Michiganpat and other new members

Ed1937

First of all, welcome to the forum. Sorry any of you have to be here, but you will find it a very valuable site.

This is just a little information on the shortcomings of this site. On another thread, michiganpat wrote "I am new to site also. I wrote out a long message (my first one) but when I tried to post I got an error message. Very disheartening as I also lost what I wrote and needed to start over."  This is a shortcoming of the software on the forums. You might sign in, read some threads, then decide to make a post. You will get to the page where you can write what you want to post, but then get the error message when you hit the "Post" button.. This almost always means that you are no longer logged in, although there is no way for you to know that until you try to post. If you have been logged in for some time without posting, you might be logged out, even though this is not supposed to happen. This happens every so often, and most times it is not problematic. I think this happens more often when you might have been logged in on this site, but leave for another site, then come back. But it can happen anytime. Sometimes when I make a fairly long post, I'll copy it before I hit the "Post" button. That way if I get the error, I can log in again, then paste whatever I wanted to post. Just wanted to let you know what might happen.

Jo C.

Anyone who loses their Post when trying to Post; and sometimes we  get an "error message," even if we have not timed out . . . . please go to to top of the page and click on the "Contact Us" prompt and leave a message for Technical.

This has been happening more often with short as well as longer Posts this last week or two and multiple Members have mentioned it.  Others say they have maybe accidentally hit a wrong key not realizing it may well be a technical issue and they've been "bumped."  Please do report it.

If we report it to Contact Us, the tech folks will have an idea of what is happening in actual numbers of people and that can perhaps get things adjusted as it can be frustrating to lose a Post.  It is hard to rewrite the same thoughts a second time.

J.

michiganpat

Thank you. I was thinking it was me. I have decent computer skills but was not raised in the computer age. There is so much I don't know re online. I did take a long time to write my message so probably got logged out. I will try again and will make a copy before I try to post. I don't know how to paste but can retype my message if needed.

Mint

Welcome to forum, nice to meet you.

Here is a way I have found to avoid losing my posts.  I post my first paragraph.  Then I go in and edit it.  Continue to post saving it after every few paragraphs.  A bit of a hassle but way less hassle than losing a long post.

Has worked well so far.

Ed1937

michiganpat wrote:

I don't know how to paste but can retype my message if needed.

You can copy your text by highlighting it, then hold down Ctrl AND tap "C". Or you can highlight it, then right click, and select "Copy". To Paste it, hold down Ctrl AND tap "V".

 

Pat6177

Ed, since this is a how to kind of post, what does the “Archive” button do?

DrinaJGB

This site is the least user friendly site I have encountered so far. It is completely counter-intuitve and often frustrating.

Jo C.

Ed, thank you very much.  I could get things copied, but for the life of me, could not get them to paste.  You have now helped me - hurray!   Now I need to test it; so hope it works well on my computer.

Second try - it worked!!  Thank you again.

J.

Ed1937

Pat6177 wrote:

Ed, since this is a how to kind of post, what does the “Archive” button do?

Sorry, someone else will have to take that one. Where do you see the "Archive" button?

Jo, glad it helped. I'm a very long way from being a computer guru though, so be easy on me.

Jo C.

Mr. Ed, you are an easy fellow to be easy with and always so supportive and helpful to all of us. 

J.

Pat6177

Ed1937 wrote:

Sorry, someone else will have to take that one. Where do you see the "Archive" button?

Ed, the archive button is on the upper right, below the title of the post and above the print icon.

 

michiganpat

Sayra. I tried that (editing) this morning. It worked and was so easy. Thank you

Ed1937

Pat6177 wrote:

Ed1937 wrote:

Sorry, someone else will have to take that one. Where do you see the "Archive" button?

Ed, the archive button is on the upper right, below the title of the post and above the print icon.

Thanks, Pat. I've only been around here less than 4 years. I'm a slow learner.