Title: Fatal error: Cannot unset string offsets… ? Last modified: August 31, 2016 --- # Fatal error: Cannot unset string offsets… ? * Resolved [thvs](https://wordpress.org/support/users/thvs/) * (@thvs) * [10 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/fatal-error-cannot-unset-string-offsets-3/) * Hello, I get an error message for when trying to use a plug-in however I am unsure if it is a plug-in specific issue or WP installation or even a theme issue. * ::steps:: – upload mailchimp-formidable plug-in, activate – add mailchimp API key – upon hitting submit I am returned with: Fatal error: Cannot unset string offsets in /home/ponytail/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-roles.php on line 251 – so… I update my WP version to latest, updated all the plug-ins.. – same error message was outputted even after upgrading the WP and plug-ins * ::potentially helpful notes:: – I have found that the `Cannot unset string offsets` is some sort of PHP issue but I have also seen multiple different solutions to the problem. My web server says my PHP version is 5.4 – this site has outdated woocommerce templating, are those a cause in this plug-in error? * Also wondering if I need to go through a Manual install of WordPress to replace the old wp-includes/ and wp-admin/ directories? * Anyone have an issue like this? What steps did you take to fix it? How is this PHP issue typically handled? * I went ahead and contacted Formidable (who’s plug-in where using), they said it may be a theme related issue, but the error message says the point of origin is in that wp-includes/ folder. * Thanks in advance for all the help! I can provide more specs if needed Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total) * Moderator [t-p](https://wordpress.org/support/users/t-p/) * (@t-p) * [10 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/fatal-error-cannot-unset-string-offsets-3/#post-7341446) * Since that is a commercial plugin, we ask that you please go to their official support channel, so you can get support from the people who know it best. * Forum volunteers are also not given access to commercial products, so they would not know why it is not working properly. Other community members who may have faced your issue might be able to help you but your best bet is your product’s developer. Keep in mind we encourage you to use the official support venues, as it allows the developers to be aware of issues with their code and gives back to the community in a more robust way. * Thread Starter [thvs](https://wordpress.org/support/users/thvs/) * (@thvs) * [10 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/fatal-error-cannot-unset-string-offsets-3/#post-7341487) * [@tara](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tara/) got it thank you, * Moderator [t-p](https://wordpress.org/support/users/t-p/) * (@t-p) * [10 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/fatal-error-cannot-unset-string-offsets-3/#post-7341498) * You are welcome 🙂 * Thread Starter [thvs](https://wordpress.org/support/users/thvs/) * (@thvs) * [10 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/fatal-error-cannot-unset-string-offsets-3/#post-7341760) * Update: I found a hack to get around this issue. * It seems in my scenario/situation the theme I was working had made use for additional user roles in the theme’s functions.php file. this caused a conflict with the plug-in being used so it was not a plug-in specific issues as much as it was theme’s functions.php issue. * The simple solution was adding the wp `remove_role` function before using the wp `add_role` function in the theme’s functions.php file. From here the error message went away and the plug-in worked as it should. Point of interest, look into the intricacies when using `add_role` and `remove_role` wp functions and how one should go in front of the other, also (perhaps of interest) these functions may want to be revised/weeded out before deploying to the live site. * [https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/add_role/](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/add_role/) [https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/remove_role/](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/remove_role/) Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total) The topic ‘Fatal error: Cannot unset string offsets… ?’ is closed to new replies. ## Tags * [php-error](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/php-error/) * [updating](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/updating/) * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/) * 4 replies * 2 participants * Last reply from: [thvs](https://wordpress.org/support/users/thvs/) * Last activity: [10 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/fatal-error-cannot-unset-string-offsets-3/#post-7341760) * Status: resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics