WordPress 5.3 upgrade error with Thrive Architect

This morning, I got a little linkedin notification from a subscriber letting me know that my nicklitten blog was exploding ( Thanks Toby 😉 ) I log on and see all kinds of weird WordPress 5.3 Upgrade Error with Thrive Architect PHP ERRORS on the front screen:

Warning:  Declaration of TCB_Menu_Walker::walk($elements, 
 $max_depth) should be compatible with Walker::walk($elements, 
 $max_depth, …$args) in /home/nicklitten/www/www/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/inc/classes/class-tcb-menu-walker.php on line 620

 Warning:  Cannot modify header information - headers already sent
  by (output started at 
 /home/nicklitten/www/www/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/inc/classes/class-tcb-menu-walker.php:620)
  in /home/nicklitten/www/www/wp-includes/functions.php on line 5946

 Warning:  Cannot modify header information - headers already sent
  by (output started at 
 /home/nicklitten/www/www/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/inc/classes/class-tcb-menu-walker.php:620)
  in /home/nicklitten/www/www/wp-admin/includes/misc.php on line 1252

 Warning:  Cannot modify header information - headers already sent
  by (output started at 
 /home/nicklitten/www/www/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/inc/classes/class-tcb-menu-walker.php:620)
  in /home/nicklitten/www/www/wp-admin/admin-header.php on line 9

But I hadn’t upgraded anything… #aaaargh

If you are reading this because you googled for a solution to the same problem… don’t panic… Help is at hand!

What causes this WordPress 5.3 upgrade error?

I found that the upgrade of WORDPRESS to 5.3 while leaving the THRIVE ARCHITECT plugin at Version 2.4.3.2 (the current version as at Nov 13th 2019) causes these conflicts.

So, we need to pour a calming cup of tea (English Breakfast with a dash of lemon #obviously) and then update the plugins.

If you cannot login to your wordpress install - use your control panel to restore the wordpress FILES to your most recent backup. In my case this was yesterday

Then I logged in and saw it telling me to upgrade WordPress to 5.3 but don’t do it yet!

1 – upgrade your plugins first

So, we will upgrade wordpress in a minute but first lets make sure we upgrade all the plugins and themes if they are ready. As long as THRIVE ARCHITECT is V2.4.5 or newer you should be OK

2 – now upgrade your wordpress (or REINSTALL if needs be)

and we are back.

Now, slurp your tea, mutter a little sigh of contentment and return to doing what you were doing before this brief flurry of excitement.