Why can't I erase unwanted replies before posting? 8 December 2022 at 12:26PM in Site feedback 9 replies 277 views

Manxman_in_exile

Am I doing something wrong?

It used to annoy me that if I'd started a reply in a thread, that if I moved away (eg to a different page) before posting the reply, then what I'd already drafted was completely lost and I had to start all over again.  That didn't happen with other websites like CAG and Legal Beagles.  Those websites told you that you already had drafted a reply and asked you if you wanted to restore that text or discard it.

I've noticed now that on MSE anything you've typed in the reply box is retained if you move away to another page, but if you come back and want to try to delete it, it keeps coming back!  It's really annoying and it creates an unnecessary danger of posting a reply you've already decided you don't want to post.

Am I trying to delete the unwanted text wrongly?  How should it be done?

molerat

Go to the top of the forum and there is a my drafts box. Or the bottom on a mobile device as I have just found . Seems to be in all boards mode only

MSE_James

This is the direct link to the drafts page where you can delete any unwanted replies:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/drafts 

elsien

Thank you. I have been finding this incredibly annoying as well.

diystarter7

molerat said:

Go to the top of the forum and there is a my drafts box. Or the bottom on a mobile device as I have just found . Seems to be in all boards mode only

Coincidentally, I only noted that a few days ago. Thanks

Manxman_in_exile

molerat said:

Go to the top of the forum and there is a my drafts box. Or the bottom on a mobile device as I have just found . Seems to be in all boards mode only

Sorry, but when you say "top of the forum" what do you mean?  I'm using a laptop and I can't see a drafts box.

Oh - hold on.  I think the draft box only appears if you actually have a draft...

MSE_James said:

This is the direct link to the drafts page where you can delete any unwanted replies:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/drafts 

So is it a new "feature" that you have to go to the drafts page to delete replies you want to discard?  It didn't happen before a couple of weeks ago.  All you needed to do previously was to delete any unwanted text in the reply box.  It didn't remember stuff for you that you'd deleted or navigated away from.  (Actually, the forum remembering a draft if you navigate away from it is quite a good idea, but only if the forum makes it obvious how to delete it if you really don't want it!)

elsien said:

Thank you. I have been finding this incredibly annoying as well.

Totally infuriating!

Manxman_in_exile

molerat said:

Go to the top of the forum and there is a my drafts box. Or the bottom on a mobile device as I have just found . Seems to be in all boards mode only

I don't think it has to be only "View all boards" mode.  I think if you have any current drafts it appears in the top left under My Favourites, All Boards and Latest Posts regardless of what view you are in.  If you have no current drafts it doesn't appear.

Very annoying that new features seem to get introduced apparently without proper explanation or road-testing...

Boat_to_Bolivia

I find it irksome too, especially when I accidently click in the post I've quoted, then cannot click out of it to type a reply!

I then have to delete the lot, click on latest posts to refresh the page, where it now shows the Draft.... click on that, delete the draft, then go back to the original thread and try again!!

Very laborious! 

Or is it just me? Am I doing something wrong?

Manxman_in_exile

Boat_to_Bolivia said:

I find it irksome too, especially when I accidently click in the post I've quoted, then cannot click out of it to type a reply!

Yes.  That is VERY annoying.

Manxman_in_exile

So has this saving a draft of a reply (which was quite useful once you learned about it) now disappeared?