Help

Troubleshooting

What to check when a download link gives a 404, a file comes out empty or broken, counts look wrong, or files can be opened directly.

A download link shows "Page not found"

Pretty permalinks: go to Settings → Permalinks and click Save Changes once. That refreshes WordPress's rewrite rules, including Fileline's /download/ links.
The download must be published. Drafts and private downloads only work for people who can edit them.
A page or another plugin may already use /download/. Change Fileline's base with the fileline_endpoint filter (see Hooks).

"This download has no file yet" or "this file is missing"

The download has no version with a file, or the file was deleted from the Media Library or the server. Open the download, check the Versions box and choose the file again.

The file downloads empty, cut short or broken

Something printed output before the file: a PHP notice, or a plugin echoing text. Fileline clears buffered output, but notices printed by the server can still slip in. Turn off WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY on live sites.
With X-Sendfile or X-Accel-Redirect, the server must support it. Switch Send files with back to PHP to check.
Very large files over slow connections can hit the server's time limit. Fileline asks PHP for no limit; if the host enforces one, use X-Sendfile or X-Accel-Redirect.
Some security plugins and CDNs compress or rewrite responses. Exclude /download/ (or ?fileline=) from them.

Files in the protected folder can be opened by their address

Click Check the protection under Downloads → Settings. If the check says the files can be opened:

nginx ignores the .htaccess file: add the rule shown on the settings screen.
IIS needs Request Filtering for the folder's web.config: ask your host to make sure it's installed and may be set per folder.
Apache may be set up to ignore .htaccess files (AllowOverride None). Ask your host to allow them for the uploads folder, or add the same rules to the server's configuration.
A CDN may have cached a file earlier: purge it.

Only files uploaded in a download's Versions box are in the protected folder. Files picked from elsewhere in the Media Library are marked Also public.

Counts look too low or too high

Your own test downloads count like anyone's. Use the fileline_should_count filter to leave out staff (see Hooks).
Downloads by bots aren't counted. If a download tool you use is counted as a bot, or a bot isn't, adjust the list with fileline_bot_agents.
With Repeat downloads set, visitors behind one shared address (an office, a school) may count once together. Set it to 0, or a few minutes.
Behind a proxy or CDN every visitor can seem to have the same address; return the real one with fileline_client_ip.

A download says it isn't available

It's Unavailable: it has rules from Fileline Pro and Fileline Pro isn't active. See Members-only downloads → Unavailable downloads.

A plugin that changes the login page may ignore WordPress's redirect_to. After logging in, use the download button again.