Title: Weird Encoding Problem Last modified: August 21, 2016 --- # Weird Encoding Problem * [Semetery](https://wordpress.org/support/users/semetery/) * (@semetery) * [11 years, 12 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/) * Hello there, * I was running W3 Total Cache for about two weeks before some of my sites users informed me that when they tried to share posts to Facebook, they were getting bad encoding issues (just a mess of letters and symbols) instead of descriptions. Also, the featured image was often wrong (may be related to a different plugin but I thought I’d mention it in case it’s relevant here). * I switched cache plugins, using an uninstall guide for W3 (worked fine) and things when back to normal only after I re-posted those same articles under the new cache plugin. That’s how I know for sure it was W3 related, those same posts being shared under WP Fastest Cache work fine across the board. * I tried different settings and searched around and couldn’t find anything that fixed the problem. Has anyone else encountered this and if so, what did you do to fix it? I love Fastest Cache, but I feel my site performed a bit more fluid with W3. * Thanks! * [https://wordpress.org/plugins/w3-total-cache/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/w3-total-cache/) Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 16 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/page/2/?output_format=md) * [FayssalF](https://wordpress.org/support/users/itoube/) * (@itoube) * [11 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/#post-5010394) * Same problem here. I tried everything for more than a few days. I even contacted my host because I thought it could be a virus. * It is working fine without the W3 Total Cache. * [karnanda](https://wordpress.org/support/users/karnanda/) * (@karnanda) * [11 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/#post-5010395) * Ah… thats it…!!! I think it’s just only me… so… many WP user encountered this problem too… * I also upload the screenshot… [http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq66/karnanda/error_zpsf66d2716.jpg](http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq66/karnanda/error_zpsf66d2716.jpg) [http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq66/karnanda/error2_zps822b1373.jpg](http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq66/karnanda/error2_zps822b1373.jpg) I hope in the next update dev can fix this… * [Peter](https://wordpress.org/support/users/peterobel/) * (@peterobel) * [11 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/#post-5010397) * I have the same issue intermittently. I have tracked the issue back to changes in (other) plugin source code or changes in theme source code. * Whenever I change the source of my theme, or a plugin the shared text become garbled. * I can fix this by going to W3 Total Cache and clear ALL caches. Then it works again. * Regards * Peter * [karnanda](https://wordpress.org/support/users/karnanda/) * (@karnanda) * [11 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/#post-5010398) * I’ve try your advice peter… Empty all cache, but I still got that error… I don’t know what should I do… but next time I will try again… ^_^ * [Eric Kastler](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ericscuba-docom/) * (@ericscuba-docom) * [11 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/#post-5010399) * Hi I got that : Recently an error occurred while creating the CSS / JS minify cache: No sources to serve I am not sure to figure out whzt it means… Somebody can help me? Thank Eric * [Willie Jackson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/williejackson/) * (@williejackson) * [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/#post-5010400) * Thanks for bringing this issue to our attention. Email is the official W3 Total Cache support channel, please submit a bug report through the support tab of the plugin. * [Eric Kastler](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ericscuba-docom/) * (@ericscuba-docom) * [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/#post-5010401) * Yes i will do that but I like to speak with other person when i got some issue. May be somebody got the same… However, I already spoke with somebody at W3 Total Cache about that and he said me to pay for the pro setting. Even so i got the premium version. By the way, what is really strange it’s I have the same message even if I disable all the options like minify html, css, js and rewriting option in the main page of minify. I let just minify enabled in the general setting!!! In this case i minify nothing, right? I don’t figure out what it means. Can you help me? Thanks Eric * [Willie Jackson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/williejackson/) * (@williejackson) * [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/#post-5010402) * I’m trying to help you, please submit a bug report. * [Eric Kastler](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ericscuba-docom/) * (@ericscuba-docom) * [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/#post-5010403) * Thank you for your suggestion. As I said I will do that but I want to inform other people who could have the same issue with the premium version ($69). There is very few information on how to use and set up this plugin even if you got the premium version so the community need to speak about his experience. By the way I have another issue with the browser cache. It seems we can’t exclude some files of the browser cache. There is a setting for that which take regex but nothing is said about the form of the regex: [http://www](http://www)\.mywebsite\. com/myfolder/^(.*) /myfolder/^(.*) myfolder/^(.*) or any thing else… I tried many things but nothing seems working. There is a very poor information about this plugin… * [Willie Jackson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/williejackson/) * (@williejackson) * [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/#post-5010404) * > As I said I will do that but I want to inform other people who could have the > same issue with the premium version ($69). 1. I understand, but access to your site is required to investigate bugs that we can’t reproduce on our own. There’s also nothing to inform people about until the issue is properly understood and solved. If everyone who was experiencing this issue submitted a bug report, we would have a lot more data to analyze for the solution. 2. We don’t sell any products at that price point, you’re probably talking about [W3 Total Cache Pro](https://www.w3-edge.com/solutions/w3-total-cache-pro/) which has a $99/yr subscription cost. 3. The issues described in this thread have absolutely nothing to do with W3 Total Cache Pro. Pro unlocks special features, it’s not a different product. * > There is very few information on how to use and set up this plugin even if > you got the premium version so the community need to speak about his experience. * W3 Total Cache is a _framework_, and the optimal settings are site-specific. Once you understand Web Performance Optimization principles and best practices, using W3 Total Cache becomes a lot easier. W3 Total Cache is literally just implementing and managing WPO policies for you in a WordPress context. * If it were possible to create definitive documentation on how to set it up properly for all cases, we would have written it four years ago to save ourselves a lot of time 🙂 * > By the way I have another issue with the browser cache. It seems we can’t exclude > some files of the browser cache * There’s not enough information here to troubleshoot this problem, hence the repeated requests to email us. The “Prevent caching exception list” supports regular expressions so if you’re not getting the desired result then you should verify the regex statement. * Without access to your site (to investigate things like whether you have conflicting`. htaccess` rules in place, whether you’re running additional caching plugins, knowing how you’re testing, understanding the actual problem you’re trying to solve, verifying header information myself, seeing if you’re using any DNS-level proxying services like Incapsula or CloudFlare, or half a dozen things that I check for subconsciously when investigating sites for which we have the required information.) it’s simply impossible to provide good support. * > There is a very poor information about this plugin… * This is not helpful feedback, W3 Total Cache has an extensive FAQ section inside the product and on the [product page](https://www.w3-edge.com/products/w3-total-cache/#prefix-tab-2). If you have a question, please [email us](https://www.w3-edge.com/contact/). If you have an issue, please submit a bug report. * [Eric Kastler](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ericscuba-docom/) * (@ericscuba-docom) * [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/#post-5010405) * Yes, you are right it’s $99… I have forgotten it was too expensive 🙂 * NAME PRICE W3 Total Cache Pro: Annual Subscription Add the license key on the“ General Settings” page in the W3 Total Cache plugin. No downloadable files found. $99.00 Total Price: $99.00 * So I contacted you, Mr Jackson, by email and your response was : * You’re getting that error because minify has not been fully configured. We would be very happy to help, but we charge for professional configuration. * And your investigation stopped at this level. So it’s a little bit different what you said here… The price for your professional help is $100. I am wondering why I paid $99 before… * Anyway, if you want to help me to fix these issues you are welcome. * For your perfect information, I found nothing for helping me in the FAQ. Please tell me where I can find that exactly in. * Thanks * [Willie Jackson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/williejackson/) * (@williejackson) * [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/#post-5010406) * > So I contacted you, Mr Jackson, by email and your response was : > You’re getting that error because minify has not been fully configured. We > would be very happy to help, but we charge for professional configuration. * The error you wrote in about is not the error described in this thread that you’ve hijacked, I believe my response was accurate. * > And your investigation stopped at this level * Right, there was no response to the offer and thus I didn’t investigate anything. * > The price for your professional help is $100. I am wondering why I paid $99 > before… * Professional plugin configuration (a service) and W3 Total Cache Pro (a product) are not the same. * > Anyway, if you want to help me to fix these issues you are welcome. > For your perfect information, I found nothing for helping me in the FAQ. Please > tell me where I can find that exactly in. * For the reasons previously stated, the support your after can’t be provided without access, on a public forum. * [Eric Kastler](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ericscuba-docom/) * (@ericscuba-docom) * [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/#post-5010407) * When we buy a product, there is always an How To. * Not to say exactly what we have to do in our particular case but to explain the use and the form. And unfortunately, it doesn’t exist right now. * If i fully understand you, i bought a product (product) but I have to ask how i have to use it (service)? * Example: In Browser Cache, in the “Prevent caching of objects after settings change”, in the textarea “Prevent caching exception list” you said “Do not add the prevent caching query string to the specified files. Supports regular expressions.”– That’s ok and every body can understand that. But nowhere, I can find if I have to write the entire url or just the folder ou just the files in case of I want to prevent all the files of a folder (it’s often the case). I know what I have to do – no need your help for that – but i don’t know how I have to write the regex expression… and I tried most of things and nothing works. And at this point, I need you tell me what is the formalism you use. And that is included in the price of the product! * And I am pretty sure there is an issue with this part of your cache. Why ? because i have a php part of my site – not include in WordPress – (a separated folder) which doesn’t work when I enable the browser cache and works perfectly when I dessable the browser cache. * There are some very strange things with your cache. Idem with Minify part. When i enable Minify part in general settings I got an error message. Even if I dessable all the actions in minify specific part: no minify for html, js, css and no rewriting. * Could you confirm me that minify continues to work even if I dessable all the actions in the minify part? * I not sure that a company can sale a product and say to its customers: hey, you have the product but right now, if you want to use it, please pay again the same price… * I can figure out I pay for a service – if I need it – but I don’t agree to pay for knowing if I have to press the green button or the red one to activate my stuff when I bought it. If your company choose the red one to activate i have to know it and it’s included in the price. * Isn’t it ? * Thanks * [Willie Jackson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/williejackson/) * (@williejackson) * [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/#post-5010408) * > I know what I have to do – no need your help for that – but i don’t know how > I have to write the regex expression… and I tried most of things and nothing > works. And at this point, I need you tell me what is the formalism you use. > And that is included in the price of the product! * You not knowing how to write the necessary regular expression is not a W3 Total Cache issue. That’s really all I can say without knowing/testing anything else, sorry. * > And I am pretty sure there is an issue with this part of your cache. Why ? > because i have a php part of my site – not include in WordPress – (a separated > folder) which doesn’t work when I enable the browser cache and works perfectly > when I dessable the browser cache. * I understand, but what you’re trying to do might not be possible unfortunately. You can’t use W3 Total Cache to control caching policies for files that WordPress doesn’t know about, if that makes sense. * > There are some very strange things with your cache. Idem with Minify part. > When i enable Minify part in general settings I got an error message. Even > if I dessable all the actions in minify specific part: no minify for html, > js, css and no rewriting. > Could you confirm me that minify continues to work even if I dessable all the > actions in the minify part? * This sounds like a bug, but I can only speculate without access or a bug report. * [Eric Kastler](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ericscuba-docom/) * (@ericscuba-docom) * [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/#post-5010409) * You not knowing how to write the necessary regular expression is not a W3 Total Cache issue. That’s really all I can say without knowing/testing anything else, sorry. * I know exactly what I have to write concerning regular expressions but I don’t what you you have in your mind when you created this part of software. Just give an example on what you want in this part. * I understand, but what you’re trying to do might not be possible unfortunately. You can’t use W3 Total Cache to control caching policies for files that WordPress doesn’t know about, if that makes sense. * If I fully understand you, your cache works on external folders of wordpress folder and you think it’s ok??? oh really? * For minify, just try it! Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 16 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/page/2/?output_format=md) The topic ‘Weird Encoding Problem’ is closed to new replies. * ![](https://ps.w.org/w3-total-cache/assets/icon-256x256.png?rev=1041806) * [W3 Total Cache](https://wordpress.org/plugins/w3-total-cache/) * [Frequently Asked Questions](https://wordpress.org/plugins/w3-total-cache/#faq) * [Support Threads](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/w3-total-cache/) * [Active Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/w3-total-cache/active/) * [Unresolved Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/w3-total-cache/unresolved/) * [Reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/w3-total-cache/reviews/) * 16 replies * 6 participants * Last reply from: [Willie Jackson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/williejackson/) * Last activity: [11 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/weird-encoding-problem/page/2/#post-5010410) * Status: not resolved