<p>It was due to a outdated MariaDB version that did not meet the minimal requirements</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-03T13:21:33.900Z
2024-09-03T13:21:46.650Z
2024-09-03T13:21:46.650Z
Fervent Digital
<p><strong>Problem:</strong></p>
<p>After following all the steps given in: <a href="https://craftcms.com/docs/5.x/upgrade.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://craftcms.com/docs/5.x/upgrade.html</a>
The CMS returns a Syntax error regarding JSON. I did some small debugging and found that all element content gets returned as the string 'Array' instead of a JSON structure when it tries to create elements in the createElement function (vendor/craftcms/cms/src/elements/db/ElementQuery.php)</p>
<p>What could cause this? And is this something from our side or is it a bug inside Craft?</p>
<p>We dont have any modules or other custom code that interacts with Craft fields and/or content</p>
<p><strong>Possible way to reproduce:</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Install a Craft CMS 4 installation with the latest versions and Redactor</li>
<li>Create different type of fields such as Matrix, Super Table, Redactor etc.</li>
<li>Migrate redactor to CKEditor</li>
<li>Perform Craft update as shown on the upgrade page in the docs</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>Installed plugins:</strong></p>
<pre><code>  &quot;cooltronicpl/varnishcache&quot;: &quot;^2.7.2&quot;,
  &quot;craftcms/ckeditor&quot;: &quot;4.2.0&quot;,
  &quot;craftcms/cms&quot;: &quot;^5.0.0&quot;,
  &quot;craftcms/redactor&quot;: &quot;^4.1.0&quot;,
  &quot;elleracompany/craft-cookie-consent&quot;: &quot;^5.0.1&quot;,
  &quot;ether/seo&quot;: &quot;5.0.0-rc5&quot;,
  &quot;ether/simplemap&quot;: &quot;^5.0.1&quot;,
  &quot;ostark/craft-async-queue&quot;: &quot;^4.0.0&quot;,
  &quot;ostark/craft-relax&quot;: &quot;^2.1.0&quot;,
  &quot;putyourlightson/craft-sprig&quot;: &quot;3.4.0&quot;,
  &quot;verbb/field-manager&quot;: &quot;4.0.2&quot;,
  &quot;verbb/formie&quot;: &quot;3.0.3&quot;,
  &quot;verbb/navigation&quot;: &quot;3.0.3&quot;,
  &quot;verbb/super-table&quot;: &quot;^4.0.2&quot;,
  &quot;vlucas/phpdotenv&quot;: &quot;^3.4.0&quot;
   &quot;craftcms/generator&quot;: &quot;^2.1.0&quot;,
  &quot;yiisoft/yii2-shell&quot;: &quot;^2.0.51&quot;
</code></pre>
<p><em>Custom plugins had been installed but disabled for the upgrade, none of these plugins does anything with Craft fields and or content. Unless a plugin for custom Formie fields is seen as such.</em></p>
<p><em>Running on latest Craft CMS version, PHP 8.3.8 and MariaDB 10.3.32 (We are aware it is below the &quot;required&quot; version, however we have clean Craft CMS 5 installs running on this version without problems)</em></p>

<entries><json><craft5>
createElement returns 'content' as 'Array' instead of JSON after upgrade to v5
# createElement returns 'content' as 'Array' instead of JSON after upgrade to v5

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-08-28)

Problem:
After following all the steps given in: https://craftcms.com/docs/5.x/upgrade.html
The CMS returns a Syntax error regarding JSON. I did some small debugging and found that all element content gets returned as the string 'Array' instead of a JSON structure when it tries to create elements in the createElement function (vendor/craftcms/cms/src/elements/db/ElementQuery.php)
What could cause this? And is this something from our side or is it a bug inside Craft?
We dont have any modules or other custom code that interacts with Craft fields and/or content
Possible way to reproduce:

Install a Craft CMS 4 installation with the latest versions and Redactor
Create different type of fields such as Matrix, Super Table, Redactor etc.
Migrate redactor to CKEditor
Perform Craft update as shown on the upgrade page in the docs

Installed plugins:
  "cooltronicpl/varnishcache": "^2.7.2",
  "craftcms/ckeditor": "4.2.0",
  "craftcms/cms": "^5.0.0",
  "craftcms/redactor": "^4.1.0",
  "elleracompany/craft-cookie-consent": "^5.0.1",
  "ether/seo": "5.0.0-rc5",
  "ether/simplemap": "^5.0.1",
  "ostark/craft-async-queue": "^4.0.0",
  "ostark/craft-relax": "^2.1.0",
  "putyourlightson/craft-sprig": "3.4.0",
  "verbb/field-manager": "4.0.2",
  "verbb/formie": "3.0.3",
  "verbb/navigation": "3.0.3",
  "verbb/super-table": "^4.0.2",
  "vlucas/phpdotenv": "^3.4.0"
   "craftcms/generator": "^2.1.0",
  "yiisoft/yii2-shell": "^2.0.51"

Custom plugins had been installed but disabled for the upgrade, none of these plugins does anything with Craft fields and or content. Unless a plugin for custom Formie fields is seen as such.
Running on latest Craft CMS version, PHP 8.3.8 and MariaDB 10.3.32 (We are aware it is below the "required" version, however we have clean Craft CMS 5 installs running on this version without problems)

**Tags:** entries, json, craft5


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2024-09-03. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

It was due to a outdated MariaDB version that did not meet the minimal requirements


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