Wordpress plugin incompatibility

August 31, 2009 12:09 PM

Wordpress Filter: Plugin incompatibility with my theme - website screws up on IE. How do I fix it?

2 of my plugins (Contact Form 7, Post Tabs) give a java script error when enabled on this site. The js error doesn't do much in firefox but it renders the whole site disfunctional in IE ( drop down nav doesn't work, tabs under the headline slider don't work, etc).

In IE, when I have debugging enabled, I get an error pop-up stating that there is a error on Line 89. After I click "debug", this is what is shown:

Microsoft JScript runtime error: Object doesn't support this property or method

Inside the file, the following code is highlighted on line 89:

{return jQuery.easing[jQuery.easing.def](x,t,b,c,d);}

So how do I fix this issue in IE? Do I need to contact the plugin author to check if they are using the latest jQuery? ( the theme author says that he is using the latest jQuery) Is there any way around this issue?

posted by Danniman to Computers & Internet (8 answers total)

Hi, I reccomend you download firebug for firefox and start debugging. i get js errors on your page in firefox. For ie there is "IE Developer Toolbar" which is good for ie specific problems that aren't obvious across all browsers.

For starters, your theme is including jquery 1.2.6 and your plugins are including 1.3.2. This is really bad practice; I'd nix one of them. (found via the net tab in firebug) It also looks like your theme has a great deal of javascript. If you can't get your plugins working with the theme and you are stuck with the theme, I would try different plugins.

This is just to get you started ..
posted by shownomercy at 12:54 PM on August 31, 2009

I think you might be running into compatibility problems between the jquery-ui version you're using, and jquery.

You've got Jquery 1.26 loading and then jquery 1.32 loading. It could be that your theme is loading a version, and then a plugin is loading another one?
posted by backwards guitar at 2:11 PM on August 31, 2009

Thanks shownomercy. I am already using the firebug extension but I am not aware of all of it's functionality. I have very limited knowledge of programming and web designing. ( I just volunteered to design that site)

If I update the jquery for the theme, would the problem go away? I am aware that the js occurs in firefox as well but the normal user can't figure that out (neither do they notice it while browsing the site)
posted by Danniman at 2:12 PM on August 31, 2009

Take a look at this:

Loading Javascripts with Wordpress - if you load Jquery right, it should only load once. Failing that, you can probably update/delete the jquery javascript - but you will also have to update your jquery-ui (js and css) most likely.

Here's something on Firebug. Focuses on the Thesis theme (I think) - but it should help:

How to use firebug for css
posted by backwards guitar at 2:18 PM on August 31, 2009

Since your plugins are adding jquery already, you can probably nix the jquery load in the header.php file. If this breaks your site, you need to find new plugins which are compatible with your theme and/or upgrade the javascripts in custom.js within your theme folder.
posted by shownomercy at 2:50 PM on August 31, 2009

Updated the custom.js, jquery and jquery-ui. Now something else happened and I don;t know what but it's screwed up more...
posted by Danniman at 2:58 PM on August 31, 2009

nevermind...I had to change the file names in header.php
posted by Danniman at 3:02 PM on August 31, 2009

Thanks shownomercy and backwards guitar. The site seems to be working fine in firefox and IE now.
posted by Danniman at 3:08 PM on August 31, 2009