Article not saving with tags

Question

Joomla 3.4.4

Having a strange issue when trying to save an article with tags. I receive the following error (which doesn't give me much info!);

Whenever I remove the tags the article saves just fine.

I am creating the tags before I create the article. Using the tag manager. I have also tried to create the tag within the article which also doesn't work.

Has anybody encountered this issue in the past, is there a fix, or am I overlooking something?

Things I've tried so far;

• delete / re-create all tags
• purge cache / history
• different browsers
• error reporting (nothing obvious reported)
• Extensions >> Manage >> Database (no issues)

Stuck with this one so any help appreciated :/

Answer 1

I tried various things on a clean Joomla and was not able to find anything obvious, or replicate the issue. This seems to be something specific to your site.

I can give you a few troubleshooting directions:

1. Start disabling the majority of plugins one by one as a first step, to see if it is related with any of those.

2. Possible originations of this message are in the following files:

   • /libraries/legacy/controller/form.php
   • /administrator/components/com_finder/controllers/filter.php
   • /administrator/components/com_menus/controllers/item.php
   • /administrator/components/com_menus/controllers/menu.php
   • /administrator/components/com_languages/controllers/override.php
   • /administrator/components/com_templates/controllers/style.php

   You will be able to locate a save function in all these files, and the point where the Save fails and returns the message you are getting, it will be the Language CONSTANT "JLIB_APPLICATION_ERROR_SAVE_FAILED".

   First see, if any kind of settings or extensions could create any kind of dependency between saving article+tags with any of the above files.

   Review the code and see if and how they might interfere with the article saving with tags. Follow the code and find all other code that is being called, and try adding your own debugging within the steps of code execution, till you find any breakpoints e.g. with die statements.

3. Different approaches would be:

   • Re-install Joomla 3.4.4 on top of your current site.
   • Or on a clean Joomla installation, start replicating your site, by moving database tables and installing extensions in steps, so you could spot where the issue could be hidden (in a db table, an extension etc).

Remember: Whatever you do - make sure you have a backup of your site, and preferably do any kind of experiments, troubleshooting on a clone of your site (not the live one).

I would be in place to say more, if I had direct access to the site.

Answer 2

OK I've solved this one with help from @FFrewin & @Lodder

After (painstakingly) comparing all my database tables with a similar Joomla 3.4.4 site I noticed that I was missing some rows in my #__content_types table.

I only had two rows (#__Article and #__DPCalendar), whereas I should have had around 15 rows.

I exported the populated table from a working site, and imported it to the faulty site. All is now working.

I don't know how this happened - perhaps during one of the upgrades from 3.2.x?

I will include the SQL code for future reference, run this and it will populate the #__content_types table with the correct data.

INSERT INTO `#__content_types` (`type_id`, `type_title`, `type_alias`, `table`, `rules`, `field_mappings`, `router`, `content_history_options`) VALUES
(1, 'Article', 'com_content.article', '{"special":{"dbtable":"#__content","key":"id","type":"Content","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"},"common":{"dbtable":"#__ucm_content","key":"ucm_id","type":"Corecontent","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"}}', '', '{"common":{"core_content_item_id":"id","core_title":"title","core_state":"state","core_alias":"alias","core_created_time":"created","core_modified_time":"modified","core_body":"introtext", "core_hits":"hits","core_publish_up":"publish_up","core_publish_down":"publish_down","core_access":"access", "core_params":"attribs", "core_featured":"featured", "core_metadata":"metadata", "core_language":"language", "core_images":"images", "core_urls":"urls", "core_version":"version", "core_ordering":"ordering", "core_metakey":"metakey", "core_metadesc":"metadesc", "core_catid":"catid", "core_xreference":"xreference", "asset_id":"asset_id"}, "special":{"fulltext":"fulltext"}}', 'ContentHelperRoute::getArticleRoute', '{"form_file":"administrator\\/components\\/com_content\\/models\\/forms\\/article.xml",  "hide_fields":["asset_id","checked_out","checked_out_time","version"],  "display_lookup":[ {"source_column":"catid","target_table":"#__categories","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"},  {"source_column":"created_by","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"}, {"source_column":"access","target_table":"#__viewlevels","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"}, {"source_column":"modified_by","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"} ]}'),
(2, 'Weblink', 'com_weblinks.weblink', '{"special":{"dbtable":"#__weblinks","key":"id","type":"Weblink","prefix":"WeblinksTable","config":"array()"},"common":{"dbtable":"#__ucm_content","key":"ucm_id","type":"Corecontent","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"}}', '', '{"common":{"core_content_item_id":"id","core_title":"title","core_state":"state","core_alias":"alias","core_created_time":"created","core_modified_time":"modified","core_body":"description", "core_hits":"hits","core_publish_up":"publish_up","core_publish_down":"publish_down","core_access":"access", "core_params":"params", "core_featured":"featured", "core_metadata":"metadata", "core_language":"language", "core_images":"images", "core_urls":"urls", "core_version":"version", "core_ordering":"ordering", "core_metakey":"metakey", "core_metadesc":"metadesc", "core_catid":"catid", "core_xreference":"xreference", "asset_id":"null"}, "special":{}}', 'WeblinksHelperRoute::getWeblinkRoute', '{"form_file":"administrator\\/components\\/com_weblinks\\/models\\/forms\\/weblink.xml",    "hide_fields":["asset_id","checked_out","checked_out_time","version","featured"],    "display_lookup":[  {"source_column":"catid","target_table":"#__categories","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"},    {"source_column":"created_by","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},   {"source_column":"access","target_table":"#__viewlevels","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"},   {"source_column":"modified_by","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"}  ]}'),
(3, 'Contact', 'com_contact.contact', '{"special":{"dbtable":"#__contact_details","key":"id","type":"Contact","prefix":"ContactTable","config":"array()"},"common":{"dbtable":"#__ucm_content","key":"ucm_id","type":"Corecontent","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"}}', '', '{"common":{"core_content_item_id":"id","core_title":"name","core_state":"published","core_alias":"alias","core_created_time":"created","core_modified_time":"modified","core_body":"address", "core_hits":"hits","core_publish_up":"publish_up","core_publish_down":"publish_down","core_access":"access", "core_params":"params", "core_featured":"featured", "core_metadata":"metadata", "core_language":"language", "core_images":"image", "core_urls":"webpage", "core_version":"version", "core_ordering":"ordering", "core_metakey":"metakey", "core_metadesc":"metadesc", "core_catid":"catid", "core_xreference":"xreference", "asset_id":"null"}, "special":{"con_position":"con_position","suburb":"suburb","state":"state","country":"country","postcode":"postcode","telephone":"telephone","fax":"fax","misc":"misc","email_to":"email_to","default_con":"default_con","user_id":"user_id","mobile":"mobile","sortname1":"sortname1","sortname2":"sortname2","sortname3":"sortname3"}}', 'ContactHelperRoute::getContactRoute', '{"form_file":"administrator/components/com_contact/models/forms/contact.xml","hide_fields":["default_con","checked_out","checked_out_time","version","xreference"],"display_lookup":[  {"source_column":"created_by","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},{"source_column":"catid","target_table":"#__categories","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"},{"source_column":"modified_by","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},{"source_column":"access","target_table":"#__viewlevels","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"},{"source_column":"user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"} ] }'),
(4, 'Newsfeed', 'com_newsfeeds.newsfeed', '{"special":{"dbtable":"#__newsfeeds","key":"id","type":"Newsfeed","prefix":"NewsfeedsTable","config":"array()"},"common":{"dbtable":"#__ucm_content","key":"ucm_id","type":"Corecontent","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"}}', '', '{"common":{"core_content_item_id":"id","core_title":"name","core_state":"published","core_alias":"alias","core_created_time":"created","core_modified_time":"modified","core_body":"description", "core_hits":"hits","core_publish_up":"publish_up","core_publish_down":"publish_down","core_access":"access", "core_params":"params", "core_featured":"featured", "core_metadata":"metadata", "core_language":"language", "core_images":"images", "core_urls":"link", "core_version":"version", "core_ordering":"ordering", "core_metakey":"metakey", "core_metadesc":"metadesc", "core_catid":"catid", "core_xreference":"xreference", "asset_id":"null"}, "special":{"numarticles":"numarticles","cache_time":"cache_time","rtl":"rtl"}}', 'NewsfeedsHelperRoute::getNewsfeedRoute', '{"form_file":"administrator\\/components\\/com_newsfeeds\\/models\\/forms\\/newsfeed.xml",   "hide_fields":["asset_id","checked_out","checked_out_time","version"],   "display_lookup":[  {"source_column":"catid","target_table":"#__categories","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"},   {"source_column":"created_by","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},  {"source_column":"access","target_table":"#__viewlevels","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"},  {"source_column":"modified_by","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"}  ]}'),
(5, 'User', 'com_users.user', '{"special":{"dbtable":"#__users","key":"id","type":"User","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"},"common":{"dbtable":"#__ucm_content","key":"ucm_id","type":"Corecontent","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"}}', '', '{"common":{"core_content_item_id":"id","core_title":"name","core_state":"null","core_alias":"username","core_created_time":"registerdate","core_modified_time":"lastvisitDate","core_body":"null", "core_hits":"null","core_publish_up":"null","core_publish_down":"null","access":"null", "core_params":"params", "core_featured":"null", "core_metadata":"null", "core_language":"null", "core_images":"null", "core_urls":"null", "core_version":"null", "core_ordering":"null", "core_metakey":"null", "core_metadesc":"null", "core_catid":"null", "core_xreference":"null", "asset_id":"null"}, "special":{}}', 'UsersHelperRoute::getUserRoute', ''),
(6, 'Article Category', 'com_content.category', '{"special":{"dbtable":"#__categories","key":"id","type":"Category","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"},"common":{"dbtable":"#__ucm_content","key":"ucm_id","type":"Corecontent","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"}}', '', '{"common":{"core_content_item_id":"id","core_title":"title","core_state":"published","core_alias":"alias","core_created_time":"created_time","core_modified_time":"modified_time","core_body":"description", "core_hits":"hits","core_publish_up":"null","core_publish_down":"null","core_access":"access", "core_params":"params", "core_featured":"null", "core_metadata":"metadata", "core_language":"language", "core_images":"null", "core_urls":"null", "core_version":"version", "core_ordering":"null", "core_metakey":"metakey", "core_metadesc":"metadesc", "core_catid":"parent_id", "core_xreference":"null", "asset_id":"asset_id"}, "special":{"parent_id":"parent_id","lft":"lft","rgt":"rgt","level":"level","path":"path","extension":"extension","note":"note"}}', 'ContentHelperRoute::getCategoryRoute', '{"form_file":"administrator\\/components\\/com_categories\\/models\\/forms\\/category.xml",   "hide_fields":["asset_id","checked_out","checked_out_time","version","lft","rgt","level","path","extension"],   "display_lookup":[   {"source_column":"created_user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},{"source_column":"access","target_table":"#__viewlevels","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"},{"source_column":"modified_user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},{"source_column":"parent_id","target_table":"#__categories","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"}  ] }'),
(7, 'Contact Category', 'com_contact.category', '{"special":{"dbtable":"#__categories","key":"id","type":"Category","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"},"common":{"dbtable":"#__ucm_content","key":"ucm_id","type":"Corecontent","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"}}', '', '{"common":{"core_content_item_id":"id","core_title":"title","core_state":"published","core_alias":"alias","core_created_time":"created_time","core_modified_time":"modified_time","core_body":"description", "core_hits":"hits","core_publish_up":"null","core_publish_down":"null","core_access":"access", "core_params":"params", "core_featured":"null", "core_metadata":"metadata", "core_language":"language", "core_images":"null", "core_urls":"null", "core_version":"version", "core_ordering":"null", "core_metakey":"metakey", "core_metadesc":"metadesc", "core_catid":"parent_id", "core_xreference":"null", "asset_id":"asset_id"}, "special":{"parent_id":"parent_id","lft":"lft","rgt":"rgt","level":"level","path":"path","extension":"extension","note":"note"}}', 'ContactHelperRoute::getCategoryRoute', '{"form_file":"administrator\\/components\\/com_categories\\/models\\/forms\\/category.xml",   "hide_fields":["asset_id","checked_out","checked_out_time","version","lft","rgt","level","path","extension"],   "display_lookup":[   {"source_column":"created_user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},{"source_column":"access","target_table":"#__viewlevels","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"},{"source_column":"modified_user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},{"source_column":"parent_id","target_table":"#__categories","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"}  ] }'),
(8, 'Newsfeeds Category', 'com_newsfeeds.category', '{"special":{"dbtable":"#__categories","key":"id","type":"Category","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"},"common":{"dbtable":"#__ucm_content","key":"ucm_id","type":"Corecontent","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"}}', '', '{"common":{"core_content_item_id":"id","core_title":"title","core_state":"published","core_alias":"alias","core_created_time":"created_time","core_modified_time":"modified_time","core_body":"description", "core_hits":"hits","core_publish_up":"null","core_publish_down":"null","core_access":"access", "core_params":"params", "core_featured":"null", "core_metadata":"metadata", "core_language":"language", "core_images":"null", "core_urls":"null", "core_version":"version", "core_ordering":"null", "core_metakey":"metakey", "core_metadesc":"metadesc", "core_catid":"parent_id", "core_xreference":"null", "asset_id":"asset_id"}, "special":{"parent_id":"parent_id","lft":"lft","rgt":"rgt","level":"level","path":"path","extension":"extension","note":"note"}}', 'NewsfeedsHelperRoute::getCategoryRoute', '{"form_file":"administrator\\/components\\/com_categories\\/models\\/forms\\/category.xml",   "hide_fields":["asset_id","checked_out","checked_out_time","version","lft","rgt","level","path","extension"],   "display_lookup":[   {"source_column":"created_user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},{"source_column":"access","target_table":"#__viewlevels","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"},{"source_column":"modified_user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},{"source_column":"parent_id","target_table":"#__categories","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"}  ] }'),
(9, 'Weblinks Category', 'com_weblinks.category', '{"special":{"dbtable":"#__categories","key":"id","type":"Category","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"},"common":{"dbtable":"#__ucm_content","key":"ucm_id","type":"Corecontent","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"}}', '', '{"common":{"core_content_item_id":"id","core_title":"title","core_state":"published","core_alias":"alias","core_created_time":"created_time","core_modified_time":"modified_time","core_body":"description", "core_hits":"hits","core_publish_up":"null","core_publish_down":"null","core_access":"access", "core_params":"params", "core_featured":"null", "core_metadata":"metadata", "core_language":"language", "core_images":"null", "core_urls":"null", "core_version":"version", "core_ordering":"null", "core_metakey":"metakey", "core_metadesc":"metadesc", "core_catid":"parent_id", "core_xreference":"null", "asset_id":"asset_id"}, "special":{"parent_id":"parent_id","lft":"lft","rgt":"rgt","level":"level","path":"path","extension":"extension","note":"note"}}', 'WeblinksHelperRoute::getCategoryRoute', '{"form_file":"administrator\\/components\\/com_categories\\/models\\/forms\\/category.xml",   "hide_fields":["asset_id","checked_out","checked_out_time","version","lft","rgt","level","path","extension"],   "display_lookup":[   {"source_column":"created_user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},{"source_column":"access","target_table":"#__viewlevels","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"},{"source_column":"modified_user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},{"source_column":"parent_id","target_table":"#__categories","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"}  ] }'),
(10, 'Tag', 'com_tags.tag', '{"special":{"dbtable":"#__tags","key":"tag_id","type":"Tag","prefix":"TagsTable","config":"array()"},"common":{"dbtable":"#__ucm_content","key":"ucm_id","type":"Corecontent","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"}}', '', '{"common":{"core_content_item_id":"id","core_title":"title","core_state":"published","core_alias":"alias","core_created_time":"created_time","core_modified_time":"modified_time","core_body":"description", "core_hits":"hits","core_publish_up":"null","core_publish_down":"null","core_access":"access", "core_params":"params", "core_featured":"featured", "core_metadata":"metadata", "core_language":"language", "core_images":"images", "core_urls":"urls", "core_version":"version", "core_ordering":"null", "core_metakey":"metakey", "core_metadesc":"metadesc", "core_catid":"null", "core_xreference":"null", "asset_id":"null"}, "special":{"parent_id":"parent_id","lft":"lft","rgt":"rgt","level":"level","path":"path"}}', 'TagsHelperRoute::getTagRoute', '{"form_file":"administrator\\/components\\/com_tags\\/models\\/forms\\/tag.xml",   \r\n"hide_fields":["checked_out","checked_out_time","version", "lft", "rgt", "level", "path", "urls", "publish_up", "publish_down"],   \r\n"display_lookup":[   \r\n{"source_column":"created_user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},  \r\n{"source_column":"access","target_table":"#__viewlevels","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"},  \r\n{"source_column":"modified_user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"}  ]}'),
(11, 'Banner', 'com_banners.banner', '{"special":{"dbtable":"#__banners","key":"id","type":"Banner","prefix":"BannersTable","config":"array()"},"common":{"dbtable":"#__ucm_content","key":"ucm_id","type":"Corecontent","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"}}', '', '{"common":{"core_content_item_id":"id","core_title":"name","core_state":"published","core_alias":"alias","core_created_time":"created","core_modified_time":"modified","core_body":"description", "core_hits":"null","core_publish_up":"publish_up","core_publish_down":"publish_down","core_access":"access", "core_params":"params", "core_featured":"null", "core_metadata":"metadata", "core_language":"language", "core_images":"images", "core_urls":"link", "core_version":"version", "core_ordering":"ordering", "core_metakey":"metakey", "core_metadesc":"metadesc", "core_catid":"catid", "core_xreference":"null", "asset_id":"null"}, "special":{"imptotal":"imptotal", "impmade":"impmade", "clicks":"clicks", "clickurl":"clickurl", "custombannercode":"custombannercode", "cid":"cid", "purchase_type":"purchase_type", "track_impressions":"track_impressions", "track_clicks":"track_clicks"}}', '', '{"form_file":"administrator\\/components\\/com_banners\\/models\\/forms\\/banner.xml", "hide_fields":["checked_out","checked_out_time","version", "reset"],"display_lookup":[{"source_column":"catid","target_table":"#__categories","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"}, {"source_column":"cid","target_table":"#__banner_clients","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"}, {"source_column":"created_by","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},{"source_column":"modified_by","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"}  ]}'),
(12, 'Banners Category', 'com_banners.category', '{"special":{"dbtable":"#__categories","key":"id","type":"Category","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"},"common":{"dbtable":"#__ucm_content","key":"ucm_id","type":"Corecontent","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"}}', '', '{"common":{"core_content_item_id":"id","core_title":"title","core_state":"published","core_alias":"alias","core_created_time":"created_time","core_modified_time":"modified_time","core_body":"description", "core_hits":"hits","core_publish_up":"null","core_publish_down":"null","core_access":"access", "core_params":"params", "core_featured":"null", "core_metadata":"metadata", "core_language":"language", "core_images":"null", "core_urls":"null", "core_version":"version", "core_ordering":"null", "core_metakey":"metakey", "core_metadesc":"metadesc", "core_catid":"parent_id", "core_xreference":"null", "asset_id":"asset_id"}, "special": {"parent_id":"parent_id","lft":"lft","rgt":"rgt","level":"level","path":"path","extension":"extension","note":"note"}}', '', '{"form_file":"administrator\\/components\\/com_categories\\/models\\/forms\\/category.xml",   "hide_fields":["asset_id","checked_out","checked_out_time","version","lft","rgt","level","path","extension"],   "display_lookup":[   {"source_column":"created_user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},{"source_column":"access","target_table":"#__viewlevels","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"},{"source_column":"modified_user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},{"source_column":"parent_id","target_table":"#__categories","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"}  ] }'),
(13, 'Banner Client', 'com_banners.client', '{"special":{"dbtable":"#__banner_clients","key":"id","type":"Client","prefix":"BannersTable"}}', '', '', '', '{"form_file":"administrator\\/components\\/com_banners\\/models\\/forms\\/client.xml", "hide_fields":["checked_out","checked_out_time"],"display_lookup":[]}'),
(14, 'User Notes', 'com_users.note', '{"special":{"dbtable":"#__user_notes","key":"id","type":"Note","prefix":"UsersTable"}}', '', '', '', '{"form_file":"administrator\\/components\\/com_users\\/models\\/forms\\/note.xml", "hide_fields":["checked_out","checked_out_time", "publish_up", "publish_down"],"display_lookup":[  {"source_column":"catid","target_table":"#__categories","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"},    {"source_column":"created_user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"}, {"source_column":"user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"}, {"source_column":"modified_user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"}  ]}'),
(15, 'User Notes Category', 'com_users.category', '{"special":{"dbtable":"#__categories","key":"id","type":"Category","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"},"common":{"dbtable":"#__ucm_content","key":"ucm_id","type":"Corecontent","prefix":"JTable","config":"array()"}}', '', '{"common":{"core_content_item_id":"id","core_title":"title","core_state":"published","core_alias":"alias","core_created_time":"created_time","core_modified_time":"modified_time","core_body":"description", "core_hits":"hits","core_publish_up":"null","core_publish_down":"null","core_access":"access", "core_params":"params", "core_featured":"null", "core_metadata":"metadata", "core_language":"language", "core_images":"null", "core_urls":"null", "core_version":"version", "core_ordering":"null", "core_metakey":"metakey", "core_metadesc":"metadesc", "core_catid":"parent_id", "core_xreference":"null", "asset_id":"asset_id"}, "special":{"parent_id":"parent_id","lft":"lft","rgt":"rgt","level":"level","path":"path","extension":"extension","note":"note"}}', '', '{"form_file":"administrator\\/components\\/com_categories\\/models\\/forms\\/category.xml",   "hide_fields":["checked_out","checked_out_time","version","lft","rgt","level","path","extension"],   "display_lookup":[   {"source_column":"created_user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},{"source_column":"access","target_table":"#__viewlevels","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"},{"source_column":"modified_user_id","target_table":"#__users","target_column":"id","display_column":"name"},{"source_column":"parent_id","target_table":"#__categories","target_column":"id","display_column":"title"}  ] }');