Draft Saved feature

Boards.ie: Niamh

Since we moved to the new platform in July 2021, we have had a feature that automatically saves your draft posts in case you lose connection, want to leave and come back to a post, think about your post before publishing it, etc. There is also the 'Save Draft' button which you can use to manually save the post yourself to post/edit/re-read later. With the automatic draft saving there is a pop up every few seconds while you are typing which some users have reported finding annoying or sometimes disruptive.

On mobile

On desktop (my screen is quite large so it will probably be in a different position on other screens)

We have the option to switch this automatic draft save off but keep the 'Save Draft'. This way you can choose whether or not to save a draft, however if you move away from the page before publishing a post and without clicking 'Save draft' it will be gone forever.

This will either be on or off for everybody, there is no possibility to choose at a user level. So before I hit any switches, I'm asking which you would prefer.

The poll will stay up until next week and we'll decide then. Thanks!

If you had no idea about drafts, you will find yours here: https://www.boards.ie/drafts where you can delete or post them.

The saving of drafts has saved me a bunch of times. Honestly one of the best things to come from the new site

Ten of Swords

^^Same

I never use manual save draft, I'd be curious how many do, but auto save is the most useful aspect of this functionality. Without it (imo) you might as well not have 'save draft' at all

28064212

Is the obvious alternative not to keep auto save and simply hide the unnecessary message? The majority of complaints around the auto-save are about the message displaying - hiding it has little-to-no negatives

greysides

There's nothing worse than writing a long post only to have it lost unexpectedly. The next one is usually a lot shorter and not as detailed. I can live with the prompt, though it would be good if it could be modified, with it positioned off the reply box. Even if it were removed, but the functionality continuing in the background.

Hotblack Desiato

@28064212 No because the site is too slow. When the auto-save happens, your typing freezes. Also if you change your mind and decide not to reply, you end up having to delete the draft.

28064212

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118463408#Comment_118463408

The site being slow is a separate issue, which should obviously be fixed - it's slow in other areas too (although it doesn't affect all users), not just when typing.

And I don't really see how draft-deletion is an issue - if it's a reply to a thread you're going to post in again, you just clear the reply box when you're writing your new reply. If you're not going to post in the thread again, it makes no difference

delly

On mobile I can't reply when quoting a post, the auto save keeps losing focus on the reply. So on that basis I'm voting to lose it.

thesandeman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058227500/draft-saved-feature

The problem is that on mobile it covers the reply box so we cannot see what we are typing.

I either have to wait until it goes away or scroll back until I can see what I've posted.

It happened after a few words of this post and four or five more times as I was trying to write it.

@Boards.ie: Niamh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118464695#Comment_118464695

Regarding the above post @Boards.ie: Niamh , is it possible to simply turn off the pop-up notification but retain the functionality?

AlmightyCushion

There should be an option to delete the draft from the comment box. Sometimes I go to write a post and change my mind about it half way through. Then I have to go to the drafts page to delete it.

CatInABox

As others have said, a button to clear the comment box would be great, particularly as you can't select all and delete it (this might just be if you've got a quote in there).

looksee

It annoyed me a bit at first but I now like it as it has saved several posts for me. Its just the pop-up is a pain sometimes (I'm on desktop). If I want to abandon a draft I just select/clear the type (or just abandon it) and then occasionally go into drafts and clear them all.

So: keep it but get rid of/move the pop-up.

smuggler.ie

1. Button to clear the draft next/within comment box (badly needed)
2. User preference option ON/OFF for auto-save (needed)
3. Delay of initial saving or user time preference (if possible)

Mickeroo

I don't mind it automatically saving the drafts but a "Delete All" or a way to select a few to delete together is badly needed imo. Having to do it individually is annoying if a lot have built up.

Maybe the feature is already there and I have just missed it?

HeidiHeidi

Another vote to keep the auto save feature, but lose the pop-up.

It's not a problem (that I've noticed anyway) on desktop, but is a huge PITA on mobile.

Seeing as desktop and mobile are basically different sites in terms of functionality, can the pop-up be lost on mobile, or be set to pop up somewhere other than right on top of text box you're trying to type in?

I haven't voted in the poll, because if that pop-up on mobile has to stay then I'd vote to switch the auto off and just get used to using manual draft save.

I'm indifferent either way on desktop.

Is this an option?

Tork

I detest it so I've voted to get rid. I'm fed up of having to manually delete half written replies. It's a horrible feature. If I write something I don't want to lose, I simply copy the text onto the clipboard.

Polar101

I really don't like the auto-save feature. I often start a reply, but don't finish it for some reason (decide not to post, replied to wrong post, realise out the point I was going to make isn't any good) - but since whatever rubbish I've already written is instantly saved, I keep having to go to my profile and deleting drafts there. A manual button to save would be much better, I'd use that if I have a fairly long reply typed and don't want to lose it.

Most of the time the draft saving isn't really needed at all, so there's no particular need for an auto-save either.

Lusty4567

Im new here, trying to find my way around being who I am, could do with a bit of help.

Boards.ie: Niamh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118471725#Comment_118471725

Welcome to Boards...try the Newbies forum, also this thread might give some help with basic tools around using the site: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058199126/how-can-i-a-users-guide-to-the-new-site/p1?new=1

The drafts are upoaded somehow, as they appear across devices. And sometimes images cannot be deleted. Until that is fixed we should remove the feature.

looksee

I think there is a bin that appears at the top of the image, but I am a bit hazy about that. (Desktop)

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118477832#Comment_118477832

Yeh but that was buggy for me. I managed to delete the draft.

Deja Boo

I do not like the feature: draft

I do not like, before or aft.

I do not like it here nor there.

I do not like it anywhere.

...It's been known to cause posting mishaps 😉

as has this double spacing craaaaaap 🤪

MrMusician18

Given everything else that's broken with the site, it's this rather innocuous feature is up for discussion?

Strange priority tbh.

wotzgoingon

I hate that feature and once before I said I will use the feature the damn thing never saved what I was writing so yea get rid of it.

Another time it saved what I was going to say in draft a week so so later I replied in the same thread and I never realised that there was a draft as well as what I wanted to post and never copped it and was in the thread later in the day and realised I had posted garbage from the draft and then below what I had wanted to say.

Rikand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118482029#Comment_118482029

Can't fix all the broken stuff but this is something they actually have an on/off switch for

Off for me

Akrasia

I don't want to be reminded off all the poorly thought out and pointless posts I was writing and then decided not to post for the previously mentioned reasons

I only want to be reminded of those when I was also drunk enough to hit the Post Comment button

I vote to lose the auto save draft feature

It has caused me to have to delete things a lot more often than it has saved me from losing a long thoughtful post

Boards.ie: Niamh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118482029#Comment_118482029

It's not ncessarily a priority, it's something a number of people have complained about (the draft saved pop up on mobile) and is a very simple on/off button that I can change in a moment. The only reason I am asking before making a change is that I want to be sure the people who have complained are in the majority and that people are given a choice before we do/don't change it.

HeidiHeidi

Is turning it off on mobile only an option?

It's a much bigger problem there than on desktop - it does sometimes block the corner of the text box on desktop, but you just have to nudge the box up the page. It also takes much longer to kick in on desktop (I'm still typing here and - it's just appeared! but not on top of the text I'm typing).

On mobile it pops up almost immediately and completely blocks out the text box.

Boards.ie: Niamh

At the moment the only options are the ones I gave in the original post - autosave on or autosave off. Anything further will require going to Vanilla and asking for adjustments to their Draft feature which could take quite a while.

samwu

I really don't like the autosave feature. I often start replying。

Jellybaby_1

Off please. I've messed up more replies with this feature than I ever did before it was installed.

HeidiHeidi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118520283#Comment_118520283

I'm a fan of autosave, but not when it pops up almost immediately before I've even had time to type anything, and obscures the entire text box!

I think (open to correction) that's the objection most people have to it, and if that could be corrected - happy days!

Tork

I could live with a slower autosave and a delete draft button right under the dialogue box. I hate being punished for discarding a post by having to go hunting for the delete button. But really, I want it gone altogether and it looks like the majority want it to be removed too. It's an intrusion.

Boards.ie: Niamh

I've sent off an enquiry to see if this feature can be adjusted in any way to take account of pop ups on mobile interfering with people's site experience so we'll see what they say.

Tork

So in other words, you are not getting rid of it.

Why is the option to simply save a draft not on the table here? Surely people who are typing replies that they want to have saved can simply use the button to save their draft. Why does it have to be this horrible, intrusive, annoying, automated feature forced on those of us who don't want to have our half-written replied saved within moments of starting to type. What is wrong with all of ye who are losing your replies? I very rarely ever lost a reply I'd typed out, even on old boards.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118527079#Comment_118527079

Ads are needed for the survival of the site so no I don't think they will. To be honest, thats fine by me if it allows boards to continue.

Tweaking is required though, but thats not unusual for any new feature rolled out on any website.

Tork

I think our wires are crossed here. I am Ok with ads on boards, knowing that they are needed. It's the forced draft saving of messages that I want gone. The powers that be in Boards HQ seem to be in love with the feature.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118527152#Comment_118527152

Ah yeah, sorry, confused the feedback threads, my mistake.

Regarding the draft saving, one of the biggest complaints is the popup, so if that can be sorted then maybe a good plan is to do that, leave it for a few weeks and then poll again.

Tork

I think that's what they're going to do. Though in my mind, the pop-up and the enforced saving of unwanted drafts are two separate issues.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118527222#Comment_118527222

How to know what's wanted and unwanted though.

Possibly fixed by a "Clear text box" option on a post which would basically wipe the saved content for that post. Not sure if that's possible though

Tork

They have a Save Draft button already. Surely people who want to save their drafts can use that. Let everybody else jog along.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118527413#Comment_118527413

Thats only good for planned stoppages. It would be useless for the times when you have a crash, close browser due to interruption etc etc. Its exactly for these types of reason auto-save exists across websites & software.

Not saying its perfect, its not, there are clearly issues with it as evidenced by the feedback here. I just think the "throw the baby out with the bathwater" approach is the wrong way to go, but we'll have to wait and see how they address the concerns.

I think if the following was sorted there would be no issues with the auto save

• remove the popup
• eliminate browser freezing when the save is triggered and
• provide a way to clear the text box from the text box

Its very possible Vanilla won't touch any of these issues and the only fix is to drop the feature until it improves, or its also possible they do some work on it and what we end up with solves 90% or more, of the problems

Boards.ie: Niamh

There is a fix being pushed out to rewrite the autosave functionality tomorrow - coincidentally and not because of my query yesterday :) so we will see if that resolves the pop up issue or not. If not, that bug/issue will be sent to the tech team for review.

@Tork I'm simply trying to find a soluton that benefits as many people as possible - but not everyone.

“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time” - never truer than trying to make a decision on a feature on Boards and I have the mental scars to prove it 😄

Tork

So do you interpret the poll result as "people want the pop-up gone but auto save must stay"? I can't speak for anybody else who voted in that poll but I thought it meant the end of this wretched feature.

I don't suppose a delete draft button under the reply window is an option if it can't be turned off?

ohnonotgmail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118530262#Comment_118530262

the winning poll option says:

Switch off auto save and keep the manual 'Save Draft' button

Is that what you intend to implement?

Boards.ie: Niamh

A number of users have said in this very thread that if the autosave pop up was gone (particularly from mobile) they would be happy to keep the autosave option. So I am investigating if that is a possibility first - if it's not I will switch autosave off as per the poll results. If it is possible, then the options have changed and we can see then if it means more people are happy to keep or remove autosave. IF the majority still want it gone at that stage, then it'll be gone.

Tork

Will you be setting up another poll and ask whether people want autosave on or off?

If so, when? The pop-up and autosave are two very different things.

smuggler.ie

In addition to my previous post, IF feature is kept...

Without web coding background, could i suggest instead of this ...

, that is mostly effecting mobile users due to its size and time it is displayed, to something like this

Just to be as small as possible and brief, literally just a blink in the corner......

or perhaps some animation if that does not effect site performance.... lets say comment box frame pulse effect in some color - no pop-ups, no obstructions, keep typing.

Think even CSS can do that animation: pulse-yellow 120s infinite;

Combination of this type effect with Delete Draft button might be accepted by many

Who cares about hh:mmPM if its every XX seconds anyway.

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118530262#Comment_118530262

I have the mental scars to prove it

I’m not sure if that was an intentional nod to Meatloaf or not, but damn if it was, it was subtle 😂