Skip to main content

Troubleshooting Guide

Common issues and solutions for Rewardify.

Installation Issues​

Package Won't Install​

Error: "Unable to install package"

Solutions:

  1. Check Joomla version (requires 6.0+)
  2. Check PHP version (requires 8.1+)
  3. Verify zip file is not corrupted
  4. Check file permissions (uploads directory)
  5. Increase PHP memory limit (min 128MB)
  6. Check for database connection issues

Missing Tables After Install​

Error: Database tables not created

Solutions:

  1. Check database user permissions
  2. Manually run SQL files from admin/sql/install.mysql.utf8.sql
  3. Check Joomla error logs
  4. Verify database collation (utf8mb4)

Points Not Being Awarded​

General Points Issues​

Checklist:

  • Plugin is enabled (System → Plugins)
  • Point rule is published
  • Point value is not zero
  • User has correct access level
  • Rate limit not preventing award
  • Action actually triggers the event
  • No PHP errors in log

Specific Scenarios​

Registration Points Not Working​

  1. Check User - Rewardify plugin is enabled
  2. Check com_users.register rule is published
  3. Verify point value is not 0
  4. Check access level includes registered users
  5. Test with new account

Login Points Not Working​

  1. Check com_users.login rule is published
  2. Verify rate limit allows daily awards (1 day)
  3. Check if user already earned today
  4. Clear Joomla cache
  5. Check point history for existing entry

Article Points Not Working​

  1. Check Content - Rewardify plugin is enabled
  2. Verify article created from frontend (not backend)
  3. Check com_content.article.create rule
  4. Confirm article is actually new (not edit)
  5. Check article is published

Streak Bonus Not Working​

Requirements for 7-day streak:

  • User must login exactly 7 consecutive days
  • No gaps in login history
  • Check rule com_users.login.streak_7
  • Verify points not already awarded for this streak

Debug steps:

  1. Go to Components → Rewardify → Points
  2. Filter by user
  3. Check for com_users.login entries
  4. Verify 7 consecutive dates
  5. Look for existing streak award

Leaderboard Issues​

Module Not Appearing​

Checklist:

  • Module is published
  • Module assigned to menu items
  • Module position exists in template
  • Access level allows viewing
  • Template displays that position

Debug steps:

  1. Extensions → Modules → Find module
  2. Check Status (must be Published)
  3. Check Menu Assignment tab
  4. Verify Position exists (compare with template)
  5. Try different position temporarily

No Users Showing in Leaderboard​

Possible causes:

  • No users have earned points yet
  • Time period filter too restrictive
  • Database query issue
  • Cache showing old data

Solutions:

  1. Check if ANY users have points (Components → Rewardify → User Points)
  2. Change time period to "All Time"
  3. Clear Joomla cache
  4. Clear module cache
  5. Check for PHP errors

Avatars Not Displaying​

Causes:

  • Avatar component not configured
  • Users don't have avatars set
  • Image permissions issue
  • Gravatar not working

Solutions:

  1. Components → Rewardify → Options
  2. Check Avatar Component setting
  3. For Gravatar: verify emails are valid
  4. Check image directory permissions (755)
  5. Test with users who have avatars

Rankings Not Updating​

Causes:

  • Cache is stale
  • Points not being awarded
  • Cron job not running

Solutions:

  1. Clear Joomla cache (System → Clear Cache)
  2. Clear specific module cache
  3. Disable module caching temporarily
  4. Award test points and refresh
  5. Check database for new entries

Performance Issues​

Slow Page Load​

Symptoms: Pages load slowly with Rewardify enabled

Solutions:

  1. Enable Caching:

    • Components → Rewardify → Options
    • Enable Joomla caching
    • Set module cache to 30 minutes

  2. Optimize Database:

    OPTIMIZE TABLE #__rewardify_points;
    OPTIMIZE TABLE #__rewardify_users;
    OPTIMIZE TABLE #__rewardify_points_rules;

  3. Limit Leaderboard Users:

    • Show fewer users (5-10 instead of 20+)
    • Increase module cache time

  4. Check Database Indexes:

    • Verify indexes on large tables
    • Run database maintenance

  5. Reduce Plugin Load:

    • Disable unused plugins
    • Use rate limiting to reduce database writes

High Database Usage​

Symptoms: Database queries increasing

Solutions:

  1. Enable rate limiting on frequently triggered rules
  2. Archive old point entries
  3. Use database query caching
  4. Optimize database tables regularly
  5. Consider moving to dedicated database server

Display Issues​

Points Not Showing on Profile​

Causes:

  • Profile component not configured
  • Template override issue
  • Access permissions

Solutions:

  1. Components → Rewardify → Options
  2. Set Profile Component correctly
  3. Check if profile template supports points
  4. Verify user has permission to view
  5. Check for template override conflicts

Incorrect Point Totals​

Symptoms: User points don't match history

Possible causes:

  • Expired points
  • Unpublished points
  • Pending approval points
  • Calculation error

Solutions:

  1. Components → Rewardify → Points
  2. Filter by specific user
  3. Check Status column (only Published count)
  4. Check Publish Up/Down dates
  5. Manually recalculate if needed

Styling Problems​

Issues:

  • Module looks broken
  • CSS conflicts
  • Responsive issues

Solutions:

  1. Check browser console for CSS errors
  2. Clear template cache
  3. Check for template CSS conflicts
  4. Use module class suffix for isolation
  5. Create template override

Error Messages​

"There is no 'com_rewardify.styles' asset"​

Cause: Asset loading issue in frontend

Solution:

  1. This is typically a development notice
  2. Can be safely ignored if functionality works
  3. Or clear Joomla cache
  4. Reinstall component if persistent

"Call to undefined method getUserPoints()"​

Cause: Plugin trying to access component method incorrectly

Solutions:

  1. Update plugins to latest version
  2. Check if using Joomla 6 compatible version
  3. Disable problematic plugin temporarily
  4. Check plugin code for instanceof checks

"Duplicate entry for key 'rule_name'"​

Cause: Trying to create point rule with existing rule name

Solution:

  1. Use unique rule name
  2. Check existing rules for duplicates
  3. Edit existing rule instead of creating new

Database Errors​

Error: "Table '#__rewardify_points' doesn't exist"

Solutions:

  1. Reinstall component
  2. Manually run install.mysql.utf8.sql
  3. Check database prefix is correct
  4. Verify database user permissions

Plugin-Specific Issues​

User Plugin​

Problem: Streak bonus awarded multiple times

Solution:

  • Check for duplicate prevention in code
  • Verify reference ID is unique per streak
  • Review point history for duplicates
  • Update to latest plugin version

Content Plugin​

Problem: Points awarded for backend articles

Solution:

  • Plugin is designed for frontend only
  • Use point rules to restrict
  • Or modify plugin to exclude backend

Community Builder Plugin​

Problem: Connection points not working

Solution:

  • Verify CB events are firing
  • Check CB version compatibility
  • Update Rewardify CB plugin
  • Test CB functionality independently

HikaShop Plugins​

Problem: Purchase points not deducting

Solution:

  • Check payment plugin order status trigger
  • Verify sufficient points exist
  • Check point conversion rate setting
  • Review HikaShop order status workflow

Developer Issues​

API Not Working​

Problem: Points not awarded via API

Solutions:

  1. Check component is properly booted
  2. Verify instanceof checks
  3. Use proper rule names
  4. Check error logs for exceptions
  5. Review API documentation

Custom Plugin Not Triggering​

Checklist:

  • Plugin is enabled
  • Event name is correct
  • SubscriberInterface implemented
  • getSubscribedEvents() returns array
  • Method exists in plugin class
  • No PHP errors

Debug:

// Add to plugin method
$this->getApplication()->getLogger()->debug('My plugin triggered');

Data Issues​

Lost Point History​

Causes:

  • Database corruption
  • Accidental deletion
  • Incomplete backup restore

Solutions:

  1. Restore from backup if available
  2. Check database trash/archive
  3. Review point audit logs
  4. Contact support for data recovery options

Duplicate Points​

Problem: Users have duplicate point entries

Solutions:

  1. Check for rate limit settings
  2. Enable duplicate prevention on rules
  3. Use database query to find duplicates: 
    SELECT awarded_to, rule_id, ref_id, COUNT(*) as count
    FROM #__rewardify_points
    WHERE published = 1
    GROUP BY awarded_to, rule_id, ref_id
    HAVING count > 1;
  4. Manually remove duplicates

Point Synchronization​

Problem: Points out of sync between components

Solutions:

  1. Recalculate point totals
  2. Check for integration plugin issues
  3. Verify all plugins are latest version
  4. Run synchronization script if available

Getting Help​

If you can't resolve your issue:

Before Contacting Support​

Gather this information:

  1. Joomla version
  2. PHP version
  3. Rewardify version
  4. Exact error message
  5. Steps to reproduce
  6. Enabled plugins list
  7. Point rule configuration
  8. Browser console errors
  9. PHP error log

Support Channels​

Providing Debug Information​

Enable debugging:

  1. System → Global Configuration
  2. System tab → Debug System: Yes
  3. Reproduce the issue
  4. Check error log: /administrator/logs/
  5. Provide relevant log entries to support

Temporary Workarounds​

While waiting for support:

  • Disable specific problematic plugin
  • Use manual point awards
  • Adjust point rule settings
  • Clear cache frequently

Preventive Maintenance​

Regular Tasks​

Weekly:

  • Check for PHP errors in logs
  • Review point activity for anomalies
  • Test critical functionality

Monthly:

  • Backup database
  • Clean up expired points
  • Review and optimize point rules
  • Check for extension updates

Quarterly:

  • Database optimization
  • Review user feedback
  • Adjust point economy
  • Update documentation

Best Practices​

  1. Always backup before making changes
  2. Test on staging site first
  3. Document customizations
  4. Keep extensions updated
  5. Monitor performance regularly

Related Documentation: