Powerpress often not saving podcast metadata

[Glark]

I've tested this with:
- all other plugins disabled
- up to date WP
- category podcasting

Started sometime after last update.

The issue is sometimes PP doesn't want to save the episode metadata. It will remember the media URL and file size but that's it. It blanks everything out.

Sorry for the so-so video but you can see the behavior here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/mop29ad4d46ua6e/ppbug.mp4?dl=0

Now the weird part: if I then repopulate the metadata with the same info, it still doesn't save BUT if I put different info it there it usually sticks.

You can see that here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ckjiffet6f8bf7t/ppbug2.mp4?dl=0

[Shawn Thorpe]

I will ask the lead developer of PowerPress to take a look at your question. A response will be posted here as soon as he has a chance to look it over.

[angelo]

Do you also put a link to the media file in your blog post content?

[Glark]

Yes, in an [audio] shortcode.

[Glark]

Oh, I actually have it twice. In the audio shortcode and as a direct download link. Thank you for your time with this. I'm losing metadata/enclosure stuff on posts and I'm scared to do anything else.

[Shawn Thorpe]

Can you clarify a bit more about the situation?

Are you adding the podcast information in the Podcast Episode box and using a PowerPress shortcode within the same post? If so, what exactly does the shortcode look like that you're using?

[Glark]

I have in the content:

[audio src="blahblah.mp3]
<a href="blahblah.mp3">download</a>

No PP shortcodes. Thanks!

[Glark]

Oh, I might have something!

I have reproduced this error on my local server.

When there's an single apostrophe in the iTunes Title field, that's when it zeros things out on save.

[Glark]

Little more info, maybe pointing to the bug:

This is a iTunes Title that's causing trouble: S01.E02: Credit Where Credit's Due

It's 34 characters but the enclosure says S35. If I change that via Custom Fields to S34 it all works again.

[Shawn Thorpe]

Angelo is out of the office most of this week. I will make sure he knows you’re waiting for a response from him, and he’ll respond here as soon as he’s available.

[angelo]

Hello Glark,

Never edit the podcast information directly in the "custom fields" in WordPress. The data after the 3rd line is what is called serialized, values are stored in a serialized method where the length of each string is used to determine how to unserialize the content. If you edit the content directly and the changes change the lengths of strings, then the serialized data will become corrupted and cause the issue you are reporting.

To edit episode information, go to the Podcast Episode box in the edit post screen, check the "modify" box to expand all of the podcast episode options. Then edit the field in question and finish by clicking update on the blog post to save those changes.

Thanks,
Angelo

[Glark]

I wasn't doing that as normal operation. I was just troubleshooting the bug in the title field with an apostrophe which persists and is reproducible (at least on my end).

[Glark]

Were you able to confirm the apostrophe of doom is a bug or if I'm just lucky? Seems to follow me on all my Wordpress/PP installs. Thanks!

[Shawn Thorpe]

Glark - re: "apostrophe" of doom, are you referring to the problem where PowerPress returns a 404 error when you try to save settings or something else?

[Glark]

Hello! I am referring to the same thing as in reply #7:

"Oh, I might have something!
I have reproduced this error on my local server.
When there's an single apostrophe in the iTunes Title field, that's when it zeros things out on save."

There's no 404s involved. Thanks!