Skip to content

fix(duplication): preserve Elementor Kit postmeta across all URL replacement passes#803

Merged
superdav42 merged 2 commits into
mainfrom
bugfix/elementor-kit-duplication
Apr 12, 2026
Merged

fix(duplication): preserve Elementor Kit postmeta across all URL replacement passes#803
superdav42 merged 2 commits into
mainfrom
bugfix/elementor-kit-duplication

Conversation

@superdav42
Copy link
Copy Markdown
Collaborator

@superdav42 superdav42 commented Apr 12, 2026 •
edited by coderabbitai Bot
Loading

Problem

When cloning a site that uses Elementor, the _elementor_page_settings postmeta for post_id=3 (the Elementor Global Kit) loses ~748 bytes. Origin template has 6,387 bytes; clone receives 5,639. Cloned sites render with Elementor's built-in default styles instead of the template's brand colours and typography.

Reproduce:

SELECT 'origin', LENGTH(meta_value) FROM wp_ORIGIN_postmeta
  WHERE post_id=3 AND meta_key='_elementor_page_settings'
UNION ALL
SELECT 'clone', LENGTH(meta_value) FROM wp_CLONE_postmeta
  WHERE post_id=3 AND meta_key='_elementor_page_settings';

Root causes

1. Stale WHERE clause in MUCD_Data::update()

The method built UPDATE table SET field = %s WHERE field = %s using the full serialized meta_value in the WHERE. With 7+ replacement passes (upload URL, blog URL, DB prefix, plus JSON-escaped variants for each), pass 1 rewrites the row. Pass 2 then searches for the original value — which no longer exists — and silently skips. The row is left with only the first pass's changes. On large TEXT columns, full-value equality comparison can also trigger engine-level truncation.

2. Silent data destruction on @unserialize() failure

try_replace() called @unserialize() and never checked for false. If unserialize failed (malformed or partially-corrupted input), the code continued with $row[$field] = false, then serialize(false) → 'b:0;' — destroying the entire value.

Fix

inc/duplication/data.php

  • MUCD_Data::get_primary_key($table): new static method with per-table static cache. Queries SHOW KEYS ... WHERE Key_name = 'PRIMARY' to get the PK column (e.g. meta_id for postmeta, ID for posts, option_id for options).
  • MUCD_Data::update(): uses WHERE pk = %s when a primary key is detectable; falls back to full-value WHERE for tables without a detectable PK. Also skips the UPDATE call entirely when try_replace() produces no change.
  • MUCD_Data::try_replace(): checks @unserialize() return for false (with special handling for the legitimate b:0; case) and returns the original value unchanged rather than re-serialising false.

inc/compat/class-elementor-compat.php

regenerate_css() gains a DB-level fallback. Duplication runs in the network admin context where \Elementor\Plugin is not loaded. Previously regenerate_css() returned early with no effect. The fallback deletes _elementor_css postmeta and the _elementor_global_css option so Elementor regenerates its compiled CSS on the first front-end visit.

Tests

22 tests / 85 assertions, all passing.

New: test_update_preserves_elementor_kit_byte_count — the regression test for this exact report. Inserts a realistic Kit payload (~6,387 bytes) into wp_postmeta, runs all 7 URL replacement passes through MUCD_Data::update(), then asserts:

  • All 4 system colours (#6EC1E4, #54595F, #7A7A7A, #61CE70) survive intact
  • All 4 typography entries (Roboto, Roboto Slab, Open Sans, Montserrat) survive intact
  • Logo and favicon URLs are rewritten to the clone
  • custom_css brand colours survive; hero background URL is rewritten
  • Byte count changes only by the predictable URL-length delta, not by a large unexpected amount

Additional unit tests: test_get_primary_key_returns_correct_column, test_get_primary_key_is_cached, test_try_replace_elementor_kit_page_settings, test_try_replace_multiple_passes_preserve_data, test_try_replace_returns_original_on_unserialize_failure, test_try_replace_serialized_false_not_treated_as_error.

Files

  • EDIT: inc/duplication/data.php — primary key lookup + update fix + unserialize guard
  • EDIT: inc/compat/class-elementor-compat.php — DB fallback for CSS cache clear
  • EDIT: tests/WP_Ultimo/Duplication/MUCD_Data_Test.php — 8 new tests

Verification

vendor/bin/phpunit --no-coverage --filter MUCD_Data_Test
# Expected: OK (22 tests, 85 assertions)

Summary by CodeRabbit

  • Bug Fixes

    • Enhanced Elementor cache invalidation during site duplication with improved fallback handling.
    • Improved serialized data handling to preserve data integrity during duplication operations.

  • Improvements

    • Optimized database operations during site duplication with automatic primary key detection.
    • Added robust handling for complex nested data structures during duplication.

  • Tests

    • Expanded test coverage for data duplication scenarios, including Elementor-specific edge cases.

@superdav42
fix(duplication): preserve Elementor Kit postmeta across all URL repl…
639c7a9 
…acement passes

MUCD_Data::update() previously used `WHERE meta_value = %s` with the
full serialized field value to identify rows for UPDATE. With 7+
replacement passes (upload URL, blog URL, prefix, JSON-escaped variants),
the second pass would search for the original value that had already been
rewritten by pass 1 — finding nothing and silently skipping. On large
TEXT columns this also risks engine-level comparison truncation.

For the Elementor Kit post (post_id=3, meta_key=_elementor_page_settings),
this caused 748 bytes of global settings — brand colors, typography,
custom CSS — to be lost on clone. Cloned sites fell back to Elementor's
built-in defaults instead of the template's styles.

Changes:
- MUCD_Data::get_primary_key(): new static method with per-table cache
  that queries SHOW KEYS to get the PRIMARY column name.
- MUCD_Data::update(): use `WHERE pk = %s` when a primary key is
  available (postmeta → meta_id, options → option_id, posts → ID).
  Falls back to full-value WHERE for tables without a detectable PK.
  Skips UPDATE entirely when try_replace() produces no change (avoids
  unnecessary writes).
- MUCD_Data::try_replace(): guard against @unserialize() returning false
  on malformed data — return the original value instead of re-serializing
  false (which would produce 'b:0;' and destroy the row).
- Elementor_Compat::regenerate_css(): add DB-level fallback for clearing
  Elementor CSS cache when \Elementor\Plugin is not loaded (the common
  case in network admin where duplication runs).

Tests (22 tests, 85 assertions):
- test_update_preserves_elementor_kit_byte_count: integration test that
  inserts a realistic ~6387-byte Kit payload into wp_postmeta, runs all
  7 URL replacement passes via MUCD_Data::update(), then asserts colors
  (#6EC1E4, #54595F, #7A7A7A, #61CE70), typography (Roboto, Open Sans,
  Montserrat), and URL rewrites are all intact and byte count changes
  only by the predictable URL-length delta.
- test_get_primary_key_returns_correct_column / _is_cached
- test_try_replace_elementor_kit_page_settings
- test_try_replace_multiple_passes_preserve_data
- test_try_replace_returns_original_on_unserialize_failure
- test_try_replace_serialized_false_not_treated_as_error
@superdav42 superdav42 added the origin:interactive Created by interactive user session label Apr 12, 2026
@coderabbitai
Copy link
Copy Markdown
Contributor

coderabbitai Bot commented Apr 12, 2026 •
edited
Loading

No actionable comments were generated in the recent review. 🎉

ℹ️ Recent review info
⚙️ Run configuration

Configuration used: defaults

Review profile: CHILL

Plan: Pro

Run ID: 523252ce-c85d-413d-85f6-55fdce23dd15

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 78e8f9c and 639c7a9.

📒 Files selected for processing (3)
  • inc/compat/class-elementor-compat.php
  • inc/duplication/data.php
  • tests/WP_Ultimo/Duplication/MUCD_Data_Test.php
📝 Walkthrough

Walkthrough

The pull request enhances cache invalidation and URL replacement logic across site duplication. The Elementor compatibility layer now implements a DB-based fallback for CSS cache clearing when the Elementor API is unavailable. Data duplication improvements add primary-key detection and refine serialized data handling to preserve data integrity across nested structures.

Changes

Cohort / File(s) Summary
Elementor Cache Invalidation
inc/compat/class-elementor-compat.php		 Modified regenerate_css() to always require site_id, switch to duplicated site context, and attempt cache invalidation via Elementor's files_manager. Added DB-based fallback that clears _elementor_css postmeta and related options when the API path is unavailable.
Data Duplication & URL Replacement
inc/duplication/data.php		 Added get_primary_key() method to detect and cache table primary keys. Enhanced update() to use primary-key-based WHERE clauses instead of field-value matching. Improved try_replace() serialized-value handling to distinguish between unserialize failures and legitimate serialized false values, with nested deserialization support.
Test Coverage for Duplication Logic
tests/WP_Ultimo/Duplication/MUCD_Data_Test.php		 Added six comprehensive test cases covering serialized-value edge cases (unserialize failures, nested serialization, multiple passes), Elementor Kit page settings validation, primary-key detection and caching, and a DB-level integration test verifying data integrity across replacement passes.

Estimated code review effort

🎯 4 (Complex) | ⏱️ ~50 minutes

Possibly related PRs

Poem

🐰 Hoppy hops through data streams so deep,
Primary keys and serialized sleep,
Cache clears swift with fallback grace,
URLs dance through every place! ✨

🚥 Pre-merge checks | ✅ 3
✅ Passed checks (3 passed)
Check name Status Explanation
Description Check ✅ Passed Check skipped - CodeRabbit’s high-level summary is enabled.
Title check ✅ Passed The title clearly and concisely summarizes the main fix: preserving Elementor Kit postmeta during URL replacement passes in the duplication process.
Docstring Coverage ✅ Passed Docstring coverage is 100.00% which is sufficient. The required threshold is 80.00%.

✏️ Tip: You can configure your own custom pre-merge checks in the settings.

✨ Finishing Touches
📝 Generate docstrings
  • Create stacked PR
  • Commit on current branch
🧪 Generate unit tests (beta)
  • Create PR with unit tests
  • Commit unit tests in branch bugfix/elementor-kit-duplication

Thanks for using CodeRabbit! It's free for OSS, and your support helps us grow. If you like it, consider giving us a shout-out.

❤️ Share

Comment @coderabbitai help to get the list of available commands and usage tips.

@github-actions
Copy link
Copy Markdown

github-actions Bot commented Apr 12, 2026

🔨 Build Complete - Ready for Testing!

📦 Download Build Artifact (Recommended)

Download the zip build, upload to WordPress and test:

🌐 Test in WordPress Playground (Very Experimental)

Click the link below to instantly test this PR in your browser - no installation needed!
Playground support for multisite is very limitied, hopefully it will get better in the future.

🚀 Launch in Playground

Login credentials: admin / password

@superdav42 superdav42 merged commit 5e73fc1 into main Apr 12, 2026
11 checks passed
@superdav42
Copy link
Copy Markdown
Collaborator Author

superdav42 commented Apr 12, 2026

Problem

When cloning a site that uses Elementor, the _elementor_page_settings postmeta for post_id=3 (the Elementor Global Kit) loses ~748 bytes. Origin template has 6,387 bytes; clone receives 5,639. Cloned sites render with Elementor's built-in default styles instead of the template's brand colours and typography.
Reproduce:

SELECT 'origin', LENGTH(meta_value) FROM wp_ORIGIN_postmeta
  WHERE post_id=3 AND meta_key='_elementor_page_settings'
UNION ALL
SELECT 'clone', LENGTH(meta_value) FROM wp_CLONE_postmeta
  WHERE post_id=3 AND meta_key='_elementor_page_settings';

Root causes

1. Stale WHERE clause in MUCD_Data::update()
The method built UPDATE table SET field = %s WHERE field = %s using the full serialized meta_value in the WHERE. With 7+ replacement passes (upload URL, blog URL, DB prefix, plus JSON-escaped variants for each), pass 1 rewrites the row. Pass 2 then searches for the original value — which no longer exists — and silently skips. The row is left with only the first pass's changes. On large TEXT columns, full-value equality comparison can also trigger engine-level truncation.
2. Silent data destruction on @unserialize() failure
try_replace() called @unserialize() and never checked for false. If unserialize failed (malformed or partially-corrupted input), the code continued with $row[$field] = false, then serialize(false) → 'b:0;' — destroying the entire value.

Fix

inc/duplication/data.php

  • MUCD_Data::get_primary_key($table): new static method with per-table static cache. Queries SHOW KEYS ... WHERE Key_name = 'PRIMARY' to get the PK column (e.g. meta_id for postmeta, ID for posts, option_id for options).
  • MUCD_Data::update(): uses WHERE pk = %s when a primary key is detectable; falls back to full-value WHERE for tables without a detectable PK. Also skips the UPDATE call entirely when try_replace() produces no change.
  • MUCD_Data::try_replace(): checks @unserialize() return for false (with special handling for the legitimate b:0; case) and returns the original value unchanged rather than re-serialising false.
    inc/compat/class-elementor-compat.php
    regenerate_css() gains a DB-level fallback. Duplication runs in the network admin context where \Elementor\Plugin is not loaded. Previously regenerate_css() returned early with no effect. The fallback deletes _elementor_css postmeta and the _elementor_global_css option so Elementor regenerates its compiled CSS on the first front-end visit.

Tests

22 tests / 85 assertions, all passing.
New: test_update_preserves_elementor_kit_byte_count — the regression test for this exact report. Inserts a realistic Kit payload (~6,387 bytes) into wp_postmeta, runs all 7 URL replacement passes through MUCD_Data::update(), then asserts:

  • All 4 system colours (#6EC1E4, #54595F, #7A7A7A, #61CE70) survive intact
  • All 4 typography entries (Roboto, Roboto Slab, Open Sans, Montserrat) survive intact
  • Logo and favicon URLs are rewritten to the clone
  • custom_css brand colours survive; hero background URL is rewritten
  • Byte count changes only by the predictable URL-length delta, not by a large unexpected amount
    Additional unit tests: test_get_primary_key_returns_correct_column, test_get_primary_key_is_cached, test_try_replace_elementor_kit_page_settings, test_try_replace_multiple_passes_preserve_data, test_try_replace_returns_original_on_unserialize_failure, test_try_replace_serialized_false_not_treated_as_error.

Files

  • EDIT: inc/duplication/data.php — primary key lookup + update fix + unserialize guard
  • EDIT: inc/compat/class-elementor-compat.php — DB fallback for CSS cache clear
  • EDIT: tests/WP_Ultimo/Duplication/MUCD_Data_Test.php — 8 new tests

Verification

vendor/bin/phpunit --no-coverage --filter MUCD_Data_Test
# Expected: OK (22 tests, 85 assertions)

Merged via PR #803 to main.
Merged by deterministic merge pass (pulse-wrapper.sh).

aidevops.sh v3.7.1 spent 5m on this as a headless bash routine.

@github-actions
Copy link
Copy Markdown

github-actions Bot commented Apr 12, 2026

🔨 Build Complete - Ready for Testing!

📦 Download Build Artifact (Recommended)

Download the zip build, upload to WordPress and test:

🌐 Test in WordPress Playground (Very Experimental)

Click the link below to instantly test this PR in your browser - no installation needed!
Playground support for multisite is very limitied, hopefully it will get better in the future.

🚀 Launch in Playground

Login credentials: admin / password

@github-actions
Copy link
Copy Markdown

github-actions Bot commented Apr 12, 2026 •
edited
Loading

Performance Test Results

Performance test results for 95baf22 are in 🛎️!

Note: the numbers in parentheses show the difference to the previous (baseline) test run. Differences below 2% or 0.5 in absolute values are not shown.

URL: /

Run DB Queries Memory Before Template Template WP Total LCP TTFB LCP - TTFB
0 40 37.73 MB 860.50 ms (+33.00 ms / +4% ) 156.00 ms 1040.50 ms 1976.00 ms 1889.95 ms 89.05 ms
1 56 49.02 MB 939.00 ms (+21.00 ms / +2% ) 147.50 ms (+4.50 ms / +3% ) 1085.50 ms 2050.00 ms 1971.80 ms 79.90 ms

@kenedytorcatt kenedytorcatt mentioned this pull request Apr 13, 2026
Closed
@kenedytorcatt
Copy link
Copy Markdown
Contributor

kenedytorcatt commented Apr 13, 2026

Hi @superdav42 — URGENT follow-up: PR #803 fixed the Kit URL replacement, but in production at https://kursopro.com (~250+ subsites) we still get broken clones daily. Wrong colors, missing logos, broken menus, "TU LOGO AQUI" placeholders.

The postmeta layer for nav_menu_item, attachment, elementor_library, and the active Kit settings is still not copied by MUCD_Data::copy_data().

I've been running a 774-line mu-plugin patch in production since 2026-04-13 with zero failures. Filed full bug report + production-tested code + step-by-step integration instructions here:

Issue #820: #820

Once you integrate this into Multisite Ultimate natively, I can retire 2 mu-plugins from our stack. Happy to test any branch.

Thanks!

@coderabbitai coderabbitai Bot mentioned this pull request Apr 13, 2026
Merged
This was referenced May 4, 2026
Merged
Merged
Sign up for free to join this conversation on GitHub. Already have an account? Sign in to comment

Reviewers

No reviews

Assignees

No one assigned

Labels

origin:interactive Created by interactive user session

Projects

None yet

Milestone

No milestone

Development

Successfully merging this pull request may close these issues.

2 participants

@superdav42 @kenedytorcatt