javascript errors break other plugins

[senlin]

As you can see here, when Yoast SEO 3.0.1 is installed and activated the following scripts throw a tantrum:

• wordpress-seo/js/wp-seo-post-scraper.min.js?ver=3.0.1
• wordpress-seo/js/dist/yoast-seo/yoast-seo.min.js?ver=3.0.1

This breaks other plugins too.

A development team of a plugin that has more than 1mio active installs should in my opinion be a lot more careful when releasing new versions of the plugin. It's one thing that your plugin breaks, but it's a whole different story when you break the SEO of others and when the breakage of your plugin, breaks other plugins too!

[senlin]

3.0.2 does NOT fix this

[senlin]

3.0.3 does NOT fix this

[Rarst]

Please include specific details in your original post, "throw tantrum" is unfortunate, but not informative and easy to act on.

Error messages verbatim are helpful. Also you can switch to non-minified versions by declaring SCRIPT_DEBUG core constant in your configuration, that would make it easier to pin down issues.

[senlin]

oh so now I have to help you guys solving this mess? nah, thanks, but no thanks.

on top of that I linked to the post with details, you can click, right?

[funkatron82]

@senlin They have to know what's broken in order to fix it. @Rarst Hello Rarst, I'm a contributor for the Meta Box plugin, which is a dependency of @senlin's plugin. I get the following error, which breaks any JavaScript that comes after: wp-seo-post-scraper-302.min.js:1 Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'value' of null

This is from the version of Yoast SEO currently available from the WP repository. Hope this helps.

[funkatron82]

Tried 3.03, same issue. Can't tell what line is the problem because it's minified.

[seripap]

The variables weren't being nullchecked if the metabox was not rendered before the PostScraper.getDataFromInput was called.

[funkatron82]

Still getting the error

[seripap]

@funkedgeek Of course you are- it hasn't been merged in yet.

[funkatron82]

I downloaded your fork and I'm still seeing the same error

[seripap]

What's your exact issue? Can you step in the code and show where your error is? The fix I put in was for null checking the post scrapper.

[Rarst]

oh so now I have to help you guys solving this mess? nah, thanks, but no thanks. on top of that I linked to the post with details, you can click, right?

You don't have to do anything. If you would like to see issues resolved faster that's what it takes, simple as that.

[Rarst]

@funkedgeek any chance you can narrow it down to specific Meta Box fields? Or it happens in any case as long as its enabled?

Could you please try with SCRIPT_DEBUG constant enabled in configuration? That will load non-minified versions of the scripts and will help narrow errors down.

[seripap]

I've added more nullchecks and fixed another issue where tinyMCE...getContent returns null if the editor isn't there. @funkedgeek can you confirm your stuff is fixed in this commit 35de84b?

[funkatron82]

If I'm downloading the right branch, the old errors I posted above are now replaced with errors for TinyMCE. The error is on line 193 of wp-seo-post-scraper-302.js?ver=3.0.3:193

[seripap]

@funkedgeek do a pull and let me know if that fixes it.

[funkatron82]

Okay, no more errors. Thank you.

[seripap]

Cool- if the Yoast metabox is missing from the DOM for any apparent reason, it could also throw an error. I've opened a PR on the JS repo to fix this issue, but you can always replace js/dist/yoast-seo-302.min.js with my fork if you need an immediate fix.

[senlin]

@seripap I copied the code from the fork, but still doesn't work. Also it seems that your PR has not been merged yet?

[seripap]

@senlin what's your error?

[senlin]

@seripap my error is the blocking javascript error where I already referred to above.

My plugin is depending on the Meta Box plugin and when Yoast SEO is activated and both Meta Box and my SO Simple Gallery plugins are activated the Add media button does not show anymore, due to the fact that Yoast 3.0.3 throws blocking javascript errors.

Please see below a screenshot with before/after, hopefully that makes it a bit more clear...

[seripap]

@senlin did you replace js/dist/yoast-seo-302.min.js with the version in my fork?

[senlin]

Yes, as a matter of fact I did and that didn't change anything. Same errors as you can see from the screenshot below:

[seripap]

If you run this block of code, does it return null? If so, the fix was merged in and should be in 3.0.4 release. Check out that branch and hopefully it fixes your issue.

document.getElementById( 'content' ) && document.getElementById( 'content' ).value

[senlin]

I'm sorry, how do I "run" that code?

[senlin]

Downloaded 3.0.4, which fixes the issue.

Thanks for your perseverance in getting to the bottom of this Daniel (@seripap)!

Cheers, Piet

[WraithKenny]

Just ran into this, glad it'd be fixed soon

[meaelien]

The problem occurs on version 3.0.7 when I'm hiding the seo meta box

Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'value' of null /wp-content/plugins/wordpress-seo/js/wp-seo-term-scraper-305.min.js?ver=3729b6ccd45e4c5a64a5bb3dac7be717:1

[timocouckuyt]

Just ran into this bug also (on the one in wp-seo-term-scraper-305.min.js), on the term edit screen. With ACF fields (4.4.5) and WP 4.2.6.

Really anoying for clients...

[rasmustaarnby]

This issue still persists on version 3.0.7.

It's quite easily reproduced by going to wp-admin/admin.php?page=wpseo_titles#top#taxonomies and hide the Yoast SEO box on any taxonomy page.

The error: wp-seo-term-scraper-305.js:74 Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'value' of null

Notice that the error has been fixed for post scraper in #3439 but this the issue still persist for the term scraper.

[adamwalter]

This is still a thing in 3.3.1.