What is the maximum length of time I can compose a message or enter a Life Sketch before I lose it?
On many occasions over the last couple of years after I have completed entering a message to another user or finished composing/editing a Life Sketch on an individual, when I send the message (now as Shift-Return) or click Save on the Life Sketch, the screen simply re-paints the initial screen I was on and all of my work just disappears!
In the past I have gotten around this issue by simply selecting all of my message or Life Sketch and copying it to my clipboard "just in case" so that if it just disappears, I simply paste it back in the block and send it again.
However, it just happened again! After 30-45 minutes of research and composing a message, I hit Shift-Return to send the message FORGETTING to copy it to my clipboard first and the screen repainted sending my 30-45 minutes of work down the drain!
Is there something that can be down about this? Can I at least get a message that I am exceeding the unstated limit of time to wait on me?
Answers
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@Vince Miller1 - I'm not a tech person, so I don't know the answer to the tech side. Nor am I completely familiar with the tree entries.
I have a possible workaround for you. Are you able to create your messages or Life Sketch in a document instead of on the site? If that works for you, you can copy and paste your entry onto the site. You don't need to save the contents of the document. Once your post appears correctly on the site, you can delete the contents of the document and start over.
What do you think?
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According to the Knowledge Article, "How to add a story to memories" the system times out after an hour.
We know how frustrating it can be to lose your work as it has likely happened to many of us. It is recommended you save often, or better yet as has been suggested by @PiperTWilson, type your message in a word processing program and then copy and paste the completed Life Sketch, story or message into FamilySearch.
You are also very welcome to use the Suggest an Idea Category in the Community to recommend improvements to the system.
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Sometimes about 20 minutes of inactivity seems to be enough to lose the connection. Then before the program can do anything, it has to refresh the page and that refresh deletes things. Also, anything else that causes the page to refresh will delete an unsent message or unsent life sketch, even if you just quit typing.
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Vince
I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...
Just in passing ...
Further to; and, in support of, what has already been proffered ...
Short Answer: 'No'; and, most likely, 'Not'.
You are not alone ...
MANY; Many; many, of us have been there ... done that ... and, still do ...
And ...
DO NOT, believe, that ONE Hour, is a safe period, according to that "Knowledge Article"; because, it is NOT ...
As, 'Gordon' has advised, sometimes, ONLY x20 Minutes (or, LESS) passes; and, the "System" can 'Time-Out' ...
There is NO consistency ... there is no way of knowing, how long a 'Time-Out' will be.
Some of us, use the method, that you now subscribe to.
ie. "Copy" ALL "Text", to ones' "Clipboard"; BEFORE, trying to Send/Save.
Or, alternatively ...
Some of us, PREPARE, any such "Text", in a "Word" Editor/Processer; then, "Copy" and "Paste", when ready.
I tend to use BOTH, depending upon, the "Length", of the "Text".
IF, the "Text" is not too long; THEN, use the method that you subscribe too.
[ But, 'Yes', every now and then, I forget to "Copy"; before, sending/saving ... oh, well ... such is life ... ]
Whereas ...
IF, the "Text" may (or, will) be too long; THEN, I use a "Word" Editor/Processer; then, just "Copy" and "Paste", when ready.
Most of the time, I only need, to use something as SIMPLE; as, "NotePad"; as, it gets the job done ...
As, one usually, has sufficient time, for, "Spell Checking"; and, "Formatting"; before, a "Time-Out".
No matter, that one knows; and, is aware of, this matter, one sometimes STILL gets, 'Caught Out'.
Frustrating ... we know ...
Just my thoughts.
Good Luck.
I know, that this certainly does not help/assist; but, just wanted to let you know, that you are not alone.
Brett
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@PiperTWilson - I have used Notepad in the past to create my input and that does work as a work-around. I appreciate the response.
@CJTobler - Thank you. I would never have thought to check "How to add a story to memories" to find the timeout limit for messages or Life Sketch entries. Because we all know how frustrating it can be, wouldn't that be a good indicator that something should be done about it? Software can do wonderful things if the code is put in. I know one site that pops up a warning if I have exceeded a certain time limit with no activity. I know another that will prompt me if I attempt to leave the page without saving my data. And if I do leave and come back, the same site will ask me if I want to restore that information that I had before I left.
@Gordon Collett - I agree. Are you aware that things like that can be prevented if the programmer inserts the proper code to stop it from happening?
@Brett - Your thoughts seem to have been some of the same ones that have been rolling around in my head. Thanks for putting them out for all to read.
And to post another issue with this very page: Why is there no "Preview" button at the bottom of this page that will allow me to see how my post will look BEFORE I hit the "Post Comment" button?
Vince
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