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README.mdassets
plugin-reference-cleaner.phpreadme.txt
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README.md
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README.md
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# Plugin Reference Cleaner
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Author: Marcus Quinn
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Author URI: https://www.wpallstars.com
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Version: 1.3.3
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License: GPL-2.0+
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[](https://wordpress.org/plugins/plugin-reference-cleaner/)
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[](https://wordpress.org/plugins/plugin-reference-cleaner/)
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[](https://wordpress.org/plugins/plugin-reference-cleaner/)
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[](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html)
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Easily remove references to deleted plugins that cause "Plugin file does not exist" errors in your WordPress admin.
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## Description
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Have you ever deleted a plugin some other way than through the /wp-admin/plugins.php page? If so, you've probably been stuck with this annoying notification that can't be cleared:
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Have you ever deleted a plugin directly from the server or database and then been stuck with annoying error notifications that can't be cleared?
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"The plugin folder-name/file-name.php has been deactivated due to an error: Plugin file does not exist."
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This small WordPress utility plugin adds a "Remove Reference" button to these plugin deactivation error notices, allowing you to clean up the invalid plugin entries in the database.
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This small utility plugin adds missing plugins to your WordPress plugins list and provides a "Remove Reference" link, allowing you to safely clean up invalid plugin entries with one click.
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When WordPress detects a plugin file that no longer exists but is still referenced in the database as active, it displays an error notice. This plugin enhances those notices with a button that allows you to safely remove the invalid reference with a single click.
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### Key Features
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You can find these with `SELECT * FROM wp_options WHERE option_name = 'active_plugins';` — but the cleanup involves removing the rogue entry, and renumbering all others. This plugin can simply do that for you at the click of a button added to that WP standard notification.
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* Adds missing plugins directly to your plugins list
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* Provides a simple "Remove Reference" action link
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* Works with both single site and multisite WordPress installations
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* Includes helpful notifications explaining how to fix plugin errors
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* One-click auto-scroll to find missing plugins in large sites
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* Clean, user-friendly interface following WordPress design patterns
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It's probably something that should be added to WP core. If anyone from the core team wants to adopt this solution, it's GPL, so feel free.
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### How It Works
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Note: This plugin only needs to be installed and active if you have an error notification showing at /wp-admin/plugins.php, like this:
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"The plugin folder-name/file-name.php has been deactivated due to an error: Plugin file does not exist."
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When WordPress detects a plugin file that no longer exists but is still referenced in the database as active, it displays an error notice. This plugin:
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If you don't have this notification perpetually showing on your /wp-admin/plugins.php page, then you don't need this, but you might like to save or bookmark it for if ever you do.
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1. Detects all missing plugin references in your database
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2. Adds them to your plugins list with "(File Missing)" indicators
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3. Provides a "Remove Reference" link to safely remove them
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4. Shows clear notifications guiding you through the cleanup process
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## Features
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### Use Cases
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* Adds a "Remove Reference" button to plugin error notices
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* Works for both single site and multisite WordPress installations
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* Confirms before removing any plugin references
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* Simple, lightweight solution with no settings page required
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* Secure implementation with proper permissions checking
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* Compatible with WordPress 5.0+
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* You've accidentally deleted a plugin via FTP
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* A plugin was removed by another admin but references remain
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* You've migrated from another site and have leftover plugin references
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* Your hosting provider removed a plugin but didn't clean the database
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## Installation
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1. Upload the plugin-reference-cleaner.php file to your /wp-content/plugins/ directory
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2. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress
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3. No configuration needed - the plugin works automatically
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### From WordPress.org:
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1. Visit Plugins > Add New in your WordPress admin
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2. Search for "Plugin Reference Cleaner"
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3. Click "Install Now" and then "Activate"
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### Manual Installation:
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1. Download the plugin ZIP file
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2. Go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin
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3. Upload the ZIP file
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4. Activate the plugin
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## Usage
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1. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins
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2. If any "Plugin file does not exist" error notices appear, a "Remove Reference" button will be displayed
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3. Click the button and confirm to remove the invalid plugin reference
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4. The page will refresh with the error notice removed
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1. After activation, navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins
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2. If you have missing plugin errors, you'll see them in your plugins list with "(File Missing)" markers
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3. Click the "Remove Reference" link next to any missing plugin
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4. The reference will be removed, and the error notification will disappear
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## Frequently Asked Questions
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### Is it safe to remove plugin references?
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Yes, this plugin only removes entries from the WordPress active_plugins option, which is safe to modify when a plugin no longer exists. It doesn't modify any other database tables or settings.
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### What happens after I remove a reference?
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The plugin entry will be removed from your active plugins list, and the corresponding error notification will no longer appear after you refresh the page.
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### Can I use this plugin on a multisite installation?
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Yes, the plugin works on both single sites and multisite installations. It properly handles network-activated plugins as well.
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## Screenshots
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1. Error message with explanation notification
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2. Missing plugin shown in the plugins list with "Remove Reference" link
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3. Auto-scroll feature that highlights the missing plugin
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## Developers
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### Contributing
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Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.
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1. Fork the repository
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2. Create your feature branch: `git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature`
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3. Commit your changes: `git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature'`
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4. Push to the branch: `git push origin feature/amazing-feature`
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5. Submit a pull request
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### Technical Details
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The plugin works by:
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1. Filtering the `all_plugins` array to add missing plugins
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2. Adding a custom "Remove Reference" action link via `plugin_action_links`
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3. Adding helpful notifications near error messages
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4. Providing a secure method to remove plugin references from the database
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## Changelog
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@@ -70,40 +127,12 @@ If you don't have this notification perpetually showing on your /wp-admin/plugin
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* Added "Remove Reference" action link in the plugins list
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* Significantly improved reliability across all WordPress configurations
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### 1.2.4
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* Fixed compatibility with more WordPress admin themes
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* Added advanced DOM traversal to find error messages
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* Implemented fallback mechanisms to ensure button appears
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* Added detailed console logging for troubleshooting
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[View full changelog](CHANGELOG.md)
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### 1.2.3
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* Fixed button not appearing in some WordPress admin themes
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* Improved error message detection for greater compatibility
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* Enhanced DOM traversal to find notification elements
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## License
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### 1.2.2
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* Fixed timeout issue during plugin activation
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* Improved hook management to prevent potential infinite recursion
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* Optimized performance by only loading on plugins page
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### 1.2.1
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* Fixed typos in documentation
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* Improved text clarity
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* Added question mark to first sentence for better readability
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### 1.2
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* Improved documentation with detailed explanation
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* Added SQL reference for technical users
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* Suggested potential inclusion in WordPress core
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### 1.1
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* Improved error handling
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* Added support for multisite installations
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* Enhanced security with proper capability checks
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### 1.0
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* Initial release
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This project is licensed under the GPL-2.0+ License - see the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.
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## Support
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For support, please visit https://wpallstars.com
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For support, please visit [WP All Stars](https://www.wpallstars.com).
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Reference in New Issue
Block a user