After scouring this forum, I see that what I am doing is not how it was intended to be used. However, if we are unable to use it like this, then it makes GCB unusable for developing sites.
I tested an old site with an older version of GCB and it worked just fine when running a search and replace.
If there is no intention to make this work, please let me know so I can find a viable alternative.
I’m having the same issue with this plugin. I was hoping to just change the URL’s in the DB and be good to go. But the only way to get the entries in there was to export from the development version and import into the new one.
Plugin Author
benz1
(@benz1)
The plugin was changed to use a serialized database structure in keeping with WP best practices but due to serialized structure particularities this might cause issues with some search and replace scripts. However, there is a search and replace script that actually deals with this. It can be found on https://interconnectit.com/products/search-and-replace-for-wordpress-databases/ so I would suggest you give this a go.
I would add that this is not how the plugin was intended to be used and with over 42,000 downloads it would be impossible to try to make the plugin work in every conceivable way that users may want to use it.
I have the same problem whenever I move sites.
Benz1, if the domain string is simply being replaced with another domain string, why would this stop the blocks from showing?
Plugin Author
benz1
(@benz1)
I answered this above. You’d have to ask WordPress why but I provided a link to a search and replace script that seems to work with the serialized structure. I move sites using Backupbuddy and haven’t had any problems.
Just to let you know that the Automatic Domain Changer devs have updated their code, and it doesn’t break GCB anymore!
https://wordpress.org/support/topic/breaks-global-content-blocks?replies=4#post-6022073
