Fatal Error in JModuleHelper

Question

I am using a custom template, and when I enable a certain module, I get the following error:

Catchable fatal error: Object of class stdClass could not be converted to string in 
/home/my_host_username/public_html/libraries/cms/module/helper.php on line 202

Any ideas on how to fix this?

Answer 1

This is one funny problem.
It seems that Joomla includes code from module template overrides in a manner that certain variable names do affect the core JModuleHelper renderModule function.

All you need to do to reproduce this bug-like behavior, is to write the following line in your module template override:

$template = JFactory::getApplication()->getTemplate(true);

By loading any object in a variable called $template, you break your site.

So, the problem has a simple solution. Namely:
Search the module template override code (inside templates/your_template/html/mod_modulename)
or possibly even in the module itself (inside modules/mod_modulename), for $template and replace with anything else, like $a_template or $my_template and this will be fixed.

Make sure to let the developer know, if this is not something written by you.