Title: ‘Cannot modify header information…’ – Theme vs Plugin problem Last modified: August 19, 2016 --- # ‘Cannot modify header information…’ – Theme vs Plugin problem * Resolved [desertlynx](https://wordpress.org/support/users/desertlynx/) * (@desertlynx) * [17 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-modify-header-information-theme-vs-plugin-problem/) * I’m working on a company intranet site and a requirement is that the site is private. So, I used the plugin: ‘Private WP 1.1’, which seems to work fine. However, it appears to cause an error due to a flaw in the chosen theme ‘[Oriental](http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/oriental)‘. * The error is: * ``` 'Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/distrib/public_html/wp-content/themes/oriental/index.php:1) in /home/distrib/public_html/wp-includes/pluggable.php on line 850' ``` * I’m aware this is usually caused by spaces before and after the tags, but I’ve checked all the usual places (my php skills are lacking, but I checked wp-config, wp-login etc. re-uploaded the theme fresh, etc.) and can’t find anything. I must point out the error ** only ** comes up when using this theme, so I imagine the problem is somewhere in the php of the theme’s header. * Where should I look? Or, I suppose more accurately, what should I look for? Viewing 10 replies - 1 through 10 (of 10 total) * [whooami](https://wordpress.org/support/users/whooami/) * (@whooami) * [17 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-modify-header-information-theme-vs-plugin-problem/#post-1062655) * > Where should I look? * `/home/distrib/public_html/wp-content/themes/oriental/index.php` * in the file with the problem (its telling you). * line 1 — so its linebreaks or spaces or hidden chars at **the top** of that file. * Thread Starter [desertlynx](https://wordpress.org/support/users/desertlynx/) * (@desertlynx) * [17 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-modify-header-information-theme-vs-plugin-problem/#post-1062662) * I double checked the theme index.php, unless I’m blind, there’s nothing at the start of that file (I’m using Notepad++). * However, the first line of code is ‘’. would I be right in guessing that this could indicate the problem is in the header.php instead? * (coincidentally, there was a trailing line break in header.php which I have since removed, but to no avail) * Thread Starter [desertlynx](https://wordpress.org/support/users/desertlynx/) * (@desertlynx) * [17 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-modify-header-information-theme-vs-plugin-problem/#post-1062664) * hmm.. more complications: - the problem only manifests when the plugin “Private WP 1.1” is used - once logged in, the issue no longer arises * [whooami](https://wordpress.org/support/users/whooami/) * (@whooami) * [17 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-modify-header-information-theme-vs-plugin-problem/#post-1062666) * tell you what, email me the plugin files, and a copy of the theme you said youre using? * if you can zip them up and send them to whoo et village-idiot.org then I’ll take a look as soon as I get them. * Thread Starter [desertlynx](https://wordpress.org/support/users/desertlynx/) * (@desertlynx) * [17 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-modify-header-information-theme-vs-plugin-problem/#post-1062670) * done * [whooami](https://wordpress.org/support/users/whooami/) * (@whooami) * [17 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-modify-header-information-theme-vs-plugin-problem/#post-1062676) * Heres a screenshot of whats inside the theme’s index.php that is the subject of this thread: * [http://www.village-idiot.org/broke/hidden-chars.gif](http://www.village-idiot.org/broke/hidden-chars.gif) * those error messages are never wrong 🙂 * Thread Starter [desertlynx](https://wordpress.org/support/users/desertlynx/) * (@desertlynx) * [17 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-modify-header-information-theme-vs-plugin-problem/#post-1062681) * Wow, excellent job finding that one. Thank you * [whooami](https://wordpress.org/support/users/whooami/) * (@whooami) * [17 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-modify-header-information-theme-vs-plugin-problem/#post-1062683) * I cheat. i look at the files on my server. windows is evil. * Thread Starter [desertlynx](https://wordpress.org/support/users/desertlynx/) * (@desertlynx) * [17 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-modify-header-information-theme-vs-plugin-problem/#post-1062684) * Fixed! I have to admit, finding that character proved more difficult than I expected, I had to go and use a [hex editor](http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delphi/freeware/xvi32/xvi32.htm) to remove the non-printing characters (which notepad++ seemed to ignore). * My guess is they were asian characters (as is the theme’s author, I believe) and my computer lacked whatever character set to display them. * Once again, thank you * [whooami](https://wordpress.org/support/users/whooami/) * (@whooami) * [17 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-modify-header-information-theme-vs-plugin-problem/#post-1062686) * youre welcome .. its a common problem, and not easy to see when its on the first line. Its nice to get a link to something that actually works in windows — thats the primary reason I never recommend anything beyond the generic “plain text editor”. Viewing 10 replies - 1 through 10 (of 10 total) The topic ‘‘Cannot modify header information…’ – Theme vs Plugin problem’ is closed to new replies. ## Tags * [php](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/php/) * 10 replies * 2 participants * Last reply from: [whooami](https://wordpress.org/support/users/whooami/) * Last activity: [17 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-modify-header-information-theme-vs-plugin-problem/#post-1062686) * Status: resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics