Unknown named parameter after a PHP update
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More about this
Unknown named parameter means a call supplies a parameter name that the receiving function does not accept.
Keep the name following the dollar sign and the function from the message.
The problem concerns the mapping between input and function, not necessarily the input value.
A WordPressWordPress is free software for building and editing a website in your browser. It is written in PHP, so it builds each page when someone visits. extension can forward calls through an intermediate layer, so the origin may appear earlier in the trace.
Before you start
Save the complete error line and its timestamp in a private note. Record the action that failed, the current PHP versionA PHP version is a numbered edition of PHP, like 8.3. Each edition is looked after for a limited time, then gets security fixes only, then nothing. and any components updated at the same time. Share only information needed for the investigation.
Public support forums are not suitable places for customer details, access credentials or complete server paths.
Back up both files and the database before making changes. Check that the backupA backup is a separate copy of your website's files and database, so you can bring the site back after a mistake, a hack or a failed update. is usable. Work on a restricted test copy with the same PHP version and relevant settings.
Disable real payments and outgoing customer emails there. Agree who will make the change and who will check the result. These steps are an investigation guide, not a diagnosis of your particular website.
Versions and responsibility
Ask your administrator to confirm the PHP version serving the affected website. Also record the WordPress, themeA WordPress theme is a ready-made package that decides how your WordPress site looks and how its pages are laid out. Change the theme and the design changes., pluginA WordPress plugin is an add-on you install in WordPress to give your site extra features, such as contact forms, SEO tools or a webshop. and bundled library versions involved. Establish which components changed during the same maintenance session.
A test using different code can give a different result even when its PHP version matches. Agree beforehand which user action will demonstrate a successful repair. Assign one responsible person to follow both the change and its acceptance check.
On the test copy, verify that scheduled jobs, payments and messages are actually separated from the live website.
Causes and PHP version
PHPPHP is a programming language that builds your web pages on the computer that hosts your site, just before they reach the visitor. WordPress runs on it. 8 supports named arguments. With call_user_func_array, string keys are interpreted as parameter names. An older integration that used keys only as labels can therefore pass an unexpected name.
Also check whether a library update renamed a parameter. The error text alone does not show that WordPress itself caused the problem.
Choosing the correct repair
Ask the maintainer to establish whether the integration maps by name or by position. Rename a key only when its meaning matches the receiving parameter. Blindly renumbering an array can send values to the wrong fields.
Check the business result too: a request completing without an exception might still save incorrect settings in the application.
Five steps to a repair
- Save the unknown name and the receiving function. Record which visitor action creates the call and which extension is responsible for it.
- Locate the receiving function definition and the code building the argument array. Compare the actual names on the isolated test copy.
- Establish whether the integration expects named or positional arguments. Have its maintainer restore that agreement explicitly in the supplied data.
- Test with distinct, recognizable values for every field. Verify their destinations, including the case where an optional field has been omitted.
- Repeat the complete action and read the saved record. Check fresh logs and record the version of the code used for acceptance.
A practical check
Consider a quote form passing a name, language and subject to a plugin. Use different test values so a swapped mapping becomes visible. Then omit the optional subject and check the agreed default.
A thank-you page alone is not enough: open the saved test request as well. This proposed check can reveal misplaced values without using real customer information.
Getting help and checking the repair
Use the help form below if you cannot access the logs or do not know who maintains the affected code. Describe one failed action and the expected result. Ask for a proposal that separates the cause, the change and the acceptance check.
Do not include passwords with your request.
After the repair, repeat the original action on the test copy. Also check a normal visitor journey, an empty result and invalid input where relevant. Review fresh log entries at the new test time.
Keep versions and outcomes in your maintenance notes. Let the responsible administrator decide when the tested change can be applied to the live website.
Choosing the next step
Use the links below this article to choose the next step. The PHP update page helps you discuss maintenance with the administrator. Use the Exposure Check to check your PHP version.
Not every server exposes its version; confirm missing information with your host. This is a separate public check; do not treat its result as evidence that this programming error is repaired. Use the status page for current security information.
Keep the repair of the visitor action and the assessment of the server as separate checks in your notes. When requesting help, include the error text, the failed action and the expected result, but no passwords. Ask for one responsible person to oversee both the change and its acceptance.