Vanishing posts and login

[Paul R Johnson]

All works fine on my computer but I’ve notice a problem opting with pads. You read the forum and all works normally and you show as logged in, and new posts works normally. You add a post, like I did this morning, and when you hit the post button you get asked to log in again. You do this and end up with the page saying cluck here if you don’t want to wait but then it gives a blank page. Your message has vanished, going back doesn’t restore it and it’s gone. This has happened a few times but today’s was a long post and I don’t have time to do it all again. In the past, I just retyped and second post worked fine without the log in again request. I assume this is a software bug linked only to iPads? Damn annoying, and it was a useful post too.


Edit

Even stranger, the post is now there. Five minutes ago it was not, and refreshing the page couldn’t find it. I wonder where it went?

[Boyd Ostroff]

Is a "pad" is an iPad? If so, here are a few things to try.

Since everything is fine on your computer, this sounds like something related to cookies and/or cache. Go to Settings and scroll down to Safari. Do you have "block all cookies" enabled? If so, that could be the problem, the site uses a number of cookies and if they are blocked they might create the problems you describe.

Unfortunately (AFAIK) there is no simple way to just clear the browser cache in iOS. Instead, you need clear all dvinfo data, which will force you to login again. To do that, scroll down to the bottom of the Safari settings and press Advanced > Website Data. Now scroll down the list to find dvinfo and press the Edit button at the top right of the screen. Then press the red circle next to dvinfo and it will ask if you want to delete all cookies and other site data.

As I said, that will force you to login again but it might affect other things too, not familiar enough with exactly what all the cookies are. I don't think it will cause any real problems... but "caveat emptor". ;-) I have attached a list of all the stuff that dvinfo stores in your browser. Anyway, see if this helps.

[Paul R Johnson]

Boyd - thanks for this, I really appreciate it. I shall have a poke around and see what I can find - thanks again. P

[John Nantz]

Since I tend to write slowly, or more lengthy posts, or just take longer, over time I’ve had numerous attempted posts wiped out. One thng I hate more than anything is re-writing a post, it just grates on me. I hate it, and it just isn’t the same the second time around. Adding insult to injury, sometimes I get timed out and the system won’t let me post again without waiting. Fortunately, there is a work-around called Plan “B” that I’ve come to use 99% of the time. That 1% of the time is, you got it, when I feel cocky and lucky, and of course, that’s when I get burned.

Plan “B” (this is on a computer, not the iPad) is to Copy the content of the post befoe posting it. This way if there is a problem with posting one can do it over again, assuming someting else doesn’t interfer, which can happen. For a more robust or fool-proof procedure, open TextEdit (or maybe Notes on iPad) and paste what was copied in that location.

This procedure takes more time but is easier on the sress level than having to re-write everyting. Another option is to write everything in an app, like TextEdit, to begin with, Copy, then Paste. That’s how I wrote this. [re-read this and found Paste was changed to Post. glad I caught it]

Another problem is not re-reading what was written before posting it, another thing I hate. The delayed spell-check software has been known to change the spelling to different words.

Safari > Command + , > Privacy > Privacy. Manage Website Data ….

Boyd: I used to delete the cookies after leaving but now trying out the new Privacy setting in OSX. Unfortunately, not being a guru, there is more stuff that gets saved all over the place. Beacons, etc. Would really like to investigate a way to start all over again with a clean slate every so often, but how to do that?Save everything to a desktop drive, then do a complete refresh of the computer?

[Boyd Ostroff]

Don't think there's an easy answer to that John. Am working on web app, so I need to constantly clear Safari's cache or it doesn't see the changes I've made to the code. But I rarely delete cookies/site data on my Mac. That can make life harder for sites that (legitimately) store your preferences. Have not looked at the new privacy stuff yet, but IIRC that is mostly an attempt to control tracking across multiple sites (where site A can read cookies from site B).

DVinfo has advertisers that may do that kind of thing, I honestly have no idea. The sites/apps I'm building don't have any ads and never will! ;-)

[Donald McPherson]

Write it all on notes or any word processor. Then copy and paste it to your post.
If you are a Facebook user you can do it this way too. This gives paragraphs when you copy and paste to Facebook. How many times have you been writing something and hitting enter to start a new line.

[Donald McPherson]

Only to have it post before you are finished.

[Andrew Smith]

I built a website for a guy and he would compose lengthy content within the article editing window. It would time out whilst he was writing, and so half an hour later he's hit the save button but lost the content. It was annoying and exasperating to say the least.

So I would say to him "I hear it's always better the second time".

Yes, that became a huge internal joke on a variety of issues and incidents.

Andrew