Jotform WP Plugin: Plugin does not have a valid header error

  • Brian
    Asked on March 17, 2021 at 9:28 PM

    I have WordPress installed on an own-hosted server.

    I'm trying to install and use the JotForms Online Form WP plugin. The installs successfully, but when I try active it, the page goes blank and I see "The plugin does not have a valid header." I've deleted it and tried again - same thing.

    I have to press the back button on the browser.

    WordPress 3.7 is installed. This also happened with 3.6 prior to the update.

    Any ideas?

    Kind regards

    Brian

    Jotform Thread 2975729 Screenshot
  • John Support Team Lead
    Replied on March 18, 2021 at 4:07 AM

    Hello Brian - Please try deleting the plugin and instead using the ADD PLUGIN option, go to the PLUGIN page and install the plugin from there.

    Also, instead of using Jotform Plugin, you can try embedding the form as an iframe instead. Please refer to this guide on getting-the-form-iframe-code.

  • Brian
    Replied on March 18, 2021 at 5:26 PM

    Hi John

    Thank you for your reply. If I understand you instruction, I go to WordPress Plugin page, choose "Add New" and install the plugin, then activate it. This is what I did, and it installs but will not activate.
    I also tried going to the Plugins page afterwards, and press Activate (which works) but the plugin doesn't appear anywhere on the dashboard or in the page editor. Admitedly, I'm not sure what the component looks like, but it seems from the instruction to be some component you add to the page, like the others, but I can't find it anywhere.

    I then have to delete the plugin from the Plugin page.

    I tried this 3 times.

    Do I perhaps need a second plugin as well?

    I'll try the iframe suggestion.

    Any other ideas will be appreciated.

    cheers

    Brian

  • John Support Team Lead
    Replied on March 18, 2021 at 7:50 PM

    Hello Brian - You may refer to this full guide that we have: https://www.jotform.com/help/174-embed-jotform-in-wordpress-using-the-embed-form-plugin

    And yes, using just an iframe will work as intended. Use a CUSTOM HTML block and paste the embed code there, preview, then publish.


  • Brian
    Replied on March 20, 2021 at 12:04 AM

    Hi John.

    Thanks. I've followed the instructions on that page, and I managed to get the form embedded.

    You may want to note that the name in the instructions is out of date. The plugin name has changed. Instead of "Embed Form" in the instructions, it seems to be "JotForm Online Forms – Drag & Drop Form Builder, Securely Embed Contact Forms ", although I'm not sure. There are three plugins by JotForms. This one seems to be the closest.

    JotForm oEmbed might be the right one, but I'm not an oEmbed provider, or am I?

    To confirm though, activating the "JotForm Online Forms – Drag & Drop Form Builder, Securely Embed Contact Forms" is the one I tried, but doesn't activate from the Plugins > Add New page, as mentioned before. I get the message "The plugin does not have a valid header."
    When I press "Activate" from the Plugins page in WordPress, it activates.

    Cheers

  • John Support Team Lead
    Replied on March 20, 2021 at 1:15 AM

    You were right. The video in the guide is not updated but the provided link redirects you to the updated plugin.

    JotForm oEmbed might be the right one, but I'm not an oEmbed provider, or am I?

    The oEmbed can be used as well: https://wordpress.org/plugins/jotform-oembed/ aside from the Embed Plugin you mentioned.

    But it's good to know that you were able to embed the form already. In case you need further assistance, let us know here.