Posting in the forum isn’t user-friendly

Dear CP Team,
I just spent almost an hour writing a post for the “Using Leftovers/Upcycling” Community Challenge. When I was done, a tiny little slip-up caused the entire post to disappear. (I was typing on my phone, and a “slip of the finger”—i.e., a double-tap—wiped out all my hard work.) I’m totally disappointed, annoyed, and don’t feel like starting all over again.

How about adding a feature to forum posts that lets you save a draft? Or edit it later? Or, before everything gets deleted by a wrong click, a pop-up asking, “Do you really want
to delete this?” I’d find that very helpful, especially when it comes to advertising threads.

Best regards, Karola

 

@Karola,
if you’re typing longer posts, it would be best to do so on a PC or laptop and save them temporarily in a text editor file, not in Word. Word adds formatting that messes up the layout when you paste it in.
Maybe you’d like to try posting it again once you’ve gotten over the disappointment a bit?

@Alexander,
could you comment on the technical feasibility of saving drafts and editing them later?

If it turns out that it’s technically possible to implement a feature for users and providers to edit posts after they’ve been published, then please limit the editing window to one hour so that it’s not possible to insert advertising links later on without anyone noticing—even in places where advertising isn’t allowed. 

 

Dear Josefa, I’ll be happy to take your advice—thank you very much. In some situations, though, for whatever reason, I only have my cell phone available.
Best regards, Karola

Dear Karola,
I also had a hard time with my post. I have a laptop, but no Word. Personally, I would love it if the template had input fields right from the start.
Best regards from Salzburg
Sigrid

Hello everyone,
Mod Edit: Post edited.

I find writing a long text online on a cell phone about as convenient as going for a hike while hopping on one leg. Of course, you can do it, but there are much better ways.

On a PC:
Every—and I mean every—Windows PC that hasn’t been “cleaned up” by a husband, son, nephew, or some other well-meaning person comes with a program called “Notepad” or “Editor.” It’s a very simple text editor without formatting options for fonts or other pointless frills. This makes it perfect for writing longer texts that you can then copy to a forum, a blog, or God knows where. Of course, the program also lets you save or temporarily store sections of text, and you can always revisit and edit what you’ve already saved.

On your phone, if you absolutely have to:
Phones also come with a simple, standard text editor. On mine (Apple), this app is called “Notes” and is located on the first home screen, where you’ll also find SMS, Weather, Clock, Camera, Settings, etc. Android phones are sure to have something similar. So you can easily create your longer text as a “Note,” save it, edit it a few times, and then, once it’s just the way you want it, copy it to the forum, your blog, or anywhere else.
If you don’t know how to copy and paste on your phone, please check the help section for your specific operating system. Once you’ve learned how, you’ll save a lot of time and frustration and won’t have to deal with annoying online glitches.

Thank you so much, kruemel-monster, for the tip about the notes feature on phones—I hadn’t thought of that yet. I’ll try that next time.

...and my post wasn’t endlessly long; it’s just that when I want to write a “proper” post, I can’t do it in just a few minutes.
(I’m not at all concerned about the missed chance to win, in case that’s how it came across. I’m concerned about the wasted time and effort.)

Dear Sigrid, I saw the template as a guide and a memory aid, not as a requirement.

Best regards, Karola

I only use my phone and tablet for CP.
At least the photos are right there on the device. 

@Alexander:
Thanks for the update.

@Sigrid:
Why don’t you just try using the “save as draft” feature in the editor or a similar simple text editor instead of Word? With a little patience, you’ll surely figure it out. 

Thanks, Alexander, for the quick response. I know it’s not easy for you guys. Everyone has requests...

I was able to vent my frustration here, so thanks for that, too.

Best regards, Karola 

Thanks for the tips. I just have an old PC, and I didn’t know about the editor. So now I’ve learned something new.
 

@Grasi,
It’ll all work out.