Why is my theme duplicating without content?

[GFDA_Store]

When I attempt to duplicate my current theme, it duplicates but has no content in it. I've tried downloading the theme and uploading it, but get the same result. 

[made4Uo]

You have to wait for it to load properly and refresh your browser

[GFDA_Store]

Thank you but — No, that does not appear to be the case, I’ve tried this multiple times with multiple browsers, at this point it’s been hours and I still have the same issue. In contrast other themes, in addition to a previous iteration of the same theme that’s a few weeks old, replicate and within 10 minutes are ready to go with all content in place.

[GFDA_Store · Accepted solution]

I figured this out.

For anyone else dealing with a similar problem of content not populating in a duplicated theme, check your settings_data.json file.

There was in error in the code which did not allow the settings_data.json file to duplicate. So in the duplicated theme, everything else was there but that file was completely missing (which explains why the bones of the site worked, but all of the content was absent).

Having identified the issue here's how I solved the problem:

I attempted to create a new settings_data.json file in the duplicated theme and copy the contents from the same file in the old version of the theme.

When I went to save the new settings_data.json file, Shopify would not allow me to save it and I got an error message which helped to identify and correct the issue in the code.

[bashunaimiroy1]

I'll add one more reason: look at `layout/theme.liquid`, and see if there's a difference between your original theme's version of that file and the duplicated theme's version of that file. There are several apps that modify this file, and will result in you not being able to see any Body Content on the page (as in the Homepage, Collection Pages, Product Pages, etc). Easy Lockdown is an example of such an app. 

The easy way to fix this is to copy-paste the original theme's `theme.liquid` file into your duplicate theme, but I recommend you determine why the Shop Owners installed this app in the first place, and if they want the app to be doing this.

[PaulNewton]

---

---

In addition to giving the process enough time to finish, you may want to clear your browser cache and hard refresh that page then try a duplication if it's still not finished.

@GFDA_Store wrote:

... it duplicates but has no content in it...

Can you elaborate what you mean by "no content"?

[CollagenQueen]

I have the same issue and by "no content" I mean the theme is downloading with the bare bones but none of my customised content. It's all blank like a freshly downloaded theme ready to be customised with none of my custom content, pages, images etc are present.