Project:Support desk

Welcome to the MediaWiki Support desk. This is a place where you can ask any questions you have about installing, using or administrating the MediaWiki software.

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See also

• Other places to ask for help

Before you post

• Check the FAQ and Errors and symptoms .
• If your question is about a specific feature, check the relevant technical manual , end-user help or extension page and consider asking on its talk page .
• For issues about the mediawiki.org website, report to Village Pump instead.
• Ask technical questions about Wikimedia websites on meta:Tech instead.

Post a new question

1. To help us answer your questions, please indicate which version of MediaWiki you are using, as found on your wiki's Special:Version page:
2. If possible, add $wgShowExceptionDetails = true;error_reporting( -1 );ini_set( 'display_errors', 1 ); to LocalSettings.php in order to make MediaWiki show more detailed error messages.
3. Please include the web address (URL) to your wiki if possible. It's often easier for us to identify the source of the problem if we can see the error directly.
4. To start a new thread, click the box with the text "Add topic".

problem of syntaxhighlight vs code transclusion

Hi all, In order to transclude a given Lua source code I wrote something like

<syntaxhighlight lang="lua">{{Module:Sandbox/Wladek92/myluaXXXmodule}}</syntaxhighlight>

but I get :

{{Module:Sandbox/Wladek92/myluaXXXmodule}}

The Lua code is well transcluded when expressed without tag syntaxhighlight but it appears too poor. On the other side with tag syntaxhighlight only the command line of the transclusion is interpreted, but not its content. How to solve that ? Thanks. -- Christian 🇫🇷 FR 🚨 (talk) 17:03, 29 June 2025 (UTC)

you can do something like: {{#tag:syntaxhighlight|{{safesubst:Module:Sandbox/Wladek92/luatest1}}|lang=lua}} —TheDJ (Not WMF) (talk • contribs) 08:24, 1 July 2025 (UTC)

great ! thanks --Christian 🇫🇷 FR 🚨 (talk) 08:50, 1 July 2025 (UTC)

Best file backup command

When I backup my MediaWiki files I exclude the thumb folder as it's absolutely massive, and I think it would regenerate if I ever needed to restore from the backup. Am I making the right choice here?

sudo tar zcvf /var/www/example.com/backups/2025-06-30-mw.tar.gz --exclude="/var/www/example.com/html/media/thumb" /var/www/example.com/html

Jonathan3 (talk) 09:33, 30 June 2025 (UTC)

@Jonathan3: I do the same, as well as the temp directory. I think it's mainly a concern for very large wikis, where regenerating will take a long time. Sam Wilson 09:58, 30 June 2025 (UTC)

Excellent, thanks.

My tar.gz backup is 1.2GB but the uncompressed thumb folder is 23GB!! I have a load of large PDF files, and thumbnails of each page take up space. I wonder whether there's a setting to reduce the quality of them...

My temp directory now is only 95MB. Jonathan3 (talk) 10:09, 30 June 2025 (UTC)

Looks like it would be Extension:PdfHandler's $wgPdfHandlerDpi and/or $wgPdfHandlerJpegQuality... Jonathan3 (talk) 10:15, 30 June 2025 (UTC)

No editing possible in version 1.43.1

Hello,

after installing version 1.43.1 on a new system in our intranet (no update, but use of existing DB-content), we aren't able to edit an existing page. It's not possible to click on "Edit" in the tab bar.

In the console of Chrome, we see these messages:

load.php:1  Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 500 (Internal Server Error)

index.php:1 Refused to execute script from 'our.wiki.de/wiki/load.php?lang=de&modules=startup&only=scripts&raw=1&skin=vector' because its MIME type ('text/html') is not executable, and strict MIME type checking is enabled.

We use the default skin "Vector" which is contained in the downloaded archive 1.43.1 .

Software	Version
MediaWiki	1.43.1
PHP	8.2.28 (apache2handler)
ICU	72.1
MariaDB	10.11.11-MariaDB-0+deb12u1
Pygments	2.11.2

After using

$wgShowExceptionDetails = true;error_reporting( -1 );ini_set( 'display_errors', 1 );

in LocalSettings.php, we also see these messages in the rendered pages:

Deprecated:  Use of wfGetDB was deprecated in MediaWiki 1.39. [Called from MediaWiki\Extension\Gadgets\MediaWikiGadgetsDefinitionRepo::MediaWiki\Extension\Gadgets\{closure} in /var/www/html/wiki/extensions/Gadgets/includes/MediaWikiGadgetsDefinitionRepo.php at line 112] in /var/www/html/wiki/includes/debug/MWDebug.php on line 385

Deprecated:  Use of MediaWiki\Parser\Parser::$extCite was deprecated in MediaWiki 1.42. [Called from Cite\Hooks\CiteParserHooks::onParserAfterParse in /var/www/html/wiki/extensions/Cite/src/Hooks/CiteParserHooks.php at line 58] in /var/www/html/wiki/includes/debug/MWDebug.php on line 385

Kind regards UlrichKnaackLGLN (talk) 10:51, 30 June 2025 (UTC)

Update: we've commented out these two extensions: ConfirmEdit and VisualEditor. Now, we can edit the pages, of course without comfort and the simple captcha UlrichKnaackLGLN (talk) 13:54, 30 June 2025 (UTC)

It seems to me like you didn't update the extensions. —TheDJ (Not WMF) (talk • contribs) 08:03, 1 July 2025 (UTC)

we are using the extensions from the tar file 1.43.1 UlrichKnaackLGLN (talk) 09:51, 1 July 2025 (UTC)

Line 112 of that file in version 1.43 does not have wfGetDb… yours does. So I think you made a mistake during upgrading. —TheDJ (Not WMF) (talk • contribs) 10:19, 1 July 2025 (UTC)

thanks for your responses. But we didn't perform an upgrade, we started on a blank machine. UlrichKnaackLGLN (talk) 12:53, 1 July 2025 (UTC)

Updating to 1.43.2 results in Error: your composer.lock file is not up to date

I have a wiki running 1.43.1 on Ubuntu 24.04 with PHP 8.3. I've never encountered problems updating to the next version using the downloaded tarball.

However when attempting to update to 1.43.2, I when running

php maintenance/run.php update

Results in:

MediaWiki 1.43.2 Updater

symfony/polyfill-php80: not installed, 1.31.0 required. symfony/polyfill-php81: not installed, 1.31.0 required. symfony/polyfill-php82: not installed, 1.31.0 required. symfony/polyfill-php83: not installed, 1.31.0 required.

Error: your composer.lock file is not up to date. Run "composer update --no-dev" to install newer dependencies

The RELEASE-NOTES-1.43 · mediawiki indicate a couple of changes that might be the cause,

Setup: Update error message for composer dependencies check.

* Updated symfony/polyfill-php80 from 1.29.0 to 1.31.0.

* Updated symfony/polyfill-php81 from 1.29.0 to 1.31.0.

* Updated symfony/polyfill-php82 from 1.29.0 to 1.31.0.

* Updated symfony/polyfill-php83 from 1.29.0 to 1.31.0.

I am aware of another similar wiki to mine that encounter the same Error message when attempting to update from 1.43.1 to 1.43.2.

Is this a bug in the 1.43.2 update? Peculiar Investor (talk) 13:35, 1 July 2025 (UTC)

Just noting that I saw the same issue this morning when trying to upgrade. I have not taken any steps to troubleshoot yet and just opted to revert for now.

Upgrading from 1.43.1 - Debian 12 with latest updates. PHP 8.2.28. ~2025-108998 (talk) 14:47, 1 July 2025 (UTC)

Looks like they just addressed this very issue in 1.43.3! Haven't tested myself, but sounds like that'll do it. ~2025-108998 (talk) 15:25, 1 July 2025 (UTC)

I've just tested it and it does indeed resolve the issue that I was experiencing. I can now update from 1.43.1 to 1.43.3 without issue.

Thanks team for the quick resolution. Peculiar Investor (talk) 16:50, 1 July 2025 (UTC)

Yes, see the issue tracker for the bug reports: https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T398269 Malyacko (talk) 06:29, 2 July 2025 (UTC)

Monolog with Loki - but all I get is a blank screen...

Here's what I'm trying to get working: https://github.com/markusa380/nv-wiki/blob/monolog-loki/mediawiki/LocalSettings.php#L24

I have configured this library to be downloaded through composer.local.json. See the Dockerfile for the exact steps.

However, when I uncomment the configuration of $wgMWLoggerDefaultSpi, all I get is a blank screen, even when I set

error_reporting( -1 );

ini_set( 'display_errors', 1 );

$wgShowExceptionDetails = true;

What am I missing? Not a PHP developer, so it might be something obvious. MarkusA380 (talk) 21:15, 1 July 2025 (UTC)

A blank screen generally means a very early php error. what errors are you seeing in the web server error log and the php error log ? —TheDJ (Not WMF) (talk • contribs) 13:42, 2 July 2025 (UTC)

Okay, thanks for the hint. I found out I had to enable these:

ini_set( 'display_errors', 1 );

ini_set( 'display_startup_errors', 1 );

ini_set( 'log_errors', 'On' );

ini_set( 'error_log', '/dev/stderr' );

This way, I got to see the PHP errors in the output, and it was a simple fix (args had to be an array in an array). MarkusA380 (talk) 19:48, 2 July 2025 (UTC)

Here's the change: https://github.com/markusa380/nv-wiki/commit/3faa89d7f8928892f27e34c1acde8a853d7b7239 MarkusA380 (talk) 19:48, 2 July 2025 (UTC)

Integration Help: Embedding Fluxus Executor Tools into MediaWiki

Hello Support Team,

I'm currently working on a MediaWiki-powered documentation site focused on Roblox scripting, modding, and exploit tutorials. One of the key tools we use in the community is Fluxus Executor, which is a popular Lua script executor for Roblox.

I'd like to integrate or embed Fluxus Executor panels, Fluxus Windows, script showcases, or script loaders into MediaWiki pages (primarily for demonstration or UI simulation purposes, not execution within the browser). However, I’ve run into a few issues and would appreciate some help.

---

❓ What I’m Trying to Do:

• Embed an iframe-based preview of a script dashboard styled like Fluxus Executor.
• Use syntax highlighting or code blocks to display Lua script examples that work with Fluxus.
• Ensure mobile responsiveness for users accessing the wiki from phones or tablets.

---

⚠️ Issues Encountered:

1. Iframe content not rendering — MediaWiki seems to strip or block iframe tags by default.
2. Lua code blocks don't support highlighting by default (would prefer something like Pygments or GeSHi).
3. When using custom JS/CSS for a mod-style theme, it sometimes conflicts with MediaWiki’s base styles.

---

🔧 What I’ve Tried So Far:

• Editing LocalSettings.php to allow iframe usage via $wgRawHtml = true; (not recommended for public wikis due to security).
• Installing SyntaxHighlight_GeSHi extension for better code rendering.
• Customizing MediaWiki:Common.css to mimic the Fluxus theme/UI for code demos.

---

💡 Request for Support:

• Is there a safe method to embed a Fluxus-style script panel (or UI mockup) using external code or iframe alternatives?
• Any recommended extensions for scripting documentation (preferably Lua-focused)?
• How can I make the wiki more flexible for showing mod/exploit UI without compromising site security?

---

🧠 Context: Why Fluxus Executor?

For those unfamiliar, Fluxus Executor is widely used in the Roblox scripting scene. Many wiki visitors are developers or gamers looking for:

• Safe scripts
• Execution methods
• Fluxus installation help
• Script performance comparisons

Having a more interactive documentation format helps reduce confusion and enhances user experience.

---

Any help, suggestions, or documentation links would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

– Angelina Angelina-jack (talk) 14:18, 2 July 2025 (UTC)

arwiki: Request to Replace Eastern Arabic Numerals with Western Arabic Numerals Across Wikimedia Projects

Hello, I would like to request a general update across Wikimedia projects to replace Eastern Arabic numerals (e.g., ١، ٢، ٣...) with Western Arabic numerals (e.g., 1, 2, 3...) for consistency and improved readability, especially for users who are more familiar with the globally recognized numeric system. This change would help unify formatting across content and enhance accessibility for a wider audience. Thank you for your attention and continued efforts. Best regards. Mohammed Qays (talk) 22:05, 2 July 2025 (UTC)

For WMF, that would require a lot of support from the community and this would not be the place to establish that consensus. For 3rd party wikis, you can use Manual:$wgTranslateNumerals —TheDJ (Not WMF) (talk • contribs) 18:14, 3 July 2025 (UTC)

How to open inputbox in new tab?

My question about Extension:InputBox. I have this input box to create in new page:

I want to open the create page in a new Tab when click on the button, like target="_blank". How do I do this?

Nimon didarul (talk) 11:58, 3 July 2025 (UTC)

@Nimon didarul It currently doesn't support that, so you would have to modify the code of the extension. —TheDJ (Not WMF) (talk • contribs) 18:10, 3 July 2025 (UTC)

LTS question

Hi, I was on the Download page. I had read in many places that 1.43 was going to be the next LTS version, but right below the download button under "All Versions" box, it shows 1.44 as LTS. Is that correct? Thx. Mitzzzz (talk) 15:55, 3 July 2025 (UTC)

No, that's a mistake in the page. The current LTS version is 1.43 as stated in Version lifecycle. 1.44 is just newer, sexier code :) Tactica (talk) 18:39, 3 July 2025 (UTC)

@Mitzzzz I have corrected the page, thank you for reporting. —TheDJ (Not WMF) (talk • contribs) 09:38, 4 July 2025 (UTC)

hyphen

What is the purpose of the hyphen after the last edit date in the footer? ~2025-123627 (talk) 20:31, 3 July 2025 (UTC)

it's gone now ~2025-123627 (talk) 20:48, 3 July 2025 (UTC)

Extensions' dependencies in vendor not updated by Composer [solved]

After updating composer.local.json, a few extensions complain about missing methods. It looks like all extensions in the extension folder are properly updated, but Composer has somehow decided to ignore requirements in the extensions' own composer.json files, leaving the vendor folder untouched and in turn crippling the site.

What's the recommended way of dealing with a situation like this? I've heard that the composer.lock file may sometimes prevent updates from happening (there's at least two composer.lock files, one in the root folder and another in the /vendor folder). Should I maybe retry composer update with the --no-lock flag? Rand(1,2022) (talk) 08:47, 4 July 2025 (UTC)

Solved. There were three separate issues: the merge plugin in composer.local.json did not yet point to the extension's folder (I was once advised against using the default settings "extensions/*/composer.json" but enough time has passed for me to forget what I had to do instead); composer.json must have been edited accidentally with a few lines that locked the version contraints; finally, different extensions require composer/installers but their version constraints are not compatible. Rand(1,2022) (talk) 08:15, 7 July 2025 (UTC)

TreeAndMenu compatibility with MediaWiki 1.43

I asked this question at Extension_talk:TreeAndMenu#Does_this_work_now_with_MW_1.43? but think there might be more people reading the Support Desk here.

Does anyone know whether this extension works with MediaWiki 1.43? Thanks. Jonathan3 (talk) 19:59, 4 July 2025 (UTC)

Total newby having issues

I'm trying to install mediawiki 1.43 on a Windows 10 desktop. In the instructions "Manual:Installing MediaWiki" it says to unzip the zip file, but then immediately after it says: Upload the files to your web server's web directory either by: 1. directly copying the unzipped folder ....

Which is correct? I've tried both. If I use the zipped file I get a "file not found". If I use the unzipped file I get a message that I need to add another extension, but I can't do that unless I can open the program. Please advise. ~2025-145217 (talk) 02:31, 7 July 2025 (UTC)

@~2025-145217: You need to unzip the files locally, and then copy them all to your web server. I don't think the instructions are contradictory: it says to unzip it, and then copy the unzipped folder. But they could be clearer! (And really I'm not sure it needs to have that much to say about people installing on their local machine, that might be what's confusing? That method is really only for developers and is covered in Local development quickstart anyway.) Sam Wilson 04:30, 7 July 2025 (UTC)

I want to create a wiki using MediaWiki.

I am looking for a simplified way to create a wiki using MediaWiki. UnnamedChannel079 (talk) 08:02, 7 July 2025 (UTC)

@UnnamedChannel079: You might be interested in something like Miraheze; a wikifarm like that is probably the simplest. But if you want to install your own wiki, start at Manual:Installing MediaWiki and then ask specific questions here with the things you have trouble with. Sam Wilson 08:32, 7 July 2025 (UTC)

I tried accessing Miraheze but the link doesn't work. UnnamedChannel079 (talk) 08:33, 7 July 2025 (UTC)

@UnnamedChannel079: Can you be more specific (e.g. which link, and what happened)? Sam Wilson 08:36, 7 July 2025 (UTC)

I tried accessing this link: https://miraheze.org/

It doesn't work at all. UnnamedChannel079 (talk) 08:37, 7 July 2025 (UTC)

I can code on FANDOM but a mainstream coding language is way too complex for me. That's why i need a simplified way to create a wiki using MediaWiki. UnnamedChannel079 (talk) 08:39, 7 July 2025 (UTC)

Check logged user from Index.php

hi,

on MW 1.35 I was using $wgUser->isLoggedIn() on index.php to check if the user was logged.

The method isnt available on MW 1.43 but I still need a way to check it and redirect in some cases.

is there an easy way to do this?

thx for help Valeriocipriani (talk) 11:32, 8 July 2025 (UTC)

This rings a bell. This code extract might help, though I'm checking for "sysop" here:

:		# new code based on https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/plugins/gitiles/mediawiki/extensions/EditAccount/+/0f3d1420214a68e4eed5151f4600cf9c68b05661/includes/specials/SpecialCloseAccount.php
:		
:		$user = $this->getUser();
:		$effectiveGroups = MediaWikiServices::getInstance()
:			->getUserGroupManager()
:			->getUserEffectiveGroups( $user );
:		$isSysop = in_array( 'sysop', $effectiveGroups );
:		if ( $isSysop ) {
:			...
:

Jonathan3 (talk) 12:36, 9 July 2025 (UTC)

Cannot edit a page after editing and saving it.

Hi!

We have recently upgraded our MediaWiki to 1.43.1.

When we try to edit a page that has been edited and saved a few seconds ago, the blue loading bar does not finish. It only happens with the Visual Editor of MediaWiki. We have to reload the window to be able to edit.

We have enabled the log file, and we detected several [silenced-error] messages like the following one:

[silenced-error] [658fe352037f46d8bb8c4c6e] /wiki/index.php?title=Wiki   PHP Warning: filemtime(): stat failed for /var/www/html/wiki/extensions/VisualEditor/editcheck/i18n/api/es.json
#0 [internal function]: MWExceptionHandler::handleError()
#1 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/language/dependency/FileDependency.php(75): filemtime()
#2 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/language/LocalisationCache.php(581): FileDependency->isExpired()
#3 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/language/LocalisationCache.php(612): LocalisationCache->isExpired()
#4 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/language/LocalisationCache.php(479): LocalisationCache->initLanguage()
#5 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/language/LocalisationCache.php(381): LocalisationCache->loadItem()
#6 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/language/Language.php(433): LocalisationCache->getItem()
#7 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/language/Language.php(510): MediaWiki\Language\Language->getNamespaces()
#8 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/title/Title.php(2968): MediaWiki\Language\Language->getNsText()
#9 /var/www/html/wiki/extensions/CategoryLockdown/CategoryLockdown.php(28): MediaWiki\Title\Title->getParentCategories()
#10 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/HookContainer/HookContainer.php(159): CategoryLockdown::onGetUserPermissionsErrors()
#11 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/HookContainer/HookRunner.php(2029): MediaWiki\HookContainer\HookContainer->run()
#12 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/Permissions/PermissionManager.php(553): MediaWiki\HookContainer\HookRunner->onGetUserPermissionsErrors()
#13 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/Permissions/PermissionManager.php(507): MediaWiki\Permissions\PermissionManager->checkPermissionHooks()
#14 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/Permissions/UserAuthority.php(373): MediaWiki\Permissions\PermissionManager->getPermissionStatus()
#15 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/Permissions/UserAuthority.php(237): MediaWiki\Permissions\UserAuthority->internalCan()
#16 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/user/User.php(3318): MediaWiki\Permissions\UserAuthority->authorizeRead()
#17 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/actions/ActionEntryPoint.php(405): MediaWiki\User\User->authorizeRead()
#18 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/actions/ActionEntryPoint.php(146): MediaWiki\Actions\ActionEntryPoint->performRequest()
#19 /var/www/html/wiki/includes/MediaWikiEntryPoint.php(200): MediaWiki\Actions\ActionEntryPoint->execute()
#20 /var/www/html/wiki/index.php(58): MediaWiki\MediaWikiEntryPoint->run()
#21 {main}

Thanks! Diegxalv (talk) 11:56, 8 July 2025 (UTC)

Hi again!

I have just performed a clean install of MediaWiki 1.43.3 and this problem persists. I can edit a page, but when I try to edit it again (without reloading the browser tab) the blue loading bar does not finish.

I have tried different browsers and I deleted the browsing data.

Is anyone else experiencing the same problem? I'm confused. Thanks Diegxalv (talk) 19:24, 8 July 2025 (UTC)

Add email address to account without password?

So, I have the following issue: I am logged in, but when creating my account I did not provide an email address for password recovery. I wanted to add that email address now, but to do so, I need a password, which I don't recall (I probably used the pass the system recommended to me). Is there any way to set an email address without your password? BlaUser234 (talk) 14:57, 8 July 2025 (UTC)

@BlaUser234: If you used a system-generated password it should've asked you to change it when you used it to log in. If you really can't remember your password you might be a bit stuck. If you can somehow prove who you are to whoever runs your wiki, they can reset your password for you. Sam Wilson 21:23, 8 July 2025 (UTC)

I can code on FANDOM but a mainstream coding language is way too complex for me.

I can't access Miraheze, especially this link: https://miraheze.org/

The link doesn't work. That's why i am looking for a simplified way to create a wiki using Media Wiki. UnnamedChannel079 (talk) 17:31, 8 July 2025 (UTC)

The website works so maybe they've blocked your IP address. (Similarly, I can't post here without disabling my VPN.) Jonathan3 (talk) 12:39, 9 July 2025 (UTC)

The website works for me now. UnnamedChannel079 (talk) 13:56, 9 July 2025 (UTC)

Error Class "Title" not found with Flex Diagrams extension

Product Version

MediaWiki 1.44.0

PHP 8.3.6 (apache2handler)

ICU 74.2

MariaDB 10.11.13-MariaDB-0ubuntu0.24.04.1

wikidiff2 1.14.1

LDAPAuthentication2 3.0.1

LDAPProvider 3.0.1

PluggableAuth 7.5.0

Flex Diagrams 0.8 07:35, 30 June 2025

After an update from 1.43.0 to 1.44.0 adding my diagram into new article we get an error: Error: Class "Title" not found.

If I call my diagram for editing all works fine.

Any Ideas? ~2025-17160-7 (talk) 09:39, 11 July 2025 (UTC)

turning off self-link bolding

Help:Self link is unclear, is this css setting supposed to work to turn off self-link bolding or does it only apply to underlining? Is there a way to turn off bolding? I've put it on my css and it doesn't seem to work. ~2025-17606-3 (talk) 01:33, 12 July 2025 (UTC)

Apparently I can't copy and paste it here, but I mean the css snippet at the very beginning of Help:Self link ~2025-17606-3 (talk) 01:34, 12 July 2025 (UTC)

@~2025-17606-3: That only removes the underlining. For bold you could do something like:

.mw-selflink { font-weight: normal !important; }

Sam Wilson 03:23, 12 July 2025 (UTC)