Editing problem?

Jbotto · May 9, 2011, 10:08 PM

How do you edit posts? I must be missing something, as I cannot see any edit, or advanced option button. Could someone help me?

Edit: Now I see this post has an edit button, but why do some of mine do not? I'd like to edit a earlier post of mine, but it won't let me.

**Shane Tuttle** · May 9, 2011, 10:13 PM

There's a time limit for regular members. Can't remember, but I think it's 4 days. That's probably the culprit...

Jbotto · May 9, 2011, 10:16 PM

OK, thanks for the quick response. I appreciate it. That's a strange thing I guess, as the other forums I frequent, don't have that setting. Thanks though. I understand it now.

**Al Norris** · May 9, 2011, 10:58 PM

One of the things that TFL has always been, is a resource data base. If we left it open for too long, people could edit/modify posts so much that the resulting threads would not make a lot of sense.

It was thought that 4 days was plenty of time to make any necessary corrections. And for the vast majority of cases, it has.

Good, Bad or Indifferent, that's the way it's been set up.

Jbotto · May 9, 2011, 11:08 PM

Makes sense from where I stand! Thanks!

Eagle Eye · May 11, 2011, 12:29 PM

I think it is a good idea to scroll down, preview post, and then edit post if needed before posting. That is probably the best time to gitterdun IMHO.

**tyme** · May 11, 2011, 04:16 PM

A fair number of forum/discussion type sites have recently adopted stricter time limits on editing, in the 5-minute-to-several-hour range.

**Vanya** · May 11, 2011, 07:21 PM

Quote:

A fair number of forum/discussion type sites have recently adopted stricter time limits on editing, in the 5-minute-to-several-hour range.

Oh, please, noooo....

I just hate it when I come back the next day to a thread I've posted in, and I find a typo I missed. If I couldn't fix it... I'm way too OCD for that.

**Mal H** · May 11, 2011, 07:28 PM

Don't worry, we have no reason at present to shorten the edit window, but we don't plan to make it longer either.

**Mike Irwin** · May 11, 2011, 07:47 PM

I post on a couple of boards (non firearms) where you don't get a chance to edit your messages at all after you submit them.

Hawg Haggen · May 11, 2011, 08:20 PM

Why not allow deletions within a reasonable time frame?

**Shane Tuttle** · May 11, 2011, 08:25 PM

We do...

Hawg Haggen · May 12, 2011, 05:13 PM

Then enlighten me please. The best I can do is erase the post and put deleted in it's place.

Eagle Eye · May 12, 2011, 05:18 PM

Hawg:

You should be able to edit your post. I forget the time limit, but it is at least several hours and may be more than a day.

I will edit this one to check functionality.

just tried an immediate edit prior to posting. Click on preview post. Make your changes in the field below your preview, and then click submit reply.

Then click on edit in the lower right corner of your posted reply. Make your changes. Then either click on save changes or click on preview changes and make further edits.

Finally click on save changes.

I just did all of the above and it works.

When the edit link no longer appears on your posted reply, then it is no longer possible. The best you can do is make another post and refer to your previous one. If the thread is lengthy, you might state the number of the post to which you are referring.

Hope this helps.

Eagle Eye

Hawg Haggen · May 12, 2011, 05:36 PM

I can edit it just fine. What I cant do is delete one.

**Vanya** · May 12, 2011, 05:44 PM

The conventional method for deleting a post on TFL seems to be to cut all of the text, replacing it with "deleted." But you can't make the whole post disappear, as far as I can tell.

The evidence of your presence will linger....

**Mike Irwin** · May 12, 2011, 05:45 PM

Nope, you can't. I've seen some VERY ugly things happen on boards where members can delete their posts.

Only staff can delete posts once they are made.

If you need a post deleted, contact a member of staff.

Eagle Eye · May 12, 2011, 06:01 PM

Hawg:

There you go. Just plug in the word deleted, brain flatulation, or whatever. But do so within the edit period.

Hawg Haggen · May 12, 2011, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Hawg:

There you go. Just plug in the word deleted, brain flatulation, or whatever. But do so within the edit period.

I think I already said that.

Quote:

Then enlighten me please. The best I can do is erase the post and put deleted in it's place.

**Shane Tuttle** · May 13, 2011, 02:50 PM

Quote:

There you go. Just plug in the word deleted, brain flatulation, or whatever. But do so within the edit period.

My apologies for being inconsiderate, Haggen. I saw your post but completely forgot to reply.

Don't do this procedure. As Mike stated, hollar at one of us and we'll take care of the deletions if deemed necessary.
Fair enough?

Hawg Haggen · May 13, 2011, 07:07 PM

Fair enough but usually when I want to delete something it's because I got my wires crossed and posted erroneous information. I am prone to do that sometimes. Even tho I do know it all I just can't remember it all at once.

Eagle Eye · May 13, 2011, 07:11 PM

OOPS! I was not being sarcastic. I really thought it was acceptable to delete and post a message as I suggested. I see this often and presumed it was the routine.

I am never too old to learn.

**Mal H** · May 13, 2011, 09:51 PM

I don't think Shane meant it wasn't acceptable to delete a post in the manner described, just that there is a better way to do it completely.

We don't get upset if we see "deleted" posts. I will usually just go ahead and completely delete them when I spot them.

**Mike Irwin** · May 13, 2011, 09:57 PM

Unfortunately, not everyone sees it that way, Hawg.

More than once I've seen people get into a snit and proceed to delete dozens, if not hundreds, of their posts, destroying the continuity of threads in the process.

**Mal H** · May 13, 2011, 10:18 PM

Right, that's a whole different matter, and we do get upset when we see that done. That's more like going into a "I'm taking my ball and going home" rant.

But, isolated deletions due to mistakes or double taps are no big deal.

May 9, 2011, 10:08 PM	#1
Jbotto Senior Member Join Date: February 8, 2010 Location: MN Posts: 318	Editing problem? How do you edit posts? I must be missing something, as I cannot see any edit, or advanced option button. Could someone help me? Edit: Now I see this post has an edit button, but why do some of mine do not? I'd like to edit a earlier post of mine, but it won't let me.

May 9, 2011, 10:13 PM	#2
Shane Tuttle Staff Join Date: November 28, 2005 Location: Blue Grass, IA Posts: 8,258	There's a time limit for regular members. Can't remember, but I think it's 4 days. That's probably the culprit... __________________ If it were up to me, the word "got" would be deleted from the English language. Posting and YOU: http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/posting

May 11, 2011, 04:16 PM	#7
tyme Staff Join Date: October 13, 2001 Location: Novalis 978-0553586251 Posts: 3,014	A fair number of forum/discussion type sites have recently adopted stricter time limits on editing, in the 5-minute-to-several-hour range. __________________ "Want to keep guns out of the hands of felons? Make fewer felons in the first place." --Vanya "God doesn't make the world this way. We do." --Rorschach, Watchmen "You should know that if you don't do this thing, you won't be in any shape to walk out of here." "Would that be physically, or just a mental state?" --Miller's Crossing

May 11, 2011, 07:47 PM	#10
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 33,298	I post on a couple of boards (non firearms) where you don't get a chance to edit your messages at all after you submit them. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

May 11, 2011, 08:20 PM	#11
Hawg Haggen Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 10,377	Why not allow deletions within a reasonable time frame? __________________ http://blackpowdertimes.com/index.php

May 9, 2011, 10:16 PM	#3
Jbotto Senior Member Join Date: February 8, 2010 Location: MN Posts: 318	OK, thanks for the quick response. I appreciate it. That's a strange thing I guess, as the other forums I frequent, don't have that setting. Thanks though. I understand it now.

May 9, 2011, 10:58 PM	#4
Al Norris Staff Join Date: June 29, 2000 Location: Rupert, Idaho Posts: 8,774	One of the things that TFL has always been, is a resource data base. If we left it open for too long, people could edit/modify posts so much that the resulting threads would not make a lot of sense. It was thought that 4 days was plenty of time to make any necessary corrections. And for the vast majority of cases, it has. Good, Bad or Indifferent, that's the way it's been set up.

May 9, 2011, 11:08 PM	#5
Jbotto Senior Member Join Date: February 8, 2010 Location: MN Posts: 318	Makes sense from where I stand! Thanks!

May 11, 2011, 12:29 PM	#6
Eagle Eye Senior Member Join Date: March 10, 2011 Location: Kansas Posts: 178	I think it is a good idea to scroll down, preview post, and then edit post if needed before posting. That is probably the best time to gitterdun IMHO.

May 11, 2011, 07:28 PM	#9
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern VA Posts: 14,127	Don't worry, we have no reason at present to shorten the edit window, but we don't plan to make it longer either.

May 11, 2011, 08:25 PM	#12
Shane Tuttle Staff Join Date: November 28, 2005 Location: Blue Grass, IA Posts: 8,258	We do... __________________ If it were up to me, the word "got" would be deleted from the English language. Posting and YOU: http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/posting

May 12, 2011, 05:13 PM	#13
Hawg Haggen Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 10,377	Then enlighten me please. The best I can do is erase the post and put deleted in it's place. __________________ http://blackpowdertimes.com/index.php

May 12, 2011, 05:18 PM	#14
Eagle Eye Senior Member Join Date: March 10, 2011 Location: Kansas Posts: 178	Hawg: You should be able to edit your post. I forget the time limit, but it is at least several hours and may be more than a day. I will edit this one to check functionality. just tried an immediate edit prior to posting. Click on preview post. Make your changes in the field below your preview, and then click submit reply. Then click on edit in the lower right corner of your posted reply. Make your changes. Then either click on save changes or click on preview changes and make further edits. Finally click on save changes. I just did all of the above and it works. When the edit link no longer appears on your posted reply, then it is no longer possible. The best you can do is make another post and refer to your previous one. If the thread is lengthy, you might state the number of the post to which you are referring. Hope this helps. Eagle Eye

May 12, 2011, 05:36 PM	#15
Hawg Haggen Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 10,377	I can edit it just fine. What I cant do is delete one. __________________ http://blackpowdertimes.com/index.php

May 12, 2011, 05:44 PM	#16
Vanya Staff Join Date: July 7, 2008 Location: Upper midwest Posts: 2,964	The conventional method for deleting a post on TFL seems to be to cut all of the text, replacing it with "deleted." But you can't make the whole post disappear, as far as I can tell. The evidence of your presence will linger.... __________________ Freethinkers are those who are willing to use their minds without prejudice and without fearing to understand things that clash with their own customs, privileges, or beliefs. This state of mind is not common, but it is essential for right thinking; where it is absent, discussion is apt to become worse than useless. - Leo Tolstoy

May 12, 2011, 05:45 PM	#17
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 33,298	Nope, you can't. I've seen some VERY ugly things happen on boards where members can delete their posts. Only staff can delete posts once they are made. If you need a post deleted, contact a member of staff. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

May 12, 2011, 06:01 PM	#18
Eagle Eye Senior Member Join Date: March 10, 2011 Location: Kansas Posts: 178	Hawg: There you go. Just plug in the word deleted, brain flatulation, or whatever. But do so within the edit period.

May 13, 2011, 07:07 PM	#21
Hawg Haggen Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 10,377	Fair enough but usually when I want to delete something it's because I got my wires crossed and posted erroneous information. I am prone to do that sometimes. Even tho I do know it all I just can't remember it all at once. __________________ http://blackpowdertimes.com/index.php

May 13, 2011, 07:11 PM	#22
Eagle Eye Senior Member Join Date: March 10, 2011 Location: Kansas Posts: 178	Shane Tuttle OOPS! I was not being sarcastic. I really thought it was acceptable to delete and post a message as I suggested. I see this often and presumed it was the routine. I am never too old to learn.

May 13, 2011, 09:51 PM	#23
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern VA Posts: 14,127	I don't think Shane meant it wasn't acceptable to delete a post in the manner described, just that there is a better way to do it completely. We don't get upset if we see "deleted" posts. I will usually just go ahead and completely delete them when I spot them.

May 13, 2011, 09:57 PM	#24
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 33,298	Unfortunately, not everyone sees it that way, Hawg. More than once I've seen people get into a snit and proceed to delete dozens, if not hundreds, of their posts, destroying the continuity of threads in the process. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

May 13, 2011, 10:18 PM	#25
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern VA Posts: 14,127	Right, that's a whole different matter, and we do get upset when we see that done. That's more like going into a "I'm taking my ball and going home" rant. But, isolated deletions due to mistakes or double taps are no big deal.