Refresh of page wipes out your typing when replying

[#1]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I haven't had my text wiped out as described by @HPsauce 

but I'm frequently seeing a different issue (that 'feels' related) when starting to type a reply -

It is definitely related - it is a browser generated trap: if a form has received data and there is an attempt to navigate away from the page without sending it, the interlock will engage.

This does not happen in all browsers on all occasions, leading to the experience reported by @HPsauce .

[#2]

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@Anonymous wrote:

@Mav  - it's funny you mention that, because I'd noticed a little while back that in my profile area, there is a "Drafts" area, where I used to be able to continue editing a post reply that had been interrupted, but now all I can do with those 'Drafts' is <Discard> them -

Not sure that this is entirely correct.

It is not obvious that the post title is an active link: I have three drafts ... on clicking the titles

1. 12-01-2024 - I am advised "Sorry, you've run out of time to edit this message"
2. 27-09-2023 - I am advised "This topic has not been posted in for at least 120 days. Unless you're sure you want to reply, please consider starting a new topic"
3. 06-06-2023 - I am advised "Sorry, you are not allowed to post in an area marked read-only. Click the Back button on your browser."

The first confuses me, there should be no time lock on a draft.

The second seems reasonable.

The third perplexed me ... then I recalled that there is an auto lock on reading a very old topic (older than 6 months IIRC).  Doing a point inspection on some boards, I see that everything prior to the 22nd Aug 2023 is locked, which somewhat confirms my recollection.  The fact that EVERYTHING appears to be locked suggests that the consequence of search bot activity.

[#3]

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@Mav wrote:

My memory may be playing tricks on me but didn't there used to be a button to get what was saved in a buffer after the page was refreshed?

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There needs to be the save into the buffer action for this to be useful (if such exists).

The page with the started reply seems to reload totally unbidden.  I would suspect a page load issue causes the page rendering to crash.  I see that all too often using my old iPad ... numerous modern sites carry so much bloatware which enhances (!?) the opportunities for something to go wrong.

My guess would be that there is still hidden crud loading AFTER the page delivers focus to the user ... who then starts bashing away at the keyboard.  I have nearly completed the first line of a post, only to have the page auto reload.  If this is indeed a page load crash, then there will have been no time to save anything to any buffer, either within the web application or the browser's auto complete technology.

[#4]

@Townman 

A little further investigation reveals that I am not going round the bend after all😎

Below are two screen shots. The first is after typing into the text box but doing nothing for 5 minutes then refreshing the page.

The second is after clicking 'Load'.

[#5]

@Mav 

Indeed ... though that needed the page to stay there (without reloading) to do the (web application) background upload.  I suspect that gives rise to the DRAFTS history also mentioned here.

[#6]

@Townman 

Strangely when I did the above test it never appeared in my Drafts list.

I tested with this post and it did. Strange.

[#7]

After posting the above reply the draft disappeared.

[#8]

Possibly totally unrelated.

But about that time ago the default settings of cookies was such that anything other than essential was opted out when clicking on 'manage cookies'. Now cookies are opted in for everything on that click-through. You have to manually opt out.

[#9]

Another feature sent to the bit bucket.