Not a valid JSON response

[Eric Alvarez]

Hello,

I’ve been using Weaver XTreme for several years to run a blog. I have a widget that simply announces the date of my next post. I’ve never had any problems until very recently, when I started getting an error message whenever I try to update the widget with a new date:

“The response is not a valid JSON response.”

I contacted my web host, who told me the following:

“We’ve identified the cause: the plugin that manages your notification widget (Weaver Show Posts) is not yet compatible with the latest version of PHP used on your server. Since this is a poorly maintained plugin with no available fixes, we’ve downgraded your hosting’s PHP version to a more stable and compatible one.”

… Unfortunately, that didn’t work. Any ideas about the problem?

Below is the information about my setup.

Thanks!

[Translated with DeepL.com (free version)]
<h3>Weaver System Info ###</h3>
— WordPress Configuration —

Site URL: https://laforetacoeur.ca/blog
Home URL: https://laforetacoeur.ca/blog
Multisite: No
Version: 7.1
Language: fr_FR
WP_DEBUG: Disabled
WP Memory Limit: 40M
Permalink: /%postname%/
Show On Front: posts
Page On Front: n/a
Page For Posts: n/a
Current Theme: Weaver Xtreme (6.7)
Post Types: post, page, attachment, revision, nav_menu_item, custom_css, customize_changeset, oembed_cache, user_request, wp_block, wp_template, wp_template_part, wp_global_styles, wp_navigation, wp_font_family, wp_font_face

— Weaver Xtreme Configuration —

Weaver Xtreme Version: 6.7
Theme Support Version: 7.0.1
Xtreme Plus Version: 7.0.3

— Server Configuration —

Operating System: Linux
PHP Version: 8.1.34
MySQL Version: 11.4.13
jQuery Version: 3.7.1
Server Software: Apache

— PHP Configuration —

Local Memory Limit: 1024M
Server Memory Limit: 1024M
Post Max Size: 512M
Upload Max Filesize: 256M
Time Limit: 30
Max Input Vars: 1000
Display Errors: N/A

— WordPress Active Plugins —

All-In-One Security (AIOS): 5.4.9
Koko Analytics: 2.5.2
Login Lockdown: 2.17
Newsletter: 9.3.5
Newsletter – Addons Manager and Support: 1.4.0
Newsletter – Instasend: 1.0.7
Weaver Show Posts: 2.0.5
Weaver Xtreme Plus: 7.0.3
Weaver Xtreme Theme Support: 7.0.1

— WordPress Inactive Plugins —

### End System Info ###

 

 

[User]

@Weaver will need to comment.

[scrambler]

You may want to provide more details.

1. What widget update causes the problem?
2. What do you mean by updating the widget with a new date?
3. Do you know what was the PHP version you had before?
4. If you deactivate the show post plugin, does the error effectively goes away?
5. Have you tried deactivating the other plugins temporarily to see if another one is at fault?

[Eric Alvarez]

1. What widget update causes the problem?

The first one in the primary sidebar. The name is in French, but the translation would be : «old widget».

1. What do you mean by updating the widget with a new date?

I just changed a little text displayed on the sidebar of my blog. It’s usually the date of my next text.

1. Do you know what was the PHP version you had before?

I don’t remember, but I upgraded it the summer. As I’m not comfortable with those changes, I always stay very cautious. I use what is recommended.

1. If you deactivate the show post plugin, does the error effectively goes away?

I did not test that yet.

1. Have you tried deactivating the other plugins temporarily to see if another one is at fault?

I haven’t thought about that. I’ll try.

[scrambler]

More questions after you have done the tests above:

1. Where do you get the error?
2. Do you get the same error if you try to change the content of any other widget?
3. If not, have you tried deleting the widget, and recreating it in case something became corrupt with it?

[Eric Alvarez]

Hello,

I have tried to delete the widget, add a new one, move it and in each case I was unable to do anything because the error message with the JSON warning appeared.

I have deactivated and reactivated the Weaver show post and the Weaver Xtreme Theme support extensions without success. I get the same error message.

I might try other tests next week. Not in a hurry, but it’s concerning as I had no issues until recently.

Thanks for the help!

[scrambler]

If the error is still there when show post is deactivated, then it is definitely not related to it. A few tests:

A) Deactivate all plugins temporarily, and while they are all deactivated, check it the problem persists.
If the problem disappears when all the plugins are deactivated, then reactivate one by one testing after each to see which plugin activation brings the problem back.

B) If the problem remains with all the plugins deactivated, save and download your weaver settings, then switch to a default WordPress theme and test again to see if the problem remains with the WordPress theme or disappears.

C) If the problem remains with the WordPress theme, then something may be corrupted with WordPress, try redoing the Last WordPress update to refresh the WordPress installation.

D) If the problem disappears with the WordPress theme, then you may want to do a global refresh of all the weaver stuff

• While on the WordPress theme, delete weaver Xtreme and all weaver plugins.
• Then reinstall Xtreme from wordpress.org, and activate Weaver Xtreme and test again.
• Then reinstall / activate weaver plugins from wordpress.org and test after each.

[Eric Alvarez]

I have tried with only Show post deactivated and the problem was still there. I have deactivated all the extension with no use. I have reinstalled the latest version of WordPress with the same result.

I’ll try the other options later : )

Thanks again!

[Weaver]

I am away from my development environment, but Weaver Show Posts was updated fairly recently and is compatible with the latest versions of PHP. (It is also backward compatible). So I’m not sure how your host said Show Posts was not up to date.

If Show Posts is deactivated, then the message can not be responsible for the JSON error. When you get an error like that, WP and PHP will normally write to an error file. I don’t remember the exact changes, but you should be able to look at error logs, or have whatever is causing the error display a message.

Sorry I don’t remember the details of that, but it would be more helpful.

 

[Eric Alvarez]

Thanks! I’ll look for it 😌

Regards,

EA

[Eric Alvarez]

@weaver

After a little delay, that’s the best I was able to find. Hope it helps! Thanks again! EA

 

[03-Sep-2026 17:31:29 UTC] PHP Warning: Undefined array key “title” in /home/laforet/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/show-posts/includes/posts-widgets.php on line 20
[03-Sep-2026 17:31:29 UTC] PHP Warning: Undefined array key “post_list” in /home/laforet/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/show-posts/includes/posts-widgets.php on line 22
[03-Sep-2026 17:31:29 UTC] PHP Warning: Undefined array key “add_class” in /home/laforet/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/show-posts/includes/posts-widgets.php on line 25
[03-Sep-2026 17:31:29 UTC] PHP Warning: Undefined array key “title” in /home/laforet/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/show-posts/includes/posts-widgets.php on line 20
[03-Sep-2026 17:31:29 UTC] PHP Warning: Undefined array key “post_list” in /home/laforet/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/show-posts/includes/posts-widgets.php on line 22
[03-Sep-2026 17:31:29 UTC] PHP Warning: Undefined array key “add_class” in /home/laforet/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/show-posts/includes/posts-widgets.php on line 25
[04-Sep-2026 20:07:07 UTC] PHP Warning: Undefined array key “title” in /home/laforet/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/show-posts/includes/posts-widgets.php on line 20
[04-Sep-2026 20:07:07 UTC] PHP Warning: Undefined array key “post_list” in /home/laforet/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/show-posts/includes/posts-widgets.php on line 22
[04-Sep-2026 20:07:07 UTC] PHP Warning: Undefined array key “add_class” in /home/laforet/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/show-posts/includes/posts-widgets.php on line 25
[04-Sep-2026 20:07:07 UTC] PHP Warning: Undefined array key “title” in /home/laforet/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/show-posts/includes/posts-widgets.php on line 20
[04-Sep-2026 20:07:07 UTC] PHP Warning: Undefined array key “post_list” in /home/laforet/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/show-posts/includes/posts-widgets.php on line 22
[04-Sep-2026 20:07:07 UTC] PHP Warning: Undefined array key “add_class” in /home/laforet/public_html/blog/wp-content/plugins/show-posts/includes/posts-widgets.php on line 25

[scrambler]

Until @weaver respond, have to deleted the show post plugin, and reinstall it fresh from wordpress.org in case the site was hacked and the plugin corrupted.

If you suspect it has, you also want to refresh the install of ALL the components (theme and plugins)

[Eric Alvarez]

Well, I just noticed that some accounts have been added without my consent… I will have to do a fresh install I think : (

Besides the widgets, all seem fine however.

[User]

This reply has been accepted as the best answer.

Hi Eric,

When I saw “Widgets” mentioned, I was reminded to ask you to ensure that you have the “Classic Widgets” plugin installed and activated.

Classic Widgets

[Eric Alvarez]

It works! : ) Thanks!

[Eric Alvarez]

Looking back, I think I had actually installed PHP 8.5. Now I’ve gone back to 8.4 after my web host downgraded me to 8.1 for compatibility—according to them— with the Weaver Show Post extension.

[Author]

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