Strange issue for customizing when using News Pro theme

[Tribulatio]

I have just accepted to take over a website with some 2,000 posts for the purpose of keeping it as an archive. The website has been moved to a new server, and everything is working well and smoothly, except for something that had apparently never an issue before.

When I attempt to customize the theme (Appearance > Customize), the website front page shows briefly (for a few secunds), and then disappears from the screen: I am left, on the right-had of the customization menu, with a wide empty area. There is no way to bring the viewing of the website back. Unless I quit the Customize area, access it again - and then the same scenario happens once again. Is this a known issue? Did other users experience it and find a way to fix it? It happens whatever browser I am using: Safri, Opera, Firefox, Chrome...

In case I do a change in the Customize panel, the website frontpage reappears briefly in the Customize area (with the change included), but then disappears again.

Well, it is not impossible to customize the theme with such a strange behavior, but it does not really make it easier. Any way to solve that would be really appreciated.

PS: interestingly, if I switch to the Genesis theme itself, the issue does not occur: it seems only to occur when using New Pro.

[Tribulatio]

Interestingly, while live preview with Genesis theme works fine, the same issue occurs with all child themes.

Wondering if the previous editor of the website made some customization that causes the behavior. But quite difficult to guess what it can be, since I cannot "deconstruct" the theme... And if the issue has to do with customization, why does then Genesis theme itself work fine, while the issue occurs with child themes? Puzzling...

[Tribulatio]

I have found the root of the issue, after losing hours attempting to solve it! On the front page, there was a "Feature tabs" widget with three stories (one could click on categories such as Domestic, International, etc., in order to be able to see the featured story of interest (there was even the option for more. You can see a screenshot here:
http://tribulatio.com/featured_tabs.png
When I removed that "Feature tabs" from the front page, the problem was instantly solved.

It had not come to my mind that a widget could compromise in such a way the viewing function of the Customize area! I hope that my little experience can help other people who experience similar issues.

[Andrea Barghigiani]

This is kind of strange because the theme is supposed to work with that widget...

I see that the plugin has not been updater in the last 8 months and since I am evaluating this theme for a new project I am asking myself if is the case to use it or not. I've read the reviews on the plugin on the wordpress.org page and seems that it have problems with the responsiveness and the new versions of WordPress.

Which version of WP are you usign right now?

Thanks for the following answers, all the best
Andrea

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[DamVan]

Thanks for help! I like this!

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thiết kế logo chuyên nghiệp – thiết kế logo – thiết kế bao bì

[Tribulatio]

Yes, you are right, I assumed also that it was supposed to work with it, but it didn't.

I am always using the most current version of WP - I keep it up to date. Thus it cannot have been issue related to my WP version.

The fact that a plugin has not been updated for 8 months is not always an issue, as you know, but in some cases it can indeed break functionalities. Considering the other reports of issues with it, I would rather be cautious before using it. Maybe you can find another plugin with similar functions?

(Sometimes, updates of plugins can also create trouble: I recently gave up using Contact Form 7 after their recent updates, and switched to another solution - too much trouble with fixing issues. Fortunately, for a contact form there are other options that can easily be implemented.)

[Tribulatio]

(I had answered Andrea's post, but strangely, it seems nowhere to be found, thus I repeat it.)

I use the most recent version of WP - always keeping it up to date, this cannot be the issue.

Since I had not realized that the plugin might be the cause of the problem, I had not checked comments about it (it is a legacy site I am taking care of, I had not created the original website myself). But considering there are other reports about issues with that plugin, I would rather stay away from it if it has not been updated for 8 months. Maybe you can find another plugin? Good luck!

(In some cases, frequently updated plugins can also cause trouble: I had problems with contact forms after the recent updates of Conact Form 7, and I gave it up and switched to other solutions. Fortunately, for contact forms, there are other options that can easily be implemented.)

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