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Webmaster,
When I log in and create a private message and press the control to send it, a screen comes up telling me I am not logged in. If I use that screen to log in, I cannot return to the message I composed. The "back" button takes me off on a frolic of its own, and the message I composed is lost.
This is the second time I am composing this message. The first version was more detailed, but it's lost.
This is a serious problem with the site and deserves your attention.
Top-Rock
I might need more info to find out what's wrong. On the PM composing page, did you see your username listed in the "Logged in user" field? Another thing, you may want to avoid using AOL browser because it's reported that the browser has problem with cookies and sessions.
I always check to determine that I am "logged in". That does not prevent the message from being lost. The "you are not logged in" screen appears anyway.
Top-Rock
may depend on the time expended composing them. A long, carefully written message which took time to compose is more likely to be lost, adding to the problem. I'm keeping these posts short so they won't be lost.
Top-Rock
Isn't it just a session time-out issue? Maybe Jinn can extend it. The same thing can happen with reviews. Time flies when you are putting together a carefully worded review or message.
Learning from bitter experience, I copy my message to the clipboard (i.e. Ctrl-A, Ctrl-C) before posting just in case I get timed out and have to repost.
I don't think it's a session cookie problem. The session is always active as long as you keep the browser open. I will look into the code and see what was wrong.
First, the session timeout is in effect only when you choose NO for "Automatically login when you return to the site?" when you edit your options. If you choose yes, you shouldn't be logged out after some minutes of inactive.
If you choose No:
The session timeout was set to 15 minutes. That is, if you write your post / message for 16 minutes or longer, you are logged out.
Now I set the session timeout to 30 minutes. So you have 30 minutes to compose IF you choose no for this option.
To those of you who want to know details about the cookies:
If you choose Yes for the above option:
a cookie is sent to you and saved on your computer. Whenever you come back to this forum, the cookie tells the forum that you are a valid user and you are auto-login.
If you compose a post for 31 minutes or longer, the cookie on your computer will tell the forum you are still logged in.
The disadvantage of choosing Yes: if someone else uses your computer and comes to this forum, he will be auto-login as you (using your username). To avoid this, you have to click on the Logout link every time you leave your computer, or you can choose No for the above option.
If you choose No for the above option:
You have to login manually every time you come back to the forum.
If you compose a message for 31 minutes or longer, you are logged out. So when you submit your post, you will get the famous (or infamous) "you are not logged in" message.
If you are inactive for more than 30 minutes, you are logged out. If you close all your browsers, you are logged out even if you are active in the past 30 minutes.
I hope this explanation is good enough for you guys to get a better idea about the cookie handling. Let me know if you still have questions.
Jinn
Thank-you.