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Alert

Submission form visual text editor no longer the default

Feb 21, 2012 2:34AM PST

Hey everyone,

I wanted to give you all a heads up to let you know that we have turn off the visual text editor (WYSIWYG text editor) by default in the forums' submission forms .

We have just seen too many mangled/malformed posts with the use of the visual editor--especially when our members copy and paste their text into the form from a different source.

If you'd still like to use the visual text editor, no worries, it is still available. Just simply toggle to it by clicking on the magnifying glass icon and you'll be presented with the visual text editor tools.

I'm hoping with this change, we will see less of the malformed posts.

Thanks everyone!
-Lee
CNET Community

Discussion is locked

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The magnifying glass icon was not intuitve.
Feb 21, 2012 2:47AM PST

I wonder if RTM (Rich Text Mode) would be simpler. That is, simple ascii in the icon. Of the nice icons, this one was the most misunderstood one.
Bob

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Agreed on that, but one thing though...
Feb 21, 2012 5:19AM PST

we added the "alt" tag to the icon, so if you hover over it now, it reads "Turn visual editor ON" vice versa.

It's difficult to find a universal icon to represent this, but I agree it's not an intuitive icon as it is now, we'll find something. I hope that the explainer text will help.

Thanks for the feedback, Bob.

-Lee

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How about..
Feb 22, 2012 3:44AM PST

Since that turns off the formatting bar, how about the Alt saying, "Turn on formatting bar"?

Just thinking out loud that it might be more intuitive than 'visual editor'.

Still, I love it now that it is turned off by default, and I also note the new font in this 'off' mode. Much better.

That said, Happy another 'how about'. How about swapping the font sizes in the two modes. In the off mode the font size is slightly smaller than in the on mode. If it was the other way around, people might prefer not to use the visual editor unless they had a real need.

Mark

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(NT) I'll second the font size swap.
Feb 26, 2012 6:08AM PST
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I'll request the two suggestions
Feb 27, 2012 4:31AM PST

-- Make font size larger like with the visual editor on.
-- Change out confusing icon to be text --let me see how difficult that would be.

Thanks for the feedback!
-Lee

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What do you guys think of this?
Feb 29, 2012 9:14AM PST

Instead of having the button, having text as such?
http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/forums/mockups/visualeditor.jpg

Also do you think it should read "Visual editor" or "Text editor"?

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks!
-Lee

Note: This post was edited by its original author add additional question on 02/29/2012 at 5:21 PM PT

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Good enough for me.
Feb 29, 2012 9:21AM PST

I can't write why I think Rich versus Visual is better but this is 100% better than before.

Thanks!

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(NT) Much better than a magnifying glass.
Mar 1, 2012 2:49AM PST
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(NT) Yep - I prefer that as well.
Mar 1, 2012 7:13AM PST
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(NT) Add my vote to replace the icon. Big improvement.
Mar 1, 2012 8:23AM PST
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Me too.
Mar 2, 2012 4:55AM PST

Much clearer,

Mark

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Thanks for the feedback...
Mar 2, 2012 7:13AM PST

We'll do our best to get this out next week, along with the request to get the fonts to be the same size and type in the post submission forms.

Thanks again!

Cheers!
-Lee

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Note to myself
Mar 2, 2012 9:11PM PST

to ask if the "new post" typing box can ever be enlarged.

But I won't ask yet as I don't want to pile on any further requests, Devil

Mark

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Note to MYself..
Mar 4, 2012 8:17AM PST

to ask if the "new post" submission box can ever be enlarged.

But I won't ask yet as I don't want to pile on any further requests, Devil Devil

Mark Carol

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Note to self, file this request as I agree!
Mar 6, 2012 3:46AM PST
Happy
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Note to Mark and Carol
Mar 8, 2012 2:11AM PST

Do a browser shift + refresh.

Go to the Test forum, and click on the "Create a new Discussion button"...

Notice anything different? Grin

Cheers!
-Lee

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Brill Lee.
Mar 9, 2012 2:51AM PST

But, er...

I did the Shift+Refresh in the browser and the forum display did refresh, but then when I created a new Test forum discussion I see this;
http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/6883/testnew.jpg

Is that the new size? Call me greedy but I was hoping for a submission area almost the size of a submitted post area. Happy

Mark

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That's the new size...
Mar 9, 2012 5:23AM PST

It's about an inch and half wider and now the subject line can be typed out in full without hiding any of it.

It was a notable difference to me. Are you getting greedy on me Mark? Wink

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In that case
Mar 9, 2012 7:22PM PST

that's good Lee, and I promise not to be so greedy in the future. Happy

Mark

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Yay and Thank You.
Mar 9, 2012 5:41AM PST

Having said that, I'm going to be the one to call Mark greedy. Give him an inch and he wants a foot.

I only have one thing add.......

We tend to think alike. His hopes run along the same lines as my hopes.

How greedy of Mark to ask for... MORE MORE MORE! Devil

Maybe because he's such a hard worker and gives so much of himself to the community, you might consider asking the engineers to accommodate his needs and wants? Just sayin' Happy

Anon~

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Just a note.
Mar 9, 2012 7:23PM PST

That is not Anon, it's Carol~ Devil

Mark

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Just an added note ..
Mar 11, 2012 1:22AM PST

Just an added note .. FW--IW:

Thanks! Sad

Anon~ Null~

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Fonts are the same size now!
Mar 6, 2012 3:44AM PST

This went out yesterday, I hope you would've notice. If not, here it is!

-Lee

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This is live!
Mar 6, 2012 3:43AM PST

Thanks for all your feedback. This is now live on Submission forms.

If you don't see it, do a browser shift + refresh.

Thanks again!
-Lee