widget() method can't access $instance variable WordPress - php

Question

I followed a guide to create a WordPress plugin, which shows a youtube sub button on your page.
In the guide it works perfectly, but for some reason it doesn't work for me.
This is my problem:
When I var_dump($instance) in widget() it prints out an empty array, but when I try to print_r($instance) inside of my form() it prints out the correct information
Here is the widget file:
<?php
/**
* Adds Youtube_Subs widget.
*/
class Youtube_Subs_Widget extends WP_Widget {
/**
* Register widget with WordPress.
*/
function __construct() {
parent::__construct(
'youtubesubs_widget', // Base ID
esc_html__( 'YouTube Subs', 'mp_domain' ), // Name
array( 'description' => esc_html__( 'Widget to display YouTube subs', 'mp_domain' ), ) // Args
);
}
/**
* Front-end display of widget.
*
* #see WP_Widget::widget()
*
* #param array $args Widget arguments.
* #param array $instance Saved values from database.
*/
public function widget( $args, $instance ) {
echo $args['before_widget']; // Whatever you want to display before widget (<div>, etc)
if ( ! empty( $instance['title'] ) ) {
echo $args['before_title'] . apply_filters( 'widget_title', $instance['title'] ) . $args['after_title'];
}
// Widget Content Output
var_dump($instance);
// echo '<div class="g-ytsubscribe" data-channel="'.$instance['channel'].'" data-layout="'.$instance['layout'].'" data-count="'.$instance['count'].'"></div>';
echo $args['after_widget']; // Whatever you want to display after widget (</div>, etc)
}
/**
* Back-end widget form.
*
* #see WP_Widget::form()
*
* #param array $instance Previously saved values from database.
*/
public function form( $instance ) {
$title = (! empty( $instance['title'] ) ? $instance['title'] : esc_attr( 'YouTube Subs', 'mp_domain' ));
$channel = (! empty( $instance['channel'] ) ? $instance['channel'] : esc_attr( 'techguyweb', 'mp_domain' ));
$layout = (! empty( $instance['layout'] ) ? $instance['layout'] : esc_attr( 'default', 'mp_domain' ));
$count = (! empty( $instance['count'] ) ? $instance['count'] : esc_attr( 'default', 'mp_domain' ));
?>
<!-- TITLE -->
<p>
<label for="<?php echo esc_attr( $this->get_field_id( 'title' ) ); ?>">
<?php esc_attr_e( 'Title:', 'mp_domain' ); ?>
</label>
<input
class="widefat"
id="<?php echo esc_attr( $this->get_field_id( 'title' ) ); ?>"
name="<?php echo esc_attr( $this->get_field_name( 'title' ) ); ?>"
type="text"
value="<?php echo esc_attr( $title ); ?>">
</p>
<!-- CHANNEL -->
<p>
<label for="<?php echo esc_attr( $this->get_field_id( 'channel' ) ); ?>">
<?php esc_attr_e( 'Channel:', 'mp_domain' ); ?>
</label>
<input
class="widefat"
id="<?php echo esc_attr( $this->get_field_id( 'channel' ) ); ?>"
name="<?php echo esc_attr( $this->get_field_name( 'channel' ) ); ?>"
type="text"
value="<?php echo esc_attr( $channel ); ?>">
</p>
<!-- LAYOUT -->
<p>
<label for="<?php echo esc_attr( $this->get_field_id( 'layout' ) ); ?>">
<?php esc_attr_e( 'Layout:', 'mp_domain' ); ?>
</label>
<select
class="widefat"
id="<?php echo esc_attr( $this->get_field_id( 'layout' ) ); ?>"
name="<?php echo esc_attr( $this->get_field_name( 'layout' ) ); ?>">
<option value="default" <?php echo ($layout == 'default') ? 'selected' : ''; ?>>
Default
</option>
<option value="full" <?php echo ($layout == 'full') ? 'selected' : ''; ?>>
Full
</option>
</select>
</p>
<!-- COUNT -->
<p>
<label for="<?php echo esc_attr( $this->get_field_id( 'count' ) ); ?>">
<?php esc_attr_e( 'Count:', 'mp_domain' ); ?>
</label>
<select
class="widefat"
id="<?php echo esc_attr( $this->get_field_id( 'count' ) ); ?>"
name="<?php echo esc_attr( $this->get_field_name( 'count' ) ); ?>">
<option value="default" <?php echo ($count == 'default') ? 'selected' : ''; ?>>
Default
</option>
<option value="hidden" <?php echo ($count == 'hidden') ? 'selected' : ''; ?>>
Hidden
</option>
</select>
</p>
<?php
print_r($instance);
}
/**
* Sanitize widget form values as they are saved.
*
* #see WP_Widget::update()
*
* #param array $new_instance Values just sent to be saved.
* #param array $old_instance Previously saved values from database.
*
* #return array Updated safe values to be saved.
*/
public function update( $new_instance, $old_instance ) {
$instance = $old_instance;
$instance['title'] = ( ! empty( $new_instance['title'] ) ) ? strip_tags( $new_instance['title'] ) : '';
$instance['channel'] = ( ! empty( $new_instance['channel'] ) ) ? strip_tags( $new_instance['channel'] ) : '';
$instance['layout'] = ( ! empty( $new_instance['layout'] ) ) ? strip_tags( $new_instance['layout'] ) : '';
$instance['count'] = ( ! empty( $new_instance['count'] ) ) ? strip_tags( $new_instance['count'] ) : '';
return $instance;
}
}
I have this hooked up with my plugin file in where I register the widget:
// Register Widget
function register_myplugin() {
register_widget('Youtube_Subs_Widget');
}
// Hook in function
add_action('widgets_init', 'register_myplugin');
I hope someone knows what is wrong and can help me correct my mistake, thanks in advance

Answer 1

I tried to reinstall my WordPress file and it worked afterwards