**Note – I have found a fix for some users. Check back next week and all will be revealed.
It seems that for some users scheduling posts in WordPress does not work in versions 2.5 and higher. This problem does not occur for all users and seems to be related to the web host they are using and possible security settings. Ultimately, however, the problem is in WordPress as scheduled posts worked in earlier versions.
It is my understanding the the problem may be with the cron.php file that is in the wp-includes folder. Cron jobs deal with scheduled events and for some reason this file is not communicating properly with the server.
There is not simple fix or solution to this problem. Some fixes work for some users but not for others. I know of two people using the same webhost who currently can not schedule a post. Well, they can schedule it and set the time, but when the time to publish arrives it doesn’t publish and the time starts counting backward. For example, a post is scheduled for 4:40PM. That time passes and 10 minutes later it will say scheduled to post on 10 mins. Forty minutes later it says scheduled to post in 40 minutes. The scheduled post, however, is never published until it is done manually.
Inconsistent problems are frustrating. I am running the same version of WordPress but have different webhost and I can schedule posts. Someone else running the exact same version of WordPress with a different webhost can not.
Various fixes have been suggested and I am current testing one that proposes replacing a section of code in the cron.php file but I will be surprised if it works.
If none of the fixes work, what can be done?
- Talk to your webhost about the problem. You can try but I bet they will say it is a problem with WordPress
- Wait for WordPress 2.7, which is tentatively scheduled to be released in November. This means three months of posting manually, which is not a good solution if you work ahead and schedule your posts.
- Downgrade your installation to WordPress 2.3. Upgrading can be hard enough. Who really wants to downgrade?
If anyone is experiencing this problem, please leave the name of your webhost and the version of WordPress you are running in the comments. Better yet, if you have discovered a solution, please please please tell me about it.
Resources: – Gobbledygook to most of us
- Schedule Posts Not Working in 2.5 (62 posts)
- Future dated posts not publishing
- WordPress scheduled post not working: here’s a reason
photo credit: anitakhart
I don’t have this problem. How frustrating that upgrading software would lead to new problems that didn’t exist before!
Vered – MomGrind’s last blog post – Quirky, Yet Boring
Well, Kim you know I’m one of those people you’re talking about. I contacted my hosting company, AISO.net and they looked in to it. I’ve really been happy with them but this is frustrating. They said it was WP but I can schedule cron jobs on the backend through my ftp. Nah. I guess if I can’t get the problem fixed and I go on vacation I might do that.
The WP help groups have some solutions and they deal with the cron.php file and code. It looks confusing to me. I’ll try what you suggested this weekend and with my fingers crossed I’ll let you know if it works. If so you’re a major tech guru and I’m coming to you forever!
Sommer-GreenandCleanMom’s last blog post – Lets Talk About Sex: In a Tent using Non-Toxic Bug Repellent
@Vered – The real problems with this issue is it doesn’t happen to all users. If it did, WordPress would quickly fix it. Then if you ask your webhost about the problem they say it is WordPress and nothing gets resolved.
I think for many of us we would be fine without being able to schedule posts – I know I would even though I do use the feature. But for people who travel a lot, it could be a big problem.
@Sommer – I didn’t want to name who was having the problem so I appreciate saying you were one of them in the comments :-)
There is a lot of information in the WordPress forums but it is disconnected. I had to read through them multiple times and the piece different parts together in order to get a working solution. I still don’t think I can fully verbalize why it works and I’m going to ask a super techie friend of mine about it.
Fortunately, at least for fixing this, I found someone else with the same problem who allowed me to play around with her files until I found a solution.
Let’s cross our fingers for Sunday night!
Well, I kind of feel silly telling the world the solution to my scheduled posting problems on WordPress. My guess is that maybe 25% of you might be having problems with the scheduled postings because of the same stupid mistake that I have made. Please comment and let me know if the article I have written solves your scheduled posting problems. I hope this helps…
Daniel Pereira
P.S. It’s not a complicated fix to the problem, but like I said, hopefully it will be the fix for some of you. I know that I was releaved when I fixed things.
Daniel Pereira’s last blog post – WordPress Scheduled Posting Problems: Are You Making My Mistake?
Hi Daniel,
I think what you experienced is much more common than you would think. When someone says they can’t schedule posts the first thing I ask is are you saving or publishing.
It doesn’t mean we are are silly or stupid – it means the design is unintuitive. If we are scheduling a post for the future, we want to set the date and time and then save. Selecting publish at that point implies that you are in fact publishing the post at that moment.
I’m glad the fix was simple for you but am sorry you spent so much time on the problem.
Also, I wanted to leave a comment on your article but logging in to leave a comment kept me from doing so. You might want to rethink that and make it easier for you visitors to leave comments.
I removed the link from your comment as commentluv is linking to the same article.
Thanks Kim!
I’ll look in to making it easier for people to leave comments. Is there a specific plugin that you use?
Daniel Pereira’s last blog post – Videos Where I Discuss our Free Viral Marketing and Advertising Secrets!
Hi Daniel,
No, I don’t use any Comment Plugins. Well, I take that back – I use Askimet to catch all the spam. Then I just use WordPress settings.
Under Settings>General I don’t have Users Must be Logged in and Registered checked.
Under Settings >Discussion I have it set to email me whenever anyone comments or a comment is held for moderation. If I start getting comments, I might want to rethink that. Then for a comment to appear I have
Must fill out name and email checked and
Comment author must have a previously approved comment checked.
So, the first time someone comments I approve it first and they have to fill out name and email even though the email isn’t displayed. This helps as a double-check on spam along with Askimet.
Hi,
I had the same problem, and this is how I solved it.
http://howtogeeksl.com/archives/326
Please be kind enough to leave a comment if you find this useful.
@Yohan I’m glad your webhost was able to assist you with the problem.
Just downloaded 2.9 and this is happening on all my blogs. Wondering if anyone else having this problem?
Hi Clara – It seems that a number of users are having the same problem as you.
From the forums
http://wordpress.org/support/topic/343080
This plugin should correct the problem for you until WordPress fixes this
http://blog.5ubliminal.com/posts/missed-schedule-future-posts-scheduled-mias-wordpress-plugin/
Hey Kim, I just upgraded to WP 3.1 Arrghhhh what a slew of problems I see people are having. Myself I cannot schedule posts for future publishing. The link inside the dashboard functions and then edits my URL with a edit-timestamp# yet no function takes place..
example http://**********/post.php?post=135&action=edit#edit_timestamp
Do you know what may be causing this error?
Sorry I forgot to mention that I use hostgator as my webhost
Hi Ryan – I have updated a couple of sites to 3.1 that use hostgator and the scheduled posts are working. You might want to ask hostgator, look for the scheduled posts plugin, or deactivate other plugins to see if there is a conflict.