SFC Like and SFC Share plugins cause problems with Fast Secure Contact Form

Posted by on Jan 23, 2011 in Tips, Troubleshooting | Comments Off

Problem:
I have an error message on my form: “SFC Like and SFC Share plugins cause problems with Fast Secure Contact Form, please disable or uninstall SFC Like and SFC Share plugins.” Why does it say that?

Explanation:
I have had too may request to troubleshoot problems that were caused by the SFC Like and SFC Share WordPress plugins. A simple solution for me was to make it generate this message and direct you here.

Examples: The most likely cause of this problem Could not read CAPTCHA token file is the SFC Like and SFC Share WordPress plugins. As soon as they are deactivated the problem instantly goes away. Another common error was “Attachment upload failed” while submitting the form with an attachment even though the attachment sent. Again, SFC Like and SFC Share WordPress plugins can be the cause.

Solution:
You must deactivate or uninstall both of the SFC Like and SFC Share plugins. Some people turn off the CAPTCHA feature and then the conflict goes away. (test at your own discretion, I cannot confirm that as a valid fix. File attachments would still break).

Why does it do that?
WordPress plugins SFC Like and SFC Share are both not compatible with Fast Secure Contact Form, they cause the error “Could not read CAPTCHA token file. CAPTCHA token file is missing.” And can cause the error “Attachment upload failed”. It looks to me that it is caused by the SFC plugins trying to scan the page content prior to WordPress showing it. This interferes with proper posting of the form. In my opinion, the author of SFC should either make it compatible or make a page exclusion feature so pages can be excluded from the SFC Like and SFC Share features.

Is there an alternative plugin suitable for Facebook Like features?
Yes, I found a plugin that works, Share and Follow. I use it on this site.

Why did you put code to print a warning message on my form?
Because I received so many requests for support. I wasted too much time helping people with errors that led to SFC being the cause. If the error prints on the form, it becomes more obvious and I do not have to waste time looking for a cause. Some people turn off the CAPTCHA feature and then the conflict goes away. (test at your own discretion). In the latest version of FSCF I did remove the message that prints on the form, the message is only printed on the form edit pages now. Make sure you update FSCF and consider the solution above.

Is there any workaround?
Yes, the form user “iamhere” made this workaround. You will have to make a custom WordPress template page for your form: see the post

Do you need more help?

Donations by PayPal:

If you find this free contact form program/plugin useful to you, please consider making a small donation for my time invested and to help contribute to further development. My time is very limited and I get dozens of support emails every day. If you are not able to donate, that is OK. Thanks for your kind support! - Mike Challis

Donations by cash or check:
Mike Challis
PO Box 819
Long Beach WA 98631

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