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Why You Lose Long Posts

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anthony

Founder
People have mentioned often that they sit on the forum and type, type, type for a while, writing out a long post, then when they hit submit on their computer, suddenly they are asked to log in again or the forum loses their data through reloading, etc etc....

Here are the reasons why, and none of them are forum related.

"Remember Me"

When you log in the system places a cookie on your computer. If you have not ticked the checkbox beside the login telling the forum to remember you permanently, then this data is not placed in the cookie on your computer for the forum and your computer to communicate securely. This is how the forum software recognises you as being you, and not someone else. Tick the box for starters if you don't fit the next fault.

"Wireless Connection"

Here is the big one... wireless connection is not actually connected all the time between your computer and the wireless router / ISP direct if you have mobile wireless to the ISP. Your computer actually suspends / disconnects the connection if idle. It is still there in the background, but when it recognises activity again, ie. you click submit on your very long post, the problem is that you are no longer actually connected with the forum, thus the forum software has logged you out and requires you to log in again, thus refreshing the actual real page online over your cached page you have been typing into on your computer. Logging in is as simple as your cookie stored on your computer doing it for you in a second or two in the background... you just see lost information. If you didn't have the remember me button checked, you would actually find yourself being asked to login again as the system went idle in your session, thus you click submit and the software doesn't recognise you.

Wireless connections are not "always on" even when you may set them up to be that way... your computer, often Windows or OSX, will put the connection in idle, so that when you activate it again it takes that extra second or two to load the first page because the connection resets from idle to connect once again. This is something many cannot control, it is also done from the ISP. Yes, you can often change this, though I am not going to talk anyone through it, instead you must seek help from your ISP or online, this is not a computer help forum. You can often change these in your network settings when establing a connection and more importantly, within your modem/router, though again, sometimes even adjusting your hard settings will do nothing as your ISP may override any setting they want, and you really won't know what they do. They often do this so their bandwidth is reduced with only active connections, not people just letting their system sit on idle. Have a million users all sitting in an active idle state, and the bandwidth goes through the roof, compared to them simply cutting a connection after x amount of time which takes all of a second or two to reactivate when you move the mouse / click a link, etc.

"Best Connection"

The best possible connection you can have, is when you have your router / modem set so it never goes to idle, you have a hard connection (cable) to your system and you have checked the "remember me" box next to the username and password fields. This is undoubetly the most secure and stable connection to ANY online forum, as all forums work the same way and use the same methods to keep connected.

I hope that helps some, those who often have disconnections from writing to posting.
 
This has happened to me even though I have the 'remember me' box ticked and a cable modem. I have found that after a while, if I'm not changing pages, then I get logged out, ?due to inactivity?

Anyway,the easiest solution that I have found is to write my post in "notepad", and then copy and paste it across. (If you use "word", or similar it will add a load of confusing font detail, so just use the most simple program that you have). I know it takes a bit of thinking about, when often replies are spontaneous or whatever. But for lengthy posts I have found it to be worthwhile.
 
Hi,

Whilst you are using a cable modem, are you plugged directly into that modem or are you wirelessly connected to the modem? If wireless, that is the answer.

If you are hard connected, you will find a setting in your modem that disconnects your connection if idle after x time. It comes back to the point I mentioned in the first post about ISP's setting their default modem settings to do this so they don't have all these inactive connections drawing pieces of bandwidth from them constantly. It all adds up. You can change that setting though in your modem so that your connection is persistent with no disconnect on idle.

Mine was default to disconnect after 20 minutes... I changed it to be persistent, and I have cable also. When disconnected from idle it only takes a second or two to reconnect, but that mere disconnection means the forum MUST re-authenticate you as being you, which means any data is lost because it must re-log you in.
 
I have just checked and yeah - my connection is persistent. There is no disconnection when idle. And I don't use a wireless connection.

I'm a member of a few different forums and with some I can stay connected to forever (well a long time at least!), even when idle. And on others, I need to remain active to stay logged in. Maybe it is something to do with the way my computer is set up.

Anyway, I'm not complaining or doubting what you are saying Anthony, I just thought that the 'notepad' option might help others who have had problems in the past.
 
My Posting Method

I'm DSL...and very wordy...

What I've found that it works for me to use the copy/paste method directly from the reply area.

I've learned that before I hit the "Post Quick Reply" (or "Submit Reply") button, I highlight the post in the typing area and hit Ctrl + C (or click Edit, Copy.)

Then when I hit the "Post Quick Reply" (or "Submit Reply") button, and get logged out, I will log back in & go back to the reply screen and hit Ctrl + V (or click Edit, Paste) to re-reply & then hit the "Post Quick Reply" (or "Submit Reply") button. [Note: when using emoticons, the "text" may sometimes appear in place of the emoticon, so I try to add my "Hugs" after the reply is posted in the Edit mode.]

But, since my Avatar has been changed...it's hugging from the start so I don't feel I have to formally hug as much. :rofl:

But I will here anyway!

:Hug_emoticon:

Robyn
 
Interesting cherry.... maybe an option would be to clear you browser cache of existing cookies, usernames, passwords, etc, then visit the forum, check the remember me box, etc, thus the forum would put a new cookie upon your computer. It is odd when you don't fit the typical scenario's. Yes, it could be a setting on your computer / browser... absolutely. Software in general can be buggy, though it is rare a user would ever be logged out meeting the typical fixes mentioned above. I am never logged out unless using the wireless connection by sitting on the lounge with the notebook.
 
The 'remember me' box doesn't work on mine either I'm afraid. I've got an ethernet connection, not wireless. I am using Safari on a mac though. Dont know if that's it. I know you recommend Firefox.

I too write it in something else and copy and paste it back in here. Means I can speel chieck it too :wink:
 
Nicolette, what's a "dag"? :think:

Dag is Aussie slang which by my understanding is someone who is amusing in the way they approach, view or express things as part of their normal mannerisms. With Robyn I was referring to her "hugs" which is a lovely gesture but then how she combined it with her avatar saying she was hugging up front. In my world it holds some affection when it is said as is not meant to be demeaning or put someone down. It's kind of a nice way to say you are different and I like it.

According to wikipedia the definition is : the word dag is more commonly used in colloquial Australian English to refer to someone's unfashionable, often eccentric or idiosyncratic style or demeanor together with poor social skills and amusing manner.Which I personally find a bit harsh by including the poor social skills as that is not my understanding.
 
Any post that I know in advance is going to be long, I tend to put in notepad or word so that I don't lose anything. Seems like others have success with that too!

-Other
 
According to wikipedia the definition is : the word dag is more commonly used in colloquial Australian English to refer to someone's unfashionable, often eccentric or idiosyncratic style or demeanor together with poor social skills and amusing manner.Which I personally find a bit harsh by including the poor social skills as that is not my understanding.

:Hug_emoticon:Thank you Nicolette, that is the nicest thing anybody has said to me in a long time. And, I'm afraid, wikipedia is right...I'm better at writing my thoughts and opinions that I am at verbally expressing them. Take me out of my environment and I'm shy and, try to be, invisible. I'm getting better though as I grow older. I guess my mom was right...she said growing older means you can say what you think out loud and people make allowances for you because of your age. :rofl:

And yes...I'm a hugger!!

Hugs!
Robyn
 
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