Troubleshooting

A notice says BuddyLists needs BuddyPress or BuddyBoss

BuddyLists requires BuddyPress or BuddyBoss Platform. If neither is active, an admin notice says so and the features stay switched off. Nothing is lost, and the plugin resumes when the platform is active again. If you try to activate BuddyLists while neither is active, it deactivates itself and shows the same notice. Activate BuddyPress or BuddyBoss Platform, then activate BuddyLists.

The Lists tab does not appear on profiles

The tab is always present when the platform is active. Check these:

1. Confirm BuddyPress or BuddyBoss Platform is active.
2. Confirm BuddyLists is active on the Plugins screen. A notice at the top of the admin screens tells you if the platform is missing.
3. Clear any page or object cache.

Since 1.3.0 there is no setting to hide the tab.

List pages show a missing page

List pages depend on a rewrite rule. If a list address shows a missing page:

1. Go to Settings > Permalinks and choose Save Changes once to flush rewrite rules.
2. Confirm the address uses the current word from Web address under General settings.
3. Remember that changing Web address moves every list to the new address. Old links stop working.

If you try to save an address that is blank, made only of numbers or used by something else on your site, BuddyLists keeps the old address and shows a message saying why.

“This list does not exist. It may have been deleted.”

The address does not match any list. The list may have been deleted, or the address may have been mistyped. The page returns a not-found response.

Cannot add a person to a list

1. The list may be full. The message says “This list is full” and how many people it can hold. Raise Members per list under General settings, or set it to 0.
2. You may not be allowed to manage the list. Adding members under Visibility decides who can.
3. The person may already be on the list. Search leaves out people already on a list.
4. You may have hit the rate limit. See below.

Search finds nobody

1. Search matches names only, not email addresses or usernames.
2. Under Visibility, check Suggest from. With Only their own friends, search finds only your friends, and needs the BuddyPress Friends component. With chosen roles or member types and none ticked, search finds nobody.
3. People already on the list are not shown.
4. You must be logged in.

Cannot create more lists

The Lists per member limit under General settings may have been reached. The message names the limit. Raise it, set it to 0, or delete a list. If the Add button is missing, your role may not be allowed to create lists, or your member type may be blocked. Administrators can always create lists.

“Rate limit exceeded” message

Actions are capped per member each minute: 10 for creating or updating a list, 60 for adding or removing people, 60 for searching and 30 for following. Wait a moment and try again.

A cover or icon will not upload

Images must be JPG, PNG or GIF and no larger than 5 MB, or the server’s upload limit if that is lower. A file with the wrong extension or type is refused. Only the owner or an administrator can change a list’s images.

Activity feed is empty on a list

1. Confirm the BuddyPress Activity component is active. The list page says “The BuddyPress Activity component is required.” when it is not.
2. Confirm the list has people on it.
3. Confirm those people have posted activity.

The Message link is missing

The Message link on a person’s row needs the BuddyPress Messages component to be active. It is not shown on your own row, and not shown to visitors who are not logged in.

Members are not told when they are added to or removed from a list

1. Check the Notifications screen. Added to a list and Removed from a list must be switched on.
2. The BuddyPress Notifications component must be active. The Notifications screen warns you when it is not.
3. Email is off by default. Switch on Email members if you want an email as well.

The Activity tab is missing from settings

There is no Activity tab. Its options moved to the Visibility screen under Lists in the Activity Stream. A link to the old tab opens Visibility. The card shows a row only when it applies: Followed lists in the stream needs the site’s relevant activity feed, and Follow button needs a follow feature.

A private list shows the wrong access message

The message shown to visitors without access is Message on a private list under Visibility. Edit it there.

Custom colors do not show

Open the Colors screen and switch on Use my own colors. The three pickers apply only when it is on.