Why is export failing

  • the45sessions · Member ·

    I’m trying to export a wordpress.com site into a clean wordpress install on my own staging environment using the import/export feature and receiving the following error:

    This does not appear to be a WXR file, missing/invalid WXR version number

    I have spent all morning on this. Read several forum posts, and tried several methods – None of which work. Apparently this is a very common problem. Why?

    – My clean WP installs have NO extra plugins
    – I’ve tried importing into clean installs of 4.2.4 / 3.3.1 / 3.2.0
    – I’ve tried converting the XML files from DOS to UNIX using both Ultraedit and Notepad++
    – I’ve tried importing into clean wordpress installation on both a local wamp and my production server
    – I’ve double and triple checked to make sure the XML files contained <wp:wxr_version>1.1</wp:wxr_version> *In my case the version was 1.2. I’ve even changed it to say 1.1 with no success.

    Always the same error message:
    This does not appear to be a WXR file, missing/invalid WXR version number

    If you google the error message you find that it is a very common problem, and has been for several years, and I am struggling to find any official response from the WordPress team.

    I’m puzzled by this would fail on a clean wordpress install.

    The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

  • timethief · Member ·

    We cannot help you at this end with any importing issues. Hopefully, you are using this guide https://en.support.wordpress.com/moving-to-a-self-hosted-wordpress-site/ and will get the support you need at WordPress.ORG support.

    If you don’t have a username account at WordPress.ORG account, then click http://wordpress.org/support/ and register one on the top right hand corner of the page that opens, https://wordpress.org/support/register.php so you can post to the support forums there.
    Resetting your WordPress.ORG password http://codex.wordpress.org/Resetting_Your_Password
    WordPress.org support docs are at https://codex.wordpress.org/Main_Page

  • the45sessions · Member ·

    Hopefully, you are using this guide

    Timethief.. I’m at step 4 of the guide, and this is where the problem occurs..

    get the support you need at WordPress.ORG support.

    I’ve already posted at that forum, and the moderators told me to post here. So it looks like a case of no one at WordPress .com or .org wanting to claim responsibility for a broken function.. Very poor.. This is why I happily build 90% of my sites with joomla.

    For the record, I’ve also reported this to the plugin developers (Who are infact wordpress anywhy) and had no response.

    Frustrated and waiting for someone to help me with this very standard export/import.

  • the45sessions · Member ·

    Hopefully, you are using this guide
    Timethief..

    I’m at step 4 of the guide, and this is where the problem occurs..

    get the support you need at WordPress.ORG support.

    I’ve already posted at that forum, and the moderators told me to post here. So it looks like a case of no one at WordPress .com or .org wanting to claim responsibility for a broken function.. Very poor.. This is why I happily build 90% of my sites with joomla.
    For the record, I’ve also reported this to the plugin developers (Who are infact wordpress anywhy) and had no response.

    Frustrated and waiting for someone to help me with this very standard export/import.

  • timethief · Member ·

    I’ve already posted at that forum, and the moderators told me to post here.

    Oh dear. I wish you had said that up front, but not to worry as I tagged this thread for Staff assistance. Please subscribe to it so you are notified when they respond. To subscribe look in the sidebar of this thread, find the subscribe to topics link and click it.

  • staff-ozmodiar · Staff ·

    So, I tested this by exporting and then importing into both a new WordPress.com and a 4.3 self-hosted site, both imported successfully.

    Is there anything at all you could be doing to the export file after you have exported it from your WordPress.com site?

  • the45sessions · Member ·

    Is there anything at all you could be doing to the export file after you have exported it from your WordPress.com site?

    No
    problem still exists.

  • the45sessions · Member ·

    So, I tested this by exporting and then importing into both a new WordPress.com and a 4.3 self-hosted site, both imported successfully.

    rootjosh, I’m happy to give you or other wordpress staff access to a staging environment so you can try for yourself. Just let me know.
    Increasingly frustrated.

  • staff-ozmodiar · Staff ·

    That is not a service we can provide, I’m afraid.

    You, might try exporting with a different browser to see if that makes a difference somehow.

    You might try updating your thread here: https://wordpress.org/support/topic/export-wpcom-into-wporg-still-broken

    …with the information that WordPress.com staff have tested the export and have been unable to replicate the issue.

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