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General discussion

Preview Message button doesn't work.

Apr 10, 2004 8:02AM PDT

Twice in 2 days I've tried to reply to posts and gotten as far as the Rely To This Message screen. I paste in my reply and then the Preview button does nothing. Both times it's been a potentially contentious situation. I'm wondering what's up with that? Has anyone else run into this? Is there a mod tool that closes down a conversation like this? And if so, does it block just me or everybody?

Someone please try replying to Evie's message and see if you can get past the Preview Message button.

Thanks

In the old forum I had an especially goofy message deleted once or twice with no email. I figured I had a guardian angel mod looking out for me and saving me from embarrassment. Yep, it can happen. Thank you angel, whoever you are. I really would like to rely to this one, however.

Discussion is locked

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No problem here...
Apr 10, 2004 9:46AM PDT

The only times I have had problems with that button is when the messages have been two long. I have cut it down and posted #1 and #2 instead and then it has worked.

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Are you sure it wasn't the length of the reply?
Apr 10, 2004 9:47AM PDT

The only time I've ever had that problem is when my reply exceeds the rather small maximum reply length for this piece of so-called forum software.

If your reply is too long, then pressing the 'Preview Message' button appears to do nothing. It does not produce a warning message, and I've never heard a beep or anything of that sort. I presume that the 'Preview Message' button executes a script of some sort that checks for message size but the author of the script did not have the decency to tell the user that a problem exists.

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nt - Thanks guys. I'll try that.
Apr 10, 2004 12:25PM PDT

.

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Agree likely to be length. You could try ...
Apr 10, 2004 6:19PM PDT

I wondered about contentious words or subject matter, so pasted each paragraph and previewed it, to see which might be the contentious one, but none were, since all previewed happily.

It often works if you paste the first and last paragraph and preview these, then go back and edit. Put the remaining paragraphs into the middle of your post.

This usually seems to fool the limit, but occasionally it doesn't so perhaps there is a secondary finite limit.

Regards
Mo

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:-)))
Apr 10, 2004 8:40PM PDT

Dang, Mo! You really have run into this before. "paste the first and last paragraph and preview these, then go back and edit. Put the remaining paragraphs into the middle of your post. ...fool the limit, but occasionally it doesn't" And maybe a rabbits foot? Happy I'll try it next time.

It must have been the length like all yall said. I had to break it into 3. I have seen longer posts than my whole original though. Just so long as I'm not being singled out or unduly censored and you guys are here to help me out, s'all good. Thanks.

Pages are loading way slow again today. Day before yesterday it was pretty quick.

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Re::-)))
Apr 11, 2004 1:22AM PDT

I've noticed some posts appear to be much longer than what I've been able to enter myself. I've wondered if it was a different browser that allowed more, or if composing in a particular text editor then pasting was the difference.

But I'm not industrious enough to try a dozen different available browsers. Happy

So I've used wordpad to compose replies that I know are two long, then paste in what I can in one reply, then another, then another to whatever extent is necessary. But rather than reply to my own post and make it index in, I try to keep all the sections as replies to the same post.

If you're using the change 5208 to 5224 trick to reply to posts that say no more posts, you have to leave that post then come back to do a second reply by the same trick of 08 to 24.

RogerNC

click here to email semods4@yahoo.com

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Re::-)))
Apr 11, 2004 6:42AM PDT

It's the browser / forum software combo. I'm using Opera 7.23 on Linux. There's still a post size limit with Opera, but not as restrictive as some others. This post seems to be about the limit. Some other browsers have a "post cache" (or something like that)... so small, it scarce could bathe a star."


The Hosting of the Sidhe

THE HOST is riding from Knocknarea

And over the grave of Clooth-na-bare;

And Niamh calling Away, come away:

Empty your heart of its mortal dream.

The winds awaken, the leaves whirl round,

Our cheeks are pale, our hair is unbound,

Our breasts are heaving, our eyes are a-gleam,

Our arms are waving, our lips are apart;

And if any gaze on our rushing band,

We come between him and the deed of his hand,

We come between him and the hope of his heart.

The host is rushing 'twixt night and day,

And where is there hope or deed as fair?

Caolte tossing his burning hair,

And Niamh calling Away, come away.





The Stolen Child

Where dips the rocky highland

Of Sleuth Wood in the lake,

There lies a leafy island

Where flapping herons wake

The drowsy water-rats;

There we've hid our faery vats,

Full of berries

And of reddest stolen cherries.

Come away, O human child!

To the waters and the wild

With a faery, hand in hand,

For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.



Where the wave of moonlight glosses

The dim grey sands with light,

Far off by furthest Rosses

We foot it all the night,

Weaving olden dances,

Mingling hands and mingling glances

Till the moon has taken flight;

To and fro we leap

And chase the frothy bubbles,

While the world is full of troubles

And is anxious in its sleep.

Come away, O human child!

To the waters and the wild

With a faery, hand in hand,

For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.



Where the wandering water gushes

From the hills above Glen-Car,

In pools among the rushes

That scarce could bathe a star,

We seek for slumbering trout

And whispering in their ears

Give them unquiet dreams;

Leaning softly out

From ferns that drop their tears

Over the young streams.

Come away, O human child!

To the waters and the wild

With a faery, hand in hand,

For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.



Away with us he's going,

The solemn-eyed:

He'll hear no more the lowing

Of the calves on the warm hillside

Or the kettle on the hob

Sing peace into his breast,

Or see the brown mice bob

Round and round the oatmeal-chest.

For he comes, the human child,

To the waters and the wild

With a faery, hand in hand,

From a world more full of weeping than he can understand.

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I think I know.
Apr 11, 2004 7:36AM PDT

I use IE and write in an email. There's a button right up top and I can spell-check. Also, the Source tab at the bottom used to be nice, to see what html was being applied. Anyhow, I was pasting html formatted messages, so I think it may have been my text editor. In future I'll change 'em to Plain Text. And I'll get me a rabbits foot.

What ever it is that disables the Preview button seems to be on my own computer. How do you think it knows when a message is too long? Could it be checking through CNet's cookie? Pretty famdancy if it is. Hack?

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Re:I don't think its your computer Bob.........
Apr 11, 2004 9:22AM PDT

It just happen to me on a short post to Rosalie. (about 4 or 5 lines) The preview button disabled on me. I hit the back arrow up top. It Cleared, then posted OK.?? Its spooky.

George

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Were there any special characters in your post George ? NT
Apr 11, 2004 9:32AM PDT

nt

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Re:Yes, if I remember correctly Steve......
Apr 11, 2004 9:45AM PDT

It had a - and half of a square in it. The rest was grayed out. These were very small. I clicked on the back button up top. The page backed up, then it cleared and everything was OK. Wished it would do it again so I could detail it more.

George

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Re:Re:Yes, if I remember correctly Steve......
Apr 11, 2004 4:08PM PDT

I think I know the character which looks like half a square, and we do indeed use it in html ">" and therefore the software may well have prevented any input. I put quotes around it and the system appeared to ignore it, but would you say that the special character in the quotes was your half a square?

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Re:Re:Re:No Steve, it was....
Apr 12, 2004 2:56AM PDT

similar to this _| inside where "preview" should be. Along with what I thought was a Minus sign - This was in the "preview message" button. I clicked the "back" button up top under file. It backed up a page, then it worked OK. Just a glitch I guess. I think all these slow downs, etc. is a power issue with CNet. Sometimes wonder if its lack of bandwidth. But, don't go by me, I know as much about this stuff as flying a 747

George

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NT - Bob Gr. Please let us know what the problem was! It's good to get info about the different problems that we are experiencing with the "new" software...
Apr 10, 2004 7:40PM PDT

`?

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post separator only NT
Apr 11, 2004 4:11PM PDT

NT

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Same thing has happened to me Bob and
Apr 11, 2004 8:06AM PDT

I think the software has been written to only accept a post of a certain size. I reduced the size of my post - took out what I could - and pressed the button and it was then accepted.
Try and avoid any special characters as well, which I believe can also prevent a preview.
Lee has put restrictions on posting HTML scripts and I think they will stop certain html codes.
So two things to avoid:
Message too large
Special codes
Hope this helps