Come together with the global Drupal community in Rotterdam, 28 Sept – 1 Oct 2026. Sessions, contribution, connection, and Early Bird savings until 8 June.I'm getting the following error when going to admin/build/features/create (create Feature page):
Fatal error: Class 'panels_display' not found in .../advanced_forum/includes/panels/forum_panel_context_forum.handler on line 32
The error stems from line 32: $display = new panels_display; which is being called from advanced_forum_default_page_manager_handlers() in advanced_forum.pages_default.inc.
This helper/integration code incorrectly assumes Panels is installed... It isn't and isn't requirement for any module I added so far. Modules included in this new Drupal 6 install included: advanced forum, ctools, author pane, features, spaces, purl, context, views etc.
Comments
Comment #1
michelleYeah, he probably just assumed if you have Page Manager enabled that you'd have Panels since Page Manager is pretty useless without it. But I don't believe it's a true dependency so there should be a check in there. Earl is unavailable for the next week or so. I'll ask him about it when he gets back.
Michelle
Comment #2
michelleA few months later, I finally talked to him about it. This isn't something that is AF can fix. If there's any check, it should be in CTools but there's really no point right now in having Page Manager enabled without Panels. So the solution is to either enable Panels or disable Page Manager.
Michelle
Comment #3
jim kirkpatrick commentedOk, thanks - seems fair. For the record I enabled Page Manager to test it and forgot it was enabled.
However, I'd (gently) warn the Drupal community about having silent dependencies, even for semi-nonsensical situations like this. EITHER this module should check both Panels and Page Manager are enabled OR Page Manager needs a prerequisite of Panels - though the latter isn't true as there's a couple of simple use-cases for Page Manager that do not need Panels. It's a few 'IF's in Advanced Forum after all...
But you guys know this, not pushing, just advocating clean demarcation between modules...
Thanks again.
Comment #4
michelleI intended to add the caution to the docs but I don't know what these "few if"s are and merlinofchaos didn't seem to think this could be fixed from AF so that's what I'm going with.
I've never heard of using Page Manager without Panels. What would be the point of making a custom page and not being able to put anything on it?
Michelle
Comment #5
jim kirkpatrick commentedThe only example I can think is precisely that - overriding a page to remove the content... Views + Blocks (+Context) would allow nice pages to be made. However, since Page Manager complains without Panels that's clearly not a sensible use case - so point taken!
Comment #6
milos.kroulik commentedWell, I would like to use Page Manager, because I need it for Contextual administration (http://drupal.org/project/context_admin) module. But the Panels are overkill for me.
Comment #7
michelleAs I said in #2, merlinofchaos, the author of both Page Manager and Panels as well as the one who wrote the Page Manager/AF integration, said that this isn't something AF can fix. Setting this active isn't going to change that.
Michelle
Comment #8
milos.kroulik commentedOK, understood. I just reacted to "I've never heard of using Page Manager without Panels. What would be the point of making a custom page and not being able to put anything on it?".
Comment #9
michelleKeep in mind that was nearly a year ago, just a couple weeks after CA was created. Back then, people weren't using Page Manager without Panels. I've asked merlinofchaos if there's anything that CTools can do but it's the holiday weekend and I don't expect a response any time soon.
Michelle
Comment #10
michelleRe-opening this because I just chatted with merlin on IRC about it and it looks like there's stuff AF can do after all.
[13:25] Anyway, wrapping forum_panel_context_forum.handler in an if (module_exists('panels')) check should do it.
[13:25] And any other panel_context_* handler that's in there.
I'm not in a position to work on this at the moment... Just saw he was active on IRC and asked while I had the chance. So putting this as a note and will get back to it soon as I can.
Michelle
Comment #11
michelleChanging category so I don't keep filtering this out.
Michelle
Comment #12
rhymeswithcamera commentedSubscribing. I'm interested in the fix for alpha4.
I'm using AF 2.0-alpha3. I originally installed AF with Panels enabled. I'm now unable to disable Panels and keep AF enabled without getting the fatal error above. What's even more curious is that I can then no longer access the admin/build/modules page, so I have to go into phpMyAdmin to enable/disable AF or Panels. For now, Panels will remain enabled so I can use AF.
Comment #13
michelleI just tested and AF works just fine with Page Manager enabled and Panels disabled. Just disable the forum page override, which is useless without Panels anyway.
I'll still look into making a built in solution but that will get people going in the mean time.
Michelle
Comment #14
rhymeswithcamera commentedThanks Michelle. I tried your suggestion, but still no luck. Perhaps there's some other module conflict.
Summary: Page Manager is enabled. All panels are disabled in Panels. Test 1: Disable Panels with AF enabled. Fail. Test 2: Disable AF. Disable Panels. Reenable AF. Fail. Same "line 32" error each time and inability to access module page. Thank goodness for phpMyAdmin to turn Panels back on - and get my modules page back.
This isn't high priority for me. I haven't yet themed AF to match my custom theme. Who knows - I may, in fact, need Panels if I decide to modify the layout! :)
Comment #15
michelleOk, committed.
Michelle
Comment #16
michelleUntagging