The dog ate my homework! [Logged out when writing post]

[retireIn2020]

Anybody write up a long post on bogleheads, hit post only to find out you were logged out during the time you were writing it?

Then follow the login and your post is gone, or go back to find out everything you typed is gone forever?

No offence but somebody needs to learn some PHP and JavaScript!

[typical.investor]

Anybody write up a long post on bogleheads, hit post only to find out you were logged out during the time you were writing it?

Then follow the login and still gone forever, or go back to find out everything you typed is gone forever?

No offence but somebody needs to learn some PHP and JavaScript!

Hmnn ... I log in and then go back maybe twice and there it is. Anyway, whatever I do nothing is lost and it's not a problem (Safari, MacOS).

I don't know ... try feeding your dog a little more perhaps.

[retireIn2020]

Anybody write up a long post on bogleheads, hit post only to find out you were logged out during the time you were writing it?

Then follow the login and still gone forever, or go back to find out everything you typed is gone forever?

No offence but somebody needs to learn some PHP and JavaScript!

Hmnn ... I log in and then go back maybe twice and there it is. Anyway, whatever I do nothing is lost and it's not a problem (Safari, MacOS).

I don't know ... try feeding your dog a little more perhaps.

Ah, typical response from a novice IT support person Blame the user!

[typical.investor]

Anybody write up a long post on bogleheads, hit post only to find out you were logged out during the time you were writing it?

Then follow the login and still gone forever, or go back to find out everything you typed is gone forever?

No offence but somebody needs to learn some PHP and JavaScript!

Hmnn ... I log in and then go back maybe twice and there it is. Anyway, whatever I do nothing is lost and it's not a problem (Safari, MacOS).

I don't know ... try feeding your dog a little more perhaps.

Ah, typical response from a novice IT support person Blame the user!

I suppose a little more skill and I could turn the bug into a feature.

Remember me never works … I suppose if that got fixed …

Honestly it was meant to be a helpful prod to try fiddling with it a bit and see if that solves it.

[retireIn2020]

Anybody write up a long post on bogleheads, hit post only to find out you were logged out during the time you were writing it?

Then follow the login and still gone forever, or go back to find out everything you typed is gone forever?

No offence but somebody needs to learn some PHP and JavaScript!

Hmnn ... I log in and then go back maybe twice and there it is. Anyway, whatever I do nothing is lost and it's not a problem (Safari, MacOS).

I don't know ... try feeding your dog a little more perhaps.

Ah, typical response from a novice IT support person Blame the user!

I suppose a little more skill and I could turn the bug into a feature.

Remember me never works … I suppose if that got fixed …

Honestly it was meant to be a helpful prod to try fiddling with it a bit and see if that solves it.

Understood, I typically use MS Edge, I do have Chrome and Firefox, I'll test them and see.

[8301]

If you cannot recollect your thought, it is probably not worth keeping.

[retireIn2020]

If you cannot recollect your thought, it is probably not worth keeping.

Now that thought will get it fixed for sure. Nice input!

[coachd50]

I have noticed that on my mobile device, I often find myself not logged in when I believe I should be.

[jebmke]

Notepad. But I do try to keep posts as brief as possible. People don’t read long, un-structured text as much.

[Cheez-It Guy]

TL;DR

[OpenMinded1]

It is annoying, and I sometimes forget to do the following. Copy before hitting submit, both here and on other sites. Compose someplace else like in a word processing program, and then copy and paste on sites that auto log out after very little time.

[JoMoney]

Never found that I was unexpectedly logged out. I will usually select all and copy the contents of what I typed to clipboard ( [Cntrl]+A , [Cntrl]+C ) several times while typing a lengthy note, so not particularly worried about losing what I typed. In most cases hitting the "back" button on my browser will return me to the text-entry with all my text still there even if the initial submit failed for some reason.
What I have ran into, is writing a reply to something, and before I get it submitted the thread has been locked or disappeared into the hidden forum I can't post to

[LadyGeek]

If you're getting logged out when you post, it's the software.

Always check the "Remember me" box at the login prompt.

Why? That's what the software does. You get logged out when you try to post. (Don't blame me, I didn't write the software.)

[rocket354]

For any post longer than about a sentence I always use 'ctrl-c' to make a copy of it before I click submit.

[homebuyer6426]

I always Ctrl-A Ctrl-C before posting anything long-winded online.

[jebmke]

I always Ctrl-A Ctrl-C before posting anything long-winded online.

and Ctrl-X in many cases.

[arcticpineapplecorp.]

Firefox now has a tab to the far left that allows you to see previously closed pages. This helps in situations like these and others.

[ekid]

I know what ctrl-C is but not A or X.

?

[jebmke]

I know what ctrl-C is but not A or X.

?

Ctrl X is good for deleting text. keeps posts concise.

[nisiprius]

In addition to other techniques, forum software has the ability to save drafts. It's pretty easy to use and it works pretty well.



When you return to the thread and post a new reply, you will then see a fourth option, "load draft."

[LadyGeek]

I've never had much luck with saving drafts. They seem to act differently than what I expect, so I just use a text editor.

[canadianbacon]

I always Ctrl-A Ctrl-C before posting anything long-winded online.

Yup, can’t believe any message board veteran *doesn’t* do this.

[Miriam2]

Anybody write up a long post on bogleheads, hit post only to find out you were logged out during the time you were writing it?

Then follow the login and your post is gone, or go back to find out everything you typed is gone forever?

No offence but somebody needs to learn some PHP and JavaScript!

In addition to other techniques, forum software has the ability to save drafts. It's pretty easy to use and it works pretty well.



When you return to the thread and post a new reply, you will then see a fourth option, "load draft."

This ^^^ from nisiprius is what I use to avoid losing posts that I'm writing.

The forum logs you out after a period of time, but you may not notice it. To avoid this when you're composing a post, click the lower "Preview" button every few minutes or so to preview what you're writing. I've never had problems with forum log-outs when composing posts if I click the "Preview" regularly, meaning about every few or five minutes.

Also, click the "Save Draft" button to save important posts that you really don't want to lose while writing. Then go into your User Control Panel, Manage Drafts, bring up that draft, then continue working on it. What's good about this is that your previous draft is still saved in the Manage Drafts file, so if you accidentally delete what you're working on, the earlier version will still be in your drafts file.

[brian91480]

I share back and forth messages with a few folks on the forum. You have to be logged in to view private messages in your inbox.

On a few horrible occasions... I have sent lengthy replies to private notes... only to hit SUBMIT.... and then get a screen that says I'm logged out!

You cannot retrieve what you had just written by logging back in... or by hitting the "back" button. It's gone forever. It's demoralizing if you lose a lengthy reply that took a while for you to put together.

So as others have already stated...

1. Yes there's a real problem on this site

2. Make sure to copy all text before hitting the send / submit button!

--- Brian

[Kendall]

I had the same problem for a while, finding myself inadvertently logged out every time I hit submit. It happened when using a newish ipad, and trying different browsers made no difference. Since switching to an old PC, the problem has completely gone away.

Consider whether wifi signal strength or intermittent connection is part of the problem. That was the advice I got. Try a wired connection to the router and see if the software allows you to submit and stay logged in. My own solution was just to switch devices.

Good luck!

[jebmke]

Or draft the post in Notes and paste it into the forum text box. Works like a charm on an iPad….even with a wonky Wi-Fi connection.

[Target2019]

Power users have text editors on desktop (not much use on mobile). Pint it in your start menu or wherever.

Post a reply > Ctrl A > Ctrl C > Paste to text editor, wordsmith your finest reply. Repeat process in reverse and Submit.

Of course you can save offline, and I've found that to be helpful. You can edit out irrelevant re-quotes and so on. Maybe read your reply before replying? Lol, that's tongue-in-cheek.

[MaineRunner2001]

I know what ctrl-C is but not A or X.

?

And Control-A will select all text

[typical.investor]

I had the same problem for a while, finding myself inadvertently logged out every time I hit submit. It happened when using a newish ipad, and trying different browsers made no difference. Since switching to an old PC, the problem has completely gone away.

Consider whether wifi signal strength or intermittent connection is part of the problem. That was the advice I got. Try a wired connection to the router and see if the software allows you to submit and stay logged in. My own solution was just to switch devices.

Good luck!

Have you tried logging in at the prompt, and then navigating backwards a few times (past the losing prompt that will come up again)? I can always recover mine.

I wouldn't want to be stuck on an old PC.

[Kendall]

Have you tried logging in at the prompt, and then navigating backwards a few times (past the losing prompt that will come up again)? I can always recover mine.

I wouldn't want to be stuck on an old PC.

Thank you - it's important to remember that one can almost always retrieve prior content by using the backwards arrow on the browser tab. In my case, the ipad sometimes allowed me to get back to my draft post, but continued to jam and log out every time I tried to resubmit. Sometimes it would stay frozen at the log in page, and neither go back to my draft post nor allow me to log back in (simply refreshing with a blank log in page).

The other IT standby recommendation of turning a device off and on again did occasionally allow me to submit one post before reverting to back to an endless loop of blank log in pages.

I let someone else borrow my USB-C to LAN adapter, and haven't yet checked to see if connecting that way solves the problem. I'll see if I can test it this weekend and report back.

[typical.investor]

Have you tried logging in at the prompt, and then navigating backwards a few times (past the losing prompt that will come up again)? I can always recover mine.

I wouldn't want to be stuck on an old PC.

Thank you - it's important to remember that one can almost always retrieve prior content by using the backwards arrow on the browser tab. In my case, the ipad sometimes allowed me to get back to my draft post, but continued to jam and log out every time I tried to resubmit. Sometimes it would stay frozen at the log in page, and neither go back to my draft post nor allow me to log back in (simply refreshing with a blank log in page).

The other IT standby recommendation of turning a device off and on again did occasionally allow me to submit one post before reverting to back to an endless loop of blank log in pages.

I let someone else borrow my USB-C to LAN adapter, and haven't yet checked to see if connecting that way solves the problem. I'll see if I can test it this weekend and report back.

OK, it just happened.

My solution is login, page back twice, Submit twice.

On the first submit, I get an "invalid format error" and just submit again and it works. That's why I submit it twice.

Anyway, I wonder how the dog is doing….

[LadyGeek]

Hitting your browser's back button when using https:// causes a security check. Something changed with the https:// authentication and it doesn't like that. So, you are asked to do this again.

[Kendall]

I connected my ipad with an ethernet cable the other day to see if it helped me stay logged in. While I didn't try submitting a post, there were a few weird glitches as I moved around the forum ("You are not authorized...").

In any case, tethering my ipad with ethernet was awkward enough that for now I'll stick to my wifi PC when on the forum. Zero issues so far on the PC.

[nedsaid]

Anybody write up a long post on bogleheads, hit post only to find out you were logged out during the time you were writing it?

Then follow the login and your post is gone, or go back to find out everything you typed is gone forever?

No offence but somebody needs to learn some PHP and JavaScript!

I have had this happen several times. What I have learned to do is to copy and save my post in Word when composing a lengthy post. I also will use the Save draft button if I know it will take a long time to draft my post. It is annoying and I have been almost in tears when this has happened.

You can also open another browser session of Bogleheads to make sure you are still logged it. It is annoying and I have said a few naughty words.

[Kevin M]

I have lost replies in progress for other reasons. My standard process is to ctrl-A, ctrl-C the reply before previewing, then ctrl-A ctrl-V into notepad, then ctrl-S to save it (I always use file bogleheads.txt). I continue to edit the reply in the reply editor, so I can use features like quote, insert link, insert image, etc.

If I fat-finger something and lose what I'm writing in the reply, I just ctrl-A, ctrl-C in notepad, then ctrl-V back into the reply and continue.

The only times I lose things is when I forget to do this.

I have used save draft several times for long posts, and it has worked fine for me. You just have to click the correct link to get back to editing the reply.

Kevin

[heartwood]

[Thread merged into here --admin LadyGeek]

For the last several days or so I'm forced to logon to the forum if I leave my chromebook long enough for it to enter sleep.

I do not logout myself. When I return to the already open BH tab, I can see the posts, but I find I am logged out and must logon. Otherwise any threads I click on start at page 1. Similarly if I click on View My Posts, I must logon again to see them,

No similar problem at other sites I visit. All other tabs (except financial sites like Van or Fidelity) remain logged on.

Any suggestion for a fix?

[student]

Did you check the remember me box? viewtopic.php?t=396481

[vfinx]

I also have this happen frequently, and just assumed it was intentional. I do hit the remember-me box, but still get logged out every couple days or so.

[heartwood]

Did you check the remember me box? viewtopic.php?t=396481

DOH!

It was empty, I checked it, I hope that's it. Will report back.

Thanks

[LadyGeek]

I merged heartwood's thread into the ongoing discussion.

As long as the Chromebook saves everything (what laptop's do when they go to sleep), you should remain logged in.

If you don't check the "Remember me" box when you first login, you will get logged out when you try to post.

To fix this - Log out, then login with the "Remember me" box checked.