Navigation links disappear after upgrade to Magento CE 2.4.5

Question

I'm somewhat of a Magento noob and inherited this site. I upgraded to 2.4.5 from 2.4.0 and basically, the top links and footer links disappeared. For example, this block is no longer displaying:

<block class="Magento\Customer\Block\Account\Navigation" name="top.links">
    <arguments>
        <argument name="css_class" xsi:type="string">header links</argument>
    </arguments>                        
</block>
                

In: app/design/frontend/Magento/themename/Magento_Theme/layout/default.xml

But it's not just that. The Advanced Search and custom footer modules also disappeared. It's like these files aren't even being called:

vendor/magento/module-customer/view/frontend/templates/account/navigation.phtml

If it's any help, I think this is a custom theme that was forked off of Luna theme at some point, but not sure.

Answer 1

When upgrading Magento and encountering issues with the disappearance of navigation links and other customizations, it's essential to check and update the theme files to ensure compatibility with the new version. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve the issue:

1. Check theme compatibility: Verify if the custom theme you inherited is compatible with Magento 2.4.5. Review the theme's documentation or contact the theme developer for any updates or patches specifically designed for Magento 2.4.5.
2. Update the theme: If a compatible version of the theme is available, update the theme files to the latest version. Follow the theme's update instructions, which usually involve replacing the theme files in the appropriate directory.
3. Merge XML layout changes: Since you mentioned that the customization was made in the default.xml file, ensure that any necessary changes from the base theme or module updates are merged with your custom theme's default.xml file. Check for any conflicts or inconsistencies that may be causing the disappearance of the navigation links and other blocks.
4. Clear cache: After updating the theme files and making any necessary changes, clear the Magento cache. This can be done via the command line by running the following command in the Magento root directory:

bin/magento cache:flush

This step ensures that the updated theme files and layout changes take effect.

5. Verify file paths and template existence: Double-check the file paths and ensure that the necessary templates, such as navigation.phtml, exist in the correct location for the custom theme. In this case, the file should be present at:

app/design/frontend/Magento/themename/Magento_Customer/templates/account/navigation.phtml

Confirm that the file hasn't been moved or renamed during the theme customization process.

6. Debug mode and error logs: Enable developer mode and check for any error logs or messages that could provide insights into the issue. You can enable developer mode by running the following command:

bin/magento deploy:mode:set developer

This step will display more detailed error messages and help identify any potential problems.