPilot Pro > Settings > Authorize

cURL error 28: Connection timed out after 5001 milliseconds

Please work with your web host to ensure all of the following outbound connections can be made:

  • restapi.socialpilot.co can be made over SSL (port 443), using cURL through the command line
  • 52.202.246.23 can be made over SSL (port 443), using cURL through the command line
  • 3.216.33.98 can be made over SSL (port 443), using cURL through the command line
  • restapi.socialpilot.co can be made over SSL (port 443), using cURL through PHP
  • 52.202.246.23 can be made over SSL (port 443), using cURL through PHP
  • 3.216.33.98 can be made over SSL (port 443), using cURL through PHP

Certain characters / emojis do not display correctly

If you’re using characters such as Ä and Ö or emojis, and they either do not save in a status update (or display differently), there is a misconfiguration in your WordPress and/or database configuration.  You must verify that:

  1. Your MySQL database tables encoding is set to UTF-8 Unicode (utf8mb4).  Confirm this by viewing each WordPress database table information in your database editor (such as phpMyAdmin or Sequel Pro):
    Page Generator Pro: Debugging Issues: Database Settings
  2. Your MySQL database tables collation is set to utf8mb4 (ideally, utf8mb4_general_ci).  Confirm this by viewing each WordPress database table information in your database editor (such as phpMyAdmin or Sequel Pro):
    Page Generator Pro: Debugging Issues: Database Settings
  3. Your WordPress database character set is set to utf8mb4.  Confirm this by editing your wp-config.php file, noting the below setting:
    Page Generator Pro: Debugging Issues: wp-config Settings
  4. Your WordPress database collate set is blank. Confirm this by editing your wp-config.php file, noting the below setting:
    Page Generator Pro: Debugging Issues: wp-config Settings

Mixing database encoding, collation and WordPress’ database character set will result in content issues not just for WordPress to SocialPilot Pro, but for other plugins and content in general.

Custom Field Tags are not working

  • Double check that the Tag you are using in the status message is correct.  Examples:
    • Custom Field Name / Key = test.  Use {custom_field_test}
    • Custom Field Name / Key = _location.  Use {custom_field__location} (note the double underscore!)
  • Gutenberg: If you are using Gutenberg, and the Custom Field / Post Meta is stored outside of Gutenberg’s blocks (for example, registered in a meta box below the Gutenberg editor), ensure that you are using WordPress to SocialPilot 1.0.1 or higher.
  • REST API: If you are using the REST API, ensure that the Custom Field in question is registered in your code using WordPress’ register_meta() function.
  • If you’re using a Frontend Post Submission or Auto Blogging Plugin (User Submitted Posts, WP Property Feed, WPeMatico etc), refer to the Documentation

Since December 18th, 2017, Facebook require that you verify domain name ownership when using what SocialPilot call “Link attachment customizations” (i.e. specifying a different image than the Featured Image for a Page, Post or Custom Post Type).

Please refer to Facebook’s steps to verify your domain.

  1. Ensure that you have a compatible SEO Plugin installed, per the Use OpenGraph Settings section in the Featured Image Settings Documentation
  2. If you are using the Post Immediately option on a status, consider using the Custom Time option, and setting it to post 2 – 3 minutes after the Post publication.  This allows third party caching plugins, such as W3 Total Cache, sufficient time to build the published Post for SocialPilot (and the social networks) to read the valid OpenGraph data.
  3. If you’re using a Frontend Post Submission or Auto Blogging Plugin (User Submitted Posts, WP Property Feed, WPeMatico etc), refer to the Documentation

Settings not saving or changing

SocialPilot accounts with numerous social media profiles, coupled with several public Post Types, will result in a large number of settings available for configuration.  When this number exceeds a limit in PHP, settings will not save or change.

To resolve:

  1. Have your web host increase the PHP max_input_vars config option to 5,000.
  2. (Pro version only) Consider using the User Access and Enable Specific Post Type options to only display the Post Types and social media profiles that you want to configure.