"The snippet preview requires a valid target element"

[Jebble]

Yoast SEO generates a JS console error when there is no element to put the snippet in. This happens when you're on a user account that has no access to the SEO tools in the capabilities settings.

Because of this all JS loaded after Yoast breaks.

What did you expect to happen?

I expected to upload images to a custom meta box on an account that has no Yoast capabilities

What happened instead?

I got a JS error "The snippet preview requires a valid target element" ignoring all JS after Yoast not showing the image field

How can we reproduce this behavior?

• Install metabox.io, create a "image_advanced" field
• Log in to a user without these capabilites "manage_options"
• Make a post where the image_advanced field should show
• It won't show because of an error in console

Can you provide a link to a page which shows this issue? No, it happens in admin

Technical info

• WordPress version: 4.4.2 and 4.5
• Yoast SEO version: 3.1.2

[terw-dan]

Can you post a screenshot of the error you get in the console.

[Jebble]

[terw-dan]

Do you get any errors when you have disabled the yoast capabilities but the metabox isn't installed?

[Jebble]

Yes, the same error shows up without Meta Box

[terw-dan]

Can you test with the 3.2 release to see if you get the same error?

[joeporterme]

Im having the same issue, the cloning feature for Metabox.io doesnt work with Yoast Activated and receive the same JS error... https://github.com/rilwis/meta-box/issues/854#issuecomment-218219935

[Jebble]

@terw-dan I tested this issue https://github.com/Yoast/wordpress-seo/issues/4161#issuecomment-218220681 with the latest release of Yoast SEO and that issue is still there.

[joeporterme]

just letting you know... for me it i was disabling the yoast meta box on the post type i was using with meta-box. This is the issue for me. if i add back the the seo meta box the error goes away

function prefix_remove_meta_box() { remove_meta_box( 'wpseo_meta', 'gnl_clients', 'normal' ); } add_action( 'add_meta_boxes', 'prefix_remove_meta_box', 100000 );

[Jebble]

@joeporterme that is indeed a work-around, but I'm not using the Yoast plugin to just disable it where I want to use it ;)

[mpsteel]

I was getting this error when I was removing the wpseo_meta box via the remove_meta_box function.

Once I switched to removing it via the GUI it resolved the issue. Very frustrating.

[robikovacs]

What's the status on this?

For me this filter caused the issue:

add_filter('wpseo_always_register_metaboxes_on_admin', '__return_true');

[MickeyKay]

Experiencing the same issue. Any updates?

[Mahjouba91]

Same issue, with a admin account, it works, with an author account, the JS of metabox failed and makes other things bug like a co author plugin that use AJAX request I guess, and an option panel of a theme. So please fix this issue.

[benjaminniess]

Hi, same problem here. Basically, the JS shouldn't be loaded if the SEO metabox is disabled. Thx

[benjaminniess]

Hi @terw-dan! Any news of this ticket? Seems that we're several people to deal with this issue. Thanks

[benjaminniess]

UP!

[Jebble]

For now I'll just leave the Yoast metabox everywhere but it'd be really handy if this issue could be resolved.

[nsandrew]

Same problem here. It's an issue for every plugin that wants to create a custom post type but does not want to include the yoast metabox. The bug is still there in 4.4.

[dancriel]

I am also removing my Yoast meta box for roles below Admin, and I solved the issue described in this thread by using the following code to deregister the offending scripts:

function remove_yoast_metabox() {
    remove_meta_box( 'wpseo_meta', 'post', 'normal' );
}
function remove_yoast_metabox_dependencies() {
    wp_deregister_script( 'yoast-seo-post-scraper' );
    wp_deregister_script( 'yoast-seo-term-scraper' );
    wp_deregister_script( 'yoast-seo-featured-image' );
}
if ( ! current_user_can( 'manage_options' ) ) {
    add_action( 'add_meta_boxes', 'remove_yoast_metabox', 11 );
    add_action( 'admin_enqueue_scripts', 'remove_yoast_metabox_dependencies', 11 );
}

[PRADHAN-P]

Well temporarily I fixed the issue using following codes: Hope it might help you guys:

Its somewhat similar to @dancriel but with a little bit of custom post check validation :)

function remove_yoast_metabox_scripts() { wp_deregister_script('yoast-seo-post-scraper'); wp_deregister_script('yoast-seo-term-scraper'); wp_deregister_script('yoast-seo-featured-image'); }

function remove_yoast_metabox() { remove_meta_box('wpseo_meta', 'notification', 'normal');

if ('notification' == get_post_type()) {
    add_action('admin_enqueue_scripts', 'remove_yoast_metabox_scripts', 11);
}

}

add_action('add_meta_boxes', 'remove_yoast_metabox', 11);

[joostdekeijzer]

Thanks for the workaround @dancriel, while waiting for a fix.

[getriot]

In my case, removing the metabox for the CPT was causing the issues.

remove_meta_box( 'wpseo_meta', 'sala', 'normal' );

Once i re-enabled it, it started working as expected again. Actually, i'm trying to find an adaptable solution config, ty a lot for pointing the problem though.

[matthiaswagnerwy]

version 5.2 - the bug is still there. workaround from @dancriel worked for me.

[ettoreboy]

I am not sure if it is relevant, but I managed to solve the same bug on Woocomerce Tabs with Yoast 5.4.2. Besides removing the widget with @dancriel code, you could also remove the Yoast plugin from the dashboard under "Title and Metas" settings. That worked for me.

[moorscode]

Yoast SEO 5.4+ has improved error handling for pages where the metabox is removed on. This should resolve any errors regarding "The snippet preview requires a valid target element".

Closing this issue in that regard, if another problem still exists regarding removing metaboxes, please create a new issue and mention this one.