Documentation · Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting Overview

This document provides a structured entry point for diagnosing and resolving issues with the ADP Car Market Hub WordPress Plugin. It describes the recommended diagnostic order, where to find logs and status information, and safe practices when involving support.

When to use this document

Read this document first whenever the plugin is not behaving as expected. It guides you toward the correct specialist page and helps you collect the information needed before contacting support.

Overview

The ADP Car Market Hub plugin connects to the AutoScout24 API, imports vehicle listings into WordPress, manages scheduled automation, and renders listings on the frontend. Problems can occur in any of these layers. Starting from a systematic diagnostic order prevents you from spending time on the wrong layer.

Work through each layer in sequence. Stop and consult the relevant specialist document as soon as you identify the problem area.

  1. Check the plugin log – The plugin writes all significant events, errors and import results to a dedicated log file. This is always the first place to look.
  2. Check the API connection – If the log shows authentication or HTTP errors, or if the System Status page reports a connection problem, consult API Connection Errors.
  3. Check import results – If vehicles are missing, partially imported, or show stale data, consult Import Errors.
  4. Check scheduled automation – If automatic imports are not running, or the last-run time is not advancing, consult Cron Errors.
  5. Check image imports – If vehicle images are missing or not fully downloaded, consult Image Import Errors.
  6. Check frontend display – If listings appear on the backend but not correctly on the frontend, consult Frontend Display Issues.
  7. Check permissions – If admin screens or import actions return access-denied errors, consult Permission Errors.

Where to find logs and status information

Plugin log file

The plugin writes to a log file in the WordPress uploads directory:

wp-content/uploads/as24ci-logs/adp-car-market-hub.log

The log directory is protected from direct web access by an .htaccess file and an index.php barrier. Access the file via SFTP, the hosting file manager, or a log-viewer tool with server access.

The log file rotates automatically when it exceeds 10 MB. Rotated archives are named adp-car-market-hub-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.log and are deleted automatically after 7 days.

Verbose logging (per-vehicle and per-image entries) is enabled by default. You can disable it in the plugin settings to reduce log volume on large catalogues.

System Status page

The plugin admin includes a System & Help tab that shows:

  • API connection status (last tested against the configured seller ID)
  • Last import run time and result counts (inserted, updated, skipped, errors)
  • WP-Cron or server-cron status and last execution time
  • Image queue status (pending items, last worker run)

Review this page before checking raw logs.

WordPress admin

Standard WordPress tools also provide useful information:

  • Tools → Scheduled Events (or a WP-Cron viewer plugin): verify that as24ci_scheduled_import and as24ci_image_queue_process events are present and have a realistic next-run time.
  • Media Library: confirm that vehicle images are being attached to the correct posts.
  • Posts → Cars: check the count of published vehicle posts and any draft or pending entries.

Prerequisites for effective troubleshooting

Before investigating, confirm the following:

  • You have administrator access to the WordPress dashboard.
  • You have server access (SFTP, SSH, or hosting file manager) to read the log file.
  • You know the plugin version currently installed (visible in Plugins → Installed Plugins).
  • You know the PHP version and WordPress version of the site (visible in Tools → Site Health).

Safe practices when involving support

  • Do not share API credentials (Client ID, Client Secret, or access tokens) in support tickets or public forums. The plugin log automatically masks these values.
  • Provide the relevant section of the log file (not the entire file unless asked).
  • Include the output of the System Status page or a screenshot.
  • Describe the exact steps you took before the problem appeared, including any recent settings changes or plugin updates.
  • If you suspect a WordPress or hosting environment issue, include the output of Tools → Site Health → Info.

Operational notes

  • Most issues are caused by incorrect credentials, an unreachable API endpoint, or a disabled or misconfigured cron schedule.
  • The plugin uses WordPress transient locks to prevent overlapping import runs. If an import was interrupted abnormally, the lock may persist for up to 40 minutes before it is automatically cleared.
  • The plugin stores the last import result (counts and timestamp) in WordPress options. These are visible on the admin dashboard and are also written to the log.