I hate, Hate, HATE IT when...

#1 A quick fix: Buy a "post it" pad... write on it "while posting, don't click "Mark all as read or check the box" then stick the note to your monitor.

Then each time you post on the forum you will see the note, and not lose your post!

#2 Chris,

Warning. Probably not the answer you want but...

I feel your pain as I've done the same thing. I do agree with the thrust of Joseph's post though. Usually when this happens to me, it is because I've done something else in the middle of my posting, such as: clicked a link to check a thread, resized the window, or otherwise left the context of the editor.

Part of the problem was the browser I was using at the time (IE). I have experienced this problem with other forums and forum-like data entry devices, always while using IE.

I fixed this problem by getting the latest version of the browser I prefer to use (Opera). I currently use Opera 8 for most of my browsing (and Avant for sites that require IE) and have found I can even leave the window by clicking into a link and still come back. Generally speaking I don't do that, except by accident.

I suggest you:

- Not use IE
- update your browser to latest version,
- never open new windows in the same window while editting a post (always open in new), and
- for really long posts, edit in a notepad or similar app. I do this because like you I hate to re-type a post and I'm just damned paranoid.

Note: I really do understand your pain. In my day-job I have to use interfaces like this often and the design of those interfaces is pretty poor. At work I always use a notepad first.

One more thing. Be careful about tab and escape too. I've had troubles w/ ESC clearing these kinds of windows and tabbing and accidentally typing after that can get you fowarded to another link or whatever your focus lands on.

When in doubt, use a notepad. I really don't think these interfaces can every be made perfect.

Good luck!

Hall Of Worlds - For Gamers EdM|EGTGE

#3 Thanks for the tips, guys!

Yes it's indeed a major pain and usually I do tend to draft in notepad first, but sometimes you just get that urge to post something while it's still fresh in your mind. For me, when it comes to getting it down before it's lost, I usually don't have the memory or the patience to get it down as concise as it was originally. Then again, when checkmarking a box, you usually don't expect the page to refresh just to mark it, and that's what gets me. It makes you want to just rip handfulls of hair from your scalp...but oh well, maybe I can get it even better than the original so there's something positive to look at! :)

*Personal note to self - Draft in notepad first!*

@Edward - A major thank you for the great work on EGTGE, it's saving the day for me in so many ways!

- Ronixus

#4 I think the problem is that the Notify me is pretty deceiving that it looks simular to a checkbox which it is not. It's just an image link. So people are trying to check it before posting thinking that's when it'll take effect, when they hit submit. My suggestion is to change the image link to a real checkbox and put a submit "Change" button next to it. That way it isn't that confusing (that's how slashdot does it).

#5 I'm not an HTML guru,
but why not just include it in the submit ?

#6 I've lost some postings that way too. Usually what I do is a quick CTRL-A, CTRL-C to put the contents of the textarea in memory. Then if I lose it I just have to paste it back in. A Firefox plugin that does this automatically would be nice!