Wow. This column was added, via the upgrade process, in version 5.3.0 and we are now at 5.5.1…

Firstly – may I assume you ARE using a version more recent than 5.3.0?  And secondly – do you know how to access phpMyAdmin via your hosting control panel?

Thank you for your response.

I am now using Version 5.5.0.1. I have been upgrading it whenever the WP upgrade notification tells me to do so.

How do I upgrade it to 5.5.1?

Yes, I know how to access phpMyAdmin via the hosting control panel. What would you like me to do?

You are going to need to add that missing column to the database table. Are you comfortable doing that? There are basically two ways… manually creating the column (probably the easiest) or running an update query. Which would you prefer me to give instructions for?

I’ll try the easier option first and see if I can manage this

So let’s go with manually creating the column – how do I do this please?

By the way, I just saw the notification to upgrade to v5.5.1 which I have done so, plus upgrading the database and plugins.

OK – I will do my best to make it simple! 

1. Access phpMyAdmin on your server and load up your WordPress database so you get the list of tables.
2. Locate the table (your wp prefix) ‘sftrack’ – and along the row you will find the icon to load the ‘structure’ – click on that to load.
3. This should provide a view of the columns in the table above, and the indexes for the table below.
4. Between the two sections there should be an ‘Add 1 Column’ input with ‘At end of table’ pre-selected. Click on the ‘Go’ button at the end of that line.
5. This should bring up a form that allows you to add a new column.
6. The name of the new column is device
7. The type is CHAR and the length is 1
8. For default click on ‘as defined’ from the list and in the input box that opens beneath it enter D
9. Click the save button for the form.

On some versions of phpMyAdmin it says at the top that the update has been made but it does not show up in the listing immediately. If you want to double check all is well then click on the database name in the breadcrumbs at the very top of the screen. Go back to the database table listing and click on the structure of the table once again to redisplay it and you should see your new column.

Now – while there – does this table have a column named ‘display’ or os that missing as well?

Thank you for the very clear instructions – I have added the column successfully.

Yes, I can see that it has a column named ‘display’.

So would doing this stop the error_log file from filling up?

To answer my own question, the answer is Yes!

I deleted the error_log file and have been checking the server – the file has not reappeared since.

Thanks mucho for your help here, Yellow Swordfish!

It does beg the question however, on why that column was not created at the time of the upgrade. I believe this is the only case we had reported of this particular failure which makes it most odd and quite unique. I just hope there was nothing else in that upgrade that failed…