Title: Cannot edit template files Last modified: January 29, 2018 --- # Cannot edit template files * [craigs85](https://wordpress.org/support/users/craigs85/) * (@craigs85) * [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-edit-template-files/) * Hi guys. Since one the more recent updates, I have been unable to edit any template files in my child theme. * My theme is a child of the twenty twelve theme. If I switch to Twenty Twelve, I can make changes to my child theme, but when its the active theme, it prevents me doing so. * When I try and save file using ‘Update File’, the icon animation displays for a short while before this message is displayed. * “Unable to communicate back with site to check for fatal errors, so the PHP change was reverted. You will need to upload your PHP file change by some other means, such as by using SFTP.” * Can anyone help? - This topic was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/). Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total) * Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/) * (@sterndata) * Volunteer Forum Moderator * [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-edit-template-files/#post-9914966) * Please install the health check plugin and report back its findings: [https://wordpress.org/plugins/health-check/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/health-check/) * The plugin also helps diagnose the cause of the error you saw. * Thread Starter [craigs85](https://wordpress.org/support/users/craigs85/) * (@craigs85) * [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-edit-template-files/#post-9914990) * Thanks for the reply. * Here is the info. * ``` ### WordPress ### Version: 4.9.2 Language: en_GB Permalink structure: /%postname%/ Is this site using HTTPS?: Yes Can anyone register on this site?: No Default comment status: open Is this a multisite?: No User Count: 13 Communication with WordPress.org: WordPress.org is reachable Create loopback requests: The loopback request to your site completed successfully. ### Active theme ### Name: MG Autos Version: 1.0.0 Author: Linden Design Author website: http://www.lindendesign.co.uk Parent theme: Twenty Twelve Supported theme features: widgets, post-thumbnails, editor-style, automatic-feed-links, post-formats, menus, custom-background, customize-selective-refresh-widgets, custom-header ### Other themes (1) ### Twenty Twelve (twentytwelve): Version 2.4 by the WordPress team ### Must Use Plugins (1) ### Health Check Disable Plugins: Version 1.0 ### Active Plugins (38) ### Abandoned Cart Lite for WooCommerce: Version 4.5 by Tyche Softwares ARI Adminer: Version 1.1.7 by ARI Soft Beeketing For WooCommerce: Version 3.3.0 by Beeketing Booster for WooCommerce: Version 3.3.0 by Algoritmika Ltd Capability Manager Enhanced: Version 1.5.7 by Jordi Canals, Kevin Behrens Compress JPEG & PNG images: Version 2.2.6 by TinyPNG Contact Form 7: Version 4.9.2 by Takayuki Miyoshi Custom Menu Shortcode: Version 1.0 by Bas van der Lans Easy Maintenance Mode: Version 1.4.2 by Ankit Agarwal,Priyanshu Mittal Easy Watermark: Version 0.6.0 by Wojtek Szałkiewicz Facebook for WooCommerce: Version 1.4.1 by Facebook Flamingo: Version 1.8 by Takayuki Miyoshi Health Check: Version 0.9.0 by The WordPress.org community Include Me: Version 1.1.5 by Stefano Lissa Regenerate Thumbnails: Version 3.0.2 by Alex Mills (Viper007Bond) Responsive Menu: Version 3.1.13 by Peter Featherstone SSL Insecure Content Fixer: Version 2.5.0 by WebAware To Top: Version 1.5.5 by Catch Themes Transient Cleaner: Version 1.5.4 by David Artiss Widgetkit: Version 2.9.13 by YOOtheme WooCommerce: Version 3.2.6 by Automattic WooCommerce Categories Menu PRO: Version 1.0.0 by Alvaro Neto Woocommerce Category Image Import: Version 1.2.0 by Adam Bowen WooCommerce Product Carousel Slider: Version 3.0.2 by ADL Plugins WooCommerce Product Categories Selection: Version 2.0 by PluginForage.com WooCommerce RRP: Version 1.4 by Bradley Davis WooCommerce UPG Payment Gateway: Version 1.2 by Darren Potter Woocoomerce Extra MSRP Savings Fields: Version 1.0 by Peter Song WP All Import - WooCommerce Add-On Pro: Version 2.3.8 by Soflyy WP All Import Pro: Version 4.5.0 by Soflyy WPB Accordion Menu or Category: Version 1.06 by wpbean WP Cerber Security & Antispam: Version 6.1 by Gregory WP Mail Logging: Version 1.8.3 by Christian Zöller WP Mail SMTP: Version 1.2.4 by WPForms WP Product Feed Manager: Version 1.7.4 by Michel Jongbloed WP Security Audit Log: Version 3.0 by WP White Security YITH WooCommerce Category Accordion: Version 1.0.13 by YITHEMES Yoast SEO: Version 6.2 by Team Yoast ### Inactive Plugins (12) ### MailChimp for WooCommerce: Version 2.1.3 by MailChimp Really Simple CAPTCHA: Version 2.0.1 by Takayuki Miyoshi Ultimate WooCommerce Expandable Categories: Version 1.2 by MagniumThemes WooCommerce Categories Menu: Version 1.2.0 by Alvaro Neto WooCommerce collapsing categories: Version 0.0.1 by subhansanjaya WOOF - WooCommerce Products Filter: Version 1.1.8 by realmag777 WP-Lister Lite for eBay: Version 2.0.31 by Matthias Krok WP-Lister Pro for eBay: Version 2.0.20 by Matthias Krok WP All Import: Version 3.4.6 by Soflyy WP All Import - WooCommerce Add-On: Version 1.3.7 by Soflyy WP Clean Up: Version 1.2.3 by BoLiQuan WP Editor: Version 1.2.6.3 by Benjamin Rojas ### Media handling ### Active editor: WP_Image_Editor_GD Imagick Module Version: Imagick not available ImageMagick Version: Imagick not available GD Version: bundled (2.1.0 compatible) Ghostscript Version: Not available ### Server ### Server architecture: Linux 3.10.0-514.10.2.el7.x86_64 x86_64 PHP Version: 7.0.10 (Supports 64bit values) PHP SAPI: cgi-fcgi PHP max input variables: 9000 PHP time limit: 300 PHP memory limit: 1024M Max input time: 60 Upload max filesize: 10M PHP post max size: 10M cURL Version: 7.29.0 NSS/3.28.4 SUHOSIN installed: No Is the Imagick library available: No ### Database ### Extension: mysqli Server version: 5.5.5-10.1.19-MariaDB Client version: mysqlnd 5.0.12-dev - 20150407 - $Id: 241ae00989d1995ffcbbf63d579943635faf9972 $ Database prefix: wp_ ### WordPress constants ### ABSPATH: /home/mgautos.uk.com/public_html/ WP_HOME: Undefined WP_SITEURL: Undefined WP_DEBUG: Disabled WP_MAX_MEMORY_LIMIT: 256M WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY: Enabled WP_DEBUG_LOG: Disabled SCRIPT_DEBUG: Disabled WP_CACHE: Disabled CONCATENATE_SCRIPTS: Undefined COMPRESS_SCRIPTS: Undefined COMPRESS_CSS: Undefined WP_LOCAL_DEV: Undefined ### Filesystem permissions ### The main WordPress directory: Writable The wp-content directory: Writable The uploads directory: Writable The plugins directory: Writable The themes directory: Writable The Must Use Plugins directory: Writable ``` * Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/) * (@sterndata) * Volunteer Forum Moderator * [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-edit-template-files/#post-9915021) * All the usual suspects look OK. Are the individual files showing the same ownership and permission as the parent theme’s? * Thread Starter [craigs85](https://wordpress.org/support/users/craigs85/) * (@craigs85) * [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-edit-template-files/#post-9915046) * Hi Steve . I’ve just checked on the server and the files are showing the same owner and permissions yes. * I can’t think what it is. I would have said a plug-in but it works with the parent theme active.. * Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/) * (@sterndata) * Volunteer Forum Moderator * [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-edit-template-files/#post-9915068) * It’s not a generic child-theme thing because it works on a child theme on my test site. Could it be a server security issue? Perhaps mod_secure? * Thread Starter [craigs85](https://wordpress.org/support/users/craigs85/) * (@craigs85) * [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-edit-template-files/#post-9915074) * Unsure. Any tips on how I can check it? * Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/) * (@sterndata) * Volunteer Forum Moderator * [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-edit-template-files/#post-9915107) * Ask your host. Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total) The topic ‘Cannot edit template files’ is closed to new replies. * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/) * 7 replies * 2 participants * Last reply from: [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/) * Last activity: [8 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-edit-template-files/#post-9915107) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics