Get the "Create" buttons back on the "Add Legal Page" screen

The Add Legal Page screen in TermsFeed AutoTerms shows its legal page boxes only once its JavaScript runs, so any fault that stops that script leaves the screen blank. The boxes are Privacy Policy, Terms and Conditions, Cookies Policy, and Custom Legal Page, each with a "Create" button. The page source holds the boxes even while the screen shows nothing.

Of the scripts the screen loads from the plugin folder auto-terms-of-service-and-privacy-policy, base.js and post-new.js show the boxes. Open TermsFeed > Add Legal Page with DevTools open (F12) while you test.

Cause 1: Another plugin or the theme removes jQuery from the admin

The Add Legal Page boxes stay hidden while jQuery is missing from the admin screen. base.js and post-new.js show the boxes once jQuery is present, and errors in other scripts do not stop them. A plugin that deregisters jQuery in the admin, or a script that removes the global jQuery object, keeps the boxes hidden.

The Console tab shows whether jQuery is gone. Type jQuery in the Console tab and press Enter, and a missing jQuery returns Uncaught ReferenceError: jQuery is not defined. In the Network tab, filtered for auto-terms-of-service, a deregistered jQuery leaves out base.js and post-new.js, because WordPress does not print a script whose dependency is missing. A script that removes the global jQuery object leaves both requests in place.

As the site owner, find the plugin or theme that removes jQuery by turning them off one by one.

  1. Deactivate your other plugins one at a time on the Plugins screen, keeping the AutoTerms plugin active, and reload the Add Legal Page screen after each.
  2. Switch to a default WordPress theme for a moment, to test the theme.
  3. Reactivate everything except the plugin or theme that removes jQuery, and report the problem to its author.

A developer searches the active plugins and the theme for wp_deregister_script called with the jquery handle, or for code that removes the global jQuery object. Fix that code, or ask its author to keep it off the admin screens.

Cause 2: JavaScript is off in the browser

The Add Legal Page screen needs JavaScript, so a browser with JavaScript turned off shows "Please, enable javascript to continue." instead of the boxes. A script blocker extension, such as NoScript, has the same effect when it blocks your WordPress website.

The "Please, enable javascript to continue." text under the empty area of the screen points to this cause.

Turn JavaScript back on for your WordPress website and reload the screen.

  1. Turn on JavaScript for your WordPress website in the browser settings, at chrome://settings/content/javascript in Chrome.
  2. Allow your WordPress website in any script blocker extension.
  3. Reload the Add Legal Page screen.

Cause 3: A security or optimization plugin blocks the admin scripts

A security plugin, an optimization plugin, or a firewall keeps base.js and post-new.js from running when it blocks their download or changes how they run. An optimization plugin that acts on admin screens breaks or holds back these scripts when it combines, defers, or delays them there. A firewall rule that blocks files under /wp-content/plugins/ stops their download.

Check the download first in the Network tab. Type auto-terms-of-service in the filter and reload. A status of 403 or 404, or a (blocked) status, means a firewall, a security plugin, or a browser extension stops the file. A list with no request for base.js and post-new.js points to a missing jQuery, or to an optimization plugin that moved the scripts into a combined file.

Status 200 proves that the 2 files downloaded, not that they ran after jQuery. A red error in the Console tab that names base.js, post-new.js, or a combined file means the scripts ran too early or out of order. In the Elements tab, a <script> tag of post-new.js with a type such as text/plain means a delay feature holds the script back.

Let the 2 scripts download and run in order, then load the screen again from a clean cache.

  1. Turn off the admin options of the optimization plugin that combine, defer, or delay scripts, or exclude base.js and post-new.js from them.
  2. Allow the auto-terms-of-service-and-privacy-policy folder in the firewall, the security plugin, or the browser extension.
  3. Clear every cache and reload the Add Legal Page screen.

How to verify that the "Add Legal Page" screen works

A working screen shows the 4 boxes, each with a "Create" button, and opens a questionnaire on a click. Keep DevTools open while you reload the screen.

  1. Open TermsFeed > Add Legal Page and confirm the boxes Privacy Policy, Terms and Conditions, Cookies Policy, and Custom Legal Page.
  2. Open the Console tab of DevTools and confirm that no red line names jQuery, base.js, post-new.js, or a combined file.
  3. Open the Network tab, filter for auto-terms-of-service, and confirm status 200 for base.js and post-new.js.
  4. Click the "Create" button in the Privacy Policy box and confirm that the questionnaire opens.

The questionnaire then takes you from the shared questions to a draft page. Answer the questionnaire and create the page with Create a Privacy Policy in WordPress.