LOST Formatting/Settings when Live Site is copied to Staging or Cloned

[lhe2012]

Bug Report

Description

LOST Formatting/Settings when copied to Staging. PDF with images attached.

I originally saw this at the end of RC3, but now see that it is in 6.3 Production also. WordPress 6.2.2 works normally.

Details Below:

---

Everything looks fine in the LIVE site, but as soon as it is copied to STAGING (SiteGround) and then accessed, you can see that the Menu has lost it's formatting. Also the Cover Block has lost it's formatting/settings.

I saw it orignally on a site I am developing, but then tested issue with bare bone site (WP 6.3, Theme 2023, No Plugins, just install & copy to staging).

It is same results in Firefox & Google Chrome.

Also, I just experienced the same results using WPEngine's LOCAL (Latest Version 7.1.2+6410). I create a Vanilla Site (WP 6.3, Theme 2023), then I Clone the site ... and formatting has been LOST!

Environment

• WordPress: 6.3
• PHP: 7.4.33
• Server: Apache
• Database: mysqli (Server: 5.7.39-42-log / Client: mysqlnd 7.4.33)
• Browser: Firefox 116.0 (Windows 10/11)
• Theme: Twenty Twenty-Three 1.2
• MU-Plugins: None activated
• Plugins:
  • SiteGround Optimizer 7.3.4
  • SiteGround Security 1.4.5
  • WordPress Beta Tester 3.5.2

Steps to Reproduce

1. Create bare minimum 6.3 site
2. Install NO Plugins
3. View Site (Everything is Good So Far)
4. Copy Site to Staging -or- Clone Site in LOCAL Environment
5. View Site (Formatting/Settings have been LOST)
6. 🐞 Bug occurs.

Expected Results

1. ✅ Both LIVE & STAGING Sites should be the SAME.

Actual Results

1. ❌ Staged or Cloned Site has LOST Formatting/Settings.

[lhe2012]

Screenshots

[NekoJonez]

In your ticket you say without any plugins running... Yet in your enviroment there are three...

Also, is the live site and local/staging site the exact same in terms of settings? Same database, same php version and such?

How do you run that staging site?

These pieces of information would help to debug this issue.

[lhe2012]

Hi Neko Jonez -or- Whoever is receiving this,

My Response to Your Questions

Comment:

In your ticket you say without any plugins running... Yet in your
environment there are three...

==>Yes, in the environment I generated the base ticket info from, 3 plugins.
==>I have tested a number of scenarios, all result in the same issue.
==>Issue being, Once copied to Staging ... Format/Settings are Lost.
==>To re-create issue ... Issue Exists, Even when NO Plugins are installed.

Also, is the live site and local/staging site the exact same in terms of
settings? Same database, same php version and such?

==>I Believe so, but I don't know exactly the process that takes place ...
==>On SiteGround Hosting, I just Reference LIVE Site, then click on "Create New Staging Copy"...
==>Then a Staging sub-domain is automatically created, such as "stagingXXX.original-LIVE-URL"
==>Then LIVE Site is Copied (in some way) to Staging URL "stagingXXX.original-LIVE-URL"

How do you run that staging site?

==>To run, I just click on the automatically created URL, "stagingXXX.original-LIVE-URL"

These pieces of information would help to debug this issue.

==>Big UPDATE On This (2 Notes) ...
==>(1) SiteGround was able to develop a fix & has installed it across ALL of there servers.
==>(1) SiteGround correspondence is below.

==>(2) This condition still exist on WPEngine LOCAL Environment Application
==>(2) Issue exist with Literally NO Plugins, just wordpress 6.3 Install ... then Clone Site
==>(2) So, Using LOCAL to Clone the Site, ends up with SAME Issue!

---

Current Status

So I don't know where original issue is being derived from WordPress 6.3 -or- outside applications.
○ Both SiteGround Hosting & LOCAL (local WordPress environment) resulted in same issue.
○ SiteGround has either a Fixed -or- developed a WorkAround (See correspondence below)

○ LOCAL still has the problem.

○ But the condition I suspect (not sure), is due to 6.3.
○ I saw this issue in RC2, RC3 & Production versions of WordPress

Thank You Very Much,
Larry

Some SiteGround Correspondence follows …

---

Aug 11, 2023 05:01 PM (Me to SiteGround)

---

Hi SiteGround People,

QUESTION: Did you guys fix the Staging issue? Staging is working Normal now again for me!

I just did a bunch of tests, and results are good each time.

Even the Live sites (I had problems with before), are working now.
○ The original Staging Copy is still there with the problem.
○ When I create a New Staging Copy of the Live site, that New Staging Copy is good!
○ I made NO Changes to the Live site, but when I re-stage, it works now!

So QUESTIONS: Did you find something? Did you change something? What was it?

I am very interested, because I was able to re-create the problem with “WPEngine’s LOCAL” environment.

When I use LOCAL

1. Create bare minimum 6.3 site
2. Install NO Plugins
3. View Site (Everything is Good So Far)
4. Clone Site in LOCAL Environment
5. View Site (Formatting/Settings have been LOST)

I just tested the above LOCAL process again, and problem is still there in LOCAL … But things work with SiteGround Staging!

Thank you very much,
Larry

---

Aug 11, 2023 11:03 PM (SiteGround to Me)

---

Hello Larry,

I am glad to inform you that our team found a fix for the reported problem and already deployed it on all of our servers. The solution essentially deletes the following transient record "wp_core_block_css_files" from the *_options table. Regrettably, I am not able to provide more detailed information on the matter.

Thank you for your cooperation!

The ticket will now be marked as closed and if you need any other assistance you can request such from here or use the Help Center.

Best Regards,

SiteGround
Senior Technical Support

END of My Response

[lhe2012]

Here is some additional information & findings in relationship to this issue.

Discussion in Local Community (Local WordPress Environment) ​https://community.localwp.com/t/importing-a-wp-6-3-exported-site-with-block-theme-results-in-css-problems-with-solution/38552

Related Article by Felix Arntz (I think somehow he is associated with WordPress Core).
​https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/07/14/configuring-development-mode-in-6-3/