Forum software issue

[sportsguy]

I've noticed this a number of times. Often enough, that I've tested things to ensure its not my PC causing this.

While writing posts, I notice the cursing and onscreen typing of words slows and lags noticeably behind my keystrokes. So much so that as I write longer posts, I need to wait for the system to catch up to me to check for typos, etc.

Just cost me almost 2,000 words I'd written to review two products. While trying to highlight a work to remove, the system highlighted the word...then I hit delete, only to see the highlighting flash across the ENTIRE post and everything was deleted. I clicked too many times, but that lag lead me to see what I expected - one work highlighted.

Anyway, tonight's massive frustration aside, I've seen this here a number of times.

I do not see it on any other community forum I use.
I do not see a lag in page load speeds, and our tablets and other laptops display all pages on sites quickly, as expected, so its not a bandwidth issue.

In fact, I'm seeing it start to happen again as I type this post - the first portion of it worked just fine, but now the words being shown on the screen are lagging behind my typing (I hunt & peck, so how's this even possible?).

Really just flagging it in case its frustrating others, too.

duane

 

[fredz43]

That slowdown on longer posts has happened to me also and the posts that I was trying to type weren't nearly as long as some of the other very long posts I have read on this forum.

 

[Swagger]

Duane .... not sure what that problem is all about but why don't you consider typing your post in Word and then just copy paste into here? I've done it in the past for road tests and trip reports. It might help.

 

[fredz43]

Duane .... not sure what that problem is all about but why don't you consider typing your post in Word and then just copy paste into here? I've done it in the past for road tests and trip reports. It might help.

That is what I ended up doing after a few experiences with the slowdown while typing a post.

 

[sportsguy]

Duane .... not sure what that problem is all about but why don't you consider typing your post in Word and then just copy paste into here? I've done it in the past for road tests and trip reports. It might help.

While that may be a solution I'll have to employ, I really shouldn't have to. Haven't encountered this issue in other communities, and if I need to take an extra step, I'll likely post such content to my own blog.

Just lessens the value of the community for me as it makes it difficult and frustrating when trying to communicate. Instead of just hitting reply, or "start a new thread", I have to remember to go write it up in Word, then copy and paste, then edit. Granted its a small step, but it takes me away from the community at the very moment I'm trying to be involved in it.

As someone who currently runs an online community, I get the complexity and the need, at times, for work arounds. That said, this is a first for me. In my case, I have the luxury of simply reaching out to people to "fix it" for me if/when I see something amiss, though, which is always a big help and does cast any issue in a different light. I, too, have not encountered this issue in an SMF install to date, but, as they say, Something is rotten in the state of Denmark." It's been ages since my own SM forums were live, so I couldn't even begin to troubleshoot this. IN fact, while others have noted the same behavior, it's tough for me to even ask this be looked into. Frustrating as it is, is it a deal breaker? Unlikely.

I had hoped to get a second wind on my lost post from yesterday, today, but it isn't going to happen. I love to share things in the hopes of helping others (as others have helped me), but we'll see.

Appreciate the responses guys - very nice to see mods and admins willing to discuss things.

duane

 

[Swagger]

Duane ... I've referred your query to our illustrious leader. Hopefully, he'll know what the answer is. I'm afraid I only know how use technology to launch stuff and make things gone bang ... best someone with a bit of tact and finesse have a looksee and fix the broke bits

 

[sportsguy]

Lol...thanks Swag!

This is exactly why I have "people" for this stuff. My usefulness ends pretty quick when the code is opened up.

 

[Venture]

I need a little bit more information to try and diagnose this.

1. What platform are you posting from? PC, Tablet, etc.
2. What browser?

Since typing a post has zero interaction with the forum server, it's not a server issue, it's most likely a browser issue. If you guys can provide me the information above I'll see if I can duplicate the problem.

 

[markjenn]

I've had slow-typing-while-composing problems a few times, but currently they're rare - maybe once every month. I've noted the problem only on this site and this site is the only one I frequent that uses the SMF forum software - most others uses vBulletin.

When this forum was first put up, I can recall this problem hitting hard for perhaps a couple month period. Like the OP, I lost some long posts and resorted to using a word processor too, but the problem hasn't surfaced in a long time. There was a nasty bug in the compose window that made it impossible to see text you were typing in the last line and things would drastically slow down whenever this happened - I think the browser was trying to repaginate and repaint the entire editing area with every keystroke. There was some odd bottom-boundary height-miscalculation thing going on in the browser.

As venture says, typing in a browser window involves client processing, although it is possible that the client is behaving differently, for some reason, while connected to this site.

First thing I'd do is try a different browser. Then start messing around with browser settings, particularly things like spell checking occuring in background. Try resizing the compose window a little to add or take off a line or two and see if this affects it. Try different fonts/sizes. Also, turn off anti-virus to see if this makes any difference.

I'm on a Macbook Air (mid-2010) running latest OSX (10.8.4). Browser is latest Firefox (22.0). When I was having serious issues I was on a PC with XP running either IE or Firefox.

- Mark

 

[fredz43]

I am using IE 10. I haven't typed a long reply in a while, but I believe that the workaround I finally used was when it slowed down to almost a stop, I would copy and cut what I had typed and then replied again and pasted in what I had previously typed and continued typing to finish my message.

Edit: I am using my Compac PC.

 

[sportsguy]

Samsung Laptop (Series 9)
Windows 7
IE10

I see it happen on my tablet as well

Surface Pro
Windows 8
IE10

I'll try swapping to FF tonight - just for this site - and see if it crops up again for me.

Thanks for investigating guys.

duane

 

[coastie]

I drive an Imac and Macbook pro and have not noticed any lag.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Venture]

Samsung Laptop (Series 9)
Windows 7
IE10

I see it happen on my tablet as well

Surface Pro
Windows 8
IE10

I'll try swapping to FF tonight - just for this site - and see if it crops up again for me.

Thanks for investigating guys.

duane

Looks to me like it *might* be IE10 related. I'm not running that yet anywhere at home. I'll see if I can get it and give it a try. I'll also check if other admins are seeing anything similar. Thanks for giving the details, it helps troubleshoot immensely.

 

[fredz43]

Looks to me like it *might* be IE10 related. I'm not running that yet anywhere at home. I'll see if I can get it and give it a try. I'll also check if other admins are seeing anything similar. Thanks for giving the details, it helps troubleshoot immensely.

I am on several forums and only have problems on this one with my IE10.

Thanks.

 

[Venture]

I am on several forums and only have problems on this one with my IE10.

Thanks.

After some research, the best I can tell is it's an IE issue. It's been reported before under IE 8 and 9 on older versions of the software, so it doesn't surprise me IE10 could have issues as well. I'm going to apply the latest patches for the software and see if that sorts it out. I'll try to get to that in the next day or so.

 

[sportsguy]

After some research, the best I can tell is it's an IE issue. It's been reported before under IE 8 and 9 on older versions of the software, so it doesn't surprise me IE10 could have issues as well. I'm going to apply the latest patches for the software and see if that sorts it out. I'll try to get to that in the next day or so.

You get the best service in this forum!

Now, if someone could just fetch me a Scotty on the deck, things would be perfect!

Thanks Venture!

duane

 

[joneil]

When I log on , I'm using my IPhone and tapatalk, I get a message saying the API has expired, please update your version.

 

[Venture]

When I log on , I'm using my IPhone and tapatalk, I get a message saying the API has expired, please update your version.

I just updated it tonight. Let me know if you see issues with the new version. I *think* I installed it correctly. :-\

 

[joneil]

When I use my ( I'll call it ) clear all button ( upper right hand corner. It marks all topics as being read so I don't have to scroll through every topic if I'm not following it.). It generates a system error and insists I notify the system admin.

 

[Venture]

When I use my ( I'll call it ) clear all button ( upper right hand corner. It marks all topics as being read so I don't have to scroll through every topic if I'm not following it.). It generates a system error and insists I notify the system admin.

That's the one! Thanks for reporting. I'll have it fixed shortly.