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Feature request: Preview before post is really committed

 
Java Cowboy
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Many web forums allow you to preview a post you typed before you submit it. JavaRanch doesn't have this feature - as soon as you click the submit button, the topic or response is posted.

I frequently have to edit my post or response immediately after posting it, because I notice a spelling error or I want to change or add something.

It would be nice if JavaRanch had a preview option before really committing a post.
 
lowercase baba
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it's been suggested before... I believe the general consensus was that since you can go back and edit your post, it's not really a big deal.

I personally don't frequent a lot of other forums. the other main one that i do does NOT allow you to edit. a preview function there makes sense.

But what is the real significant difference between

1) clicking "post", reviewing, clicking "edit", editing, and clicking "post"

and

2) clicking "preview", reviewing, editing, clicking post?

I see once extra click. And even that depends on exactly how it's implemented. Plus, if you enter your post correctly the first time, adding in the reveiw step would add clicks.

I just don't see what we'd gain by implementing it.
 
Jesper de Jong
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You always get "[Edited by ...]" attached to your post after you edit it. Some other forum software (for example phpbb which is used on a lot of websites) only attaches this if your post has been viewed by other users before you've edited it - so that if you quickly edit it right after posting (for example to correct a spelling error) before anyone has read it, you don't get this "[Edited by ...]" message appended immediately.

What about that?

The preview option could also be an optional feature, which a user could by default switch on or off in his/her profile. Just like the "Show Signature" and "Disable Smilies" checkboxes we could have a "Preview before posting" checkbox at the bottom of the page, which would by default be on or off, depending on what the user sets in his/her profile.

That way it doesn't cost any extra mouse clicks or steps to post a message if you don't want preview.
[ February 16, 2007: Message edited by: Jesper Young ]
 
fred rosenberger
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I still don't see the benefit here (and I am speaking for me, not for the whole Ranch).

Why do you care if there is an "Message edited by: Jesper Young" on your message. You DID edit it, right? It's not like the forum software is lying.

There are several ways to prevent speling errorrs before you post your thread - Firefix has a built in spell-check. You can write your post in a word processor, use it's spell check, then paste it into the Ranch.

It just seems to me that it would be a lot of work to implement this for not much gain (frankly, I don't see ANY benefit to this, but again, that's just my opinion).
 
Wanderer
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[der Rosenberger]: There are several ways to prevent speling errorrs before you post your thread - Firefix has a built in spell-check. You can write your post in a word processor, use it's spell check, then paste it into the Ranch.



Grate stuff there, Phred.

As for Jesper's point - I can see where a preview or silent-edit-if-no-one's-seen-it-yet may be kind of nice. Sorta. But it really doesn't seem too important to me. On the list of potential improvements to the forum, this one really doesn't seem to rate very high. We've got other things in the works (one major one very soon) and I just can't see much reason to care about this particular feature.
 
fred rosenberger
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Sadly, not ALL of those errors were intentional.
 
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