Authentication destroys my post here

[EngrStudent]

This is the second time I have done something like spend my lunch-hour working on a very nice post, then I hit "post" but get this:

When I try to recover my work - it is gone.  It is long gone.  No volume of "back" or "open in new tab" makes it come back.

I can't tell you how frustrating that is.

[Bob_Schor]

Hmm.  I've started a post, took a "time-out" to eat lunch or dinner, and when I came back, found the same Authentication issue.  So I went out, went back in, hit "Reply" (as I had done before), and was greeted with the message "You have saved content", which largely gets back everything I'd typed prior to walking away.  Did you try that?

Bob Schor

[EngrStudent]

Bob,

I have tried:

• clicking the link to "return to original page" <-- fails
• clicking the link to "return to original page" in new tab <-- fails
• clicking the "back button" <-- fails
• open a new tab to forums, making sure I am logged in, then trying the above <-- fails, fails, fails
• posting here <-- got your reply, and you have something that works

As I understand it what you did when you got the error was close the windows and restart. If I have to totally reconnect then something is saved?  Is that right?

If I am going to test/verify this then I will have to find a way to reliably induce the authentication issue.  It would be nice to not have to work hard for an hour to do that.

[Kristi_Martinez]

Hi EngrStudent,

Thank you for reporting this issue. We'll investigate this further and report back when we have more information.

Best Regards,

Kristi Martinez

NI Community Support

[Bob_Schor]

I'm going to do a test of at least part of what I said.  Here I am, replying to your Post.  In a sentece or two, I'm going to reboot my PC ("Authentication") without sending/saving and see if I get things back.  I'll document the results.

Incidentally, a blue box between the Subject Line and the Body, as I'm typing this, says "Autosaved at 09:09 AM" (it previously said 09:08 AM).  I'm going to wait until it says 09:10, maybe another 30 seconds, then try my Reboot ...

New text after Load from here ...

Well, I ran into a student that wanted to ask me about Mathematics and LabVIEW, so was gone an hour (while my machine rebooted).  When I navigated to this post and hit "Reply", I got the following window:

I chose "Load", and all of my previous work (which I had not yet posted), up to the Bold Red line, was stuff I wrote an hour ago, did not post, but "lost" (because I deliberately rebooted my PC).  An hour later, I log on, go to this post, hit Reply, choose Load, and all of the text I'd written earlier (above the Bold Red) came back.

So the "fix" might already be built into the system.  Just return to where you were, "Reply" again, and see if you are given the ability to Load your autosaved stuff.

Bob Schor

[EngrStudent]

Bob,

I have run into it, not as a reply to a different post, but in context of making the original first post.  There is no "reply" option for me there.  As far as I know, I can't reply to my own post before I have posted it.

Perhaps I should make a dummy first post, then edit it repeatedly?  I'm not sure if it gets locked out after the first post is made. <check>  I just checked and I can edit replies for a little while, but there is no option to edit the first post at least after some amount of time has passed.

[Bob_Schor]

Fair enough!  I hadn't thought about being "kicked out" while composing a Post.  I regret to say that this has happened to me a few times, but lately I seem to be "Replying" more than "Posting" ...

Bob Schor

[altenbach]

Just as another angle, are you using any kind of privacy or ad-blocking software?

[EngrStudent]

@Altenbach - nope.  Not any.  I'm inside the company firewall right now, but this happens even when I work from home on my laptop.  I really think it is about timeout on some credential, coupled to a paradigm that doesn't expect me to want my stuff back.

This has only happened in the last two weeks, but its the only times I have wanted to post a long, well thought out question, and it took a while to get the content into the interface.  Most of the time I send very quick stuff.

[Kristi_Martinez]

Hi EngrStudent,

I have an update for you. I was able to reproduce the error however my information was saved like Bob has mentioned in his post. 3 things to keep in mind when posting:

1.  Inactivity timeout -Timeout happen 180 minutes of inactivity.
2. Editing post -You have a 30-minute window to edit a post after you post it.
3. Auto-saves -Posts are auto-saved in 30-second intervals.

As long as you are logged-in and reply to post again your draft should be auto-saved.

Best Regards,

Kristi Martinez

NI Community Support