450Bushmaster.net

Eric-

There's a "feature" of using this site's PM function that has been really frustrating over the last couple of years.

The problem: When I am writing a PM, especially a reply to another user's PM to me, sometimes it takes a while to write all the words necessary for a comprehensive reply. I may have to consult books and manuals, or google up some stuff in another tab or window. Sometimes writing a PM may take a couple of hours.

The problem appears when I've finished writing, and push the "preview" button on the PM page. The PM page is replaced with a Log In page. NOT GOOD. If I log in, I get kicked back to the PM page, but all my writing has disappeared. If I use the back button on my browser, the same thing happens.

(I think this same problem occurs in writing a post to the board.)

In the past, I've worked around this by copying and pasting my verbiage into a Notebook or Wordpad document before I push the preview or post buttons. However, I have to remember to do this, and my internal "forgetter" works really well.

Occasionally I've been so frustrated with the problem that I simply compose my PM or post in Notebook, and then copy-and-past into the PM or posting space. But again, I have to remember to do that.

Is there some way to prevent the problem of the disappearing words? I suspect I'm just encountering a preset time limit.

If it makes any difference in this case, I work from Windows XP with Firefox and occasionally Opera.

Thanks.

--Bob

do you have your account set up to log you off after some amount of inactivity?

If I'm writing something that requires a lot of thought, or verification, I'll write it in word and then cut and paste it into the reply or PM screen. I still get burned sometimes when I hit reply and start typing before I consider how involved the subject really is, or if I'm writing a reply while at work and get interrupted. Aggravates me no end when it happens.
BD

MudBug wrote:do you have your account set up to log you off after some amount of inactivity?

Eric-
I do not recall not actively setting up the account to do this. If there is a time limit connected with this forum it must be the default limit.

Could you provide some hint about how to change the limit? I've looked through the control panel settings and could find nothing, altho that doesn't mean some instructions aren't there.

BD1 wrote:I still get burned sometimes when I hit reply and start typing before I consider how involved the subject really is, or if I'm writing a reply while at work and get interrupted. Aggravates me no end when it happens.

Yep, me too.

Over a period of 90 minutes yesterday evening, I wrote a reply to a PM, and it disappeared when I tried to do a preview. Grrrrrrr!

If there is a timer when writing a PM, I think it is reset every time "preview" is selected. I'm sure it doesn't get reset simply by entering words into the text box.

Thanksl.
--Bob

The "Timed Out" issue has been a problem in every forum I have ever been on.

pitted bore wrote:Could you provide some hint about how to change the limit? I've looked through the control panel settings and could find nothing, altho that doesn't mean some instructions aren't there.

I went and checked and you are right, there isn't a setting like that.

I'll see if there are any mods that address this issue, but I kinda doubt there is. I have also been effected by this issue on other forums before and I think that a C&P to notepad before pressing the submit button might be the only fix.

MudBug wrote:

pitted bore wrote:Could you provide some hint about how to change the limit? I've looked through the control panel settings and could find nothing, altho that doesn't mean some instructions aren't there.

I went and checked and you are right, there isn't a setting like that.

I'll see if there are any mods that address this issue, but I kinda doubt there is. I have also been effected by this issue on other forums before and I think that a C&P to notepad before pressing the submit button might be the only fix.

Kinda is a universal Fopaw for most of us long winded writers.

I try to remember to do a C&P, but don't always. If I catch it right away, hitting the return button often works, notice I said Often. This might well be one of those life challenging situations we've got to put up with..t