A warning needed in the messages section about a time-out
I recently lost two elaborate messages I was writing to fellow FamilySearch members. When I was done writing them, and hit SEND, they simply disappeared (there is no record of them). When I mentioned this to a FamilySearch Customer Service person, she suggested that it may have happened because that window may be timing users out.
In other words, if you take too long to complete your message, you may be timed out, and the message doesn't get send. But it also doesn't get saved - so people's writing gets lost. That's painful if you spent a good amount of time crafting a message with some complex contents.
Please include a warning that this may happen. If I knew that, I would have copied my writing before I hit SEND, and I would not lose it. Thank you.
Comments
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FYI
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You are not alone ...
.
Like it or not ...
Unfortunately, the "Time-Out", is a 'Necessary Evil' ...
NOT just "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' ...
But, also in the OTHER Parts of 'FamilySearch' ...
ARE all used 24/7, by Users/Patrons, from ALL around the World ...
The "Load" on 'FamilySearch' must be phenomenal ...
.
IF, "Time-Outs" were NOT imposed, the "Load" on 'FamilySearch' would be just TOO much; THEN, 'FamilySearch' would SLOW to a crawl.
.
THAT is WHEN the Users/Patrons WOULD start COMPLAINING ...
.
I suggest that, the so-called "Warning", that you suggest may be difficult to implement ...
.
Here is a "Knowledge Article" in 'FamilySearch':
.
Why did my session time out?
https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/why-did-my-session-time-out
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The Article suggests that a 'Time Out' will occur if a page/screen is "Idle" for MORE than ONE (x1) Hour ...
.
I suggest, "Get Real", MORE often than not - IF, there has been NO "Enter" for 20 Minutes; THEN, "Time-Out" CAN occur.
.
'Rule of Thumb' in 'FamilySearch', DO NOT expect any more 20 Minutes before 'Time Out'.
.
[ And, in some instances, you are lucky to even get 20 Minutes ... ]
.
That "Enter" DOES NOT mean "Typing" any "Text", that means NO interaction between your page/screen and 'FamilySearch'.
.
[ ie. "Typing" any "Text" is STILL "Idle"; and, NOT interaction between your page/screen and 'FamilySearch' ... ]
.
Hence, why I suggest a "Warning" may be difficult to implement.
.
Plus ...
.
Another thing to Note/Remember, is that there is NO (Automatic) "Auto Save", when working in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
.
IF, you DO NOT "Select" Save; THEN, it is NOT "Saved" ...
▬ it is GONE ...
▬ you LOOSE it ...
▬ say good night ...
[ And, you have to START ALL OVER, AGAIN ... ]
.
Been there, done that ...
[ Still happens, every now and then ... ]
.
Best advise ...
.
ALWAYS compose ANY thing [eg. Reason; Note; Discussion; Memory (especially, Story); Source (Citation; Note; Reason); Message; etc.] of "Length", in a, "Text" Editor (eg. even just, "NotePad"); or, "Word" Processor; or, the like, BEFORE, proceeding to ANY Part of "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', where you can then "Copy" and "Paste"; and, "Tweak" (eg. "Spell Check"; Format; etc), if required.
.
Most of us have ALL learned this through BITTER Experience.
.
Just my thoughts.
.
Brett
.
0 -
FYI
.
You are not alone ...
.
Like it or not ...
Unfortunately, the "Time-Out", is a 'Necessary Evil' ...
NOT just "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' ...
But, also in the OTHER Parts of 'FamilySearch' ...
ARE all used 24/7, by Users/Patrons, from ALL around the World ...
The "Load" on 'FamilySearch' must be phenomenal ...
.
IF, "Time-Outs" were NOT imposed, the "Load" on 'FamilySearch' would be just TOO much; THEN, 'FamilySearch' would SLOW to a crawl.
.
THAT is WHEN the Users/Patrons WOULD start COMPLAINING ...
.
I suggest that, the so-called "Warning", that you suggest may be difficult to implement ...
.
Here is a "Knowledge Article" in 'FamilySearch':
.
Why did my session time out?
https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/why-did-my-session-time-out
.
The Article suggests that a 'Time Out' will occur if a page/screen is "Idle" for MORE than ONE (x1) Hour ...
.
I suggest, "Get Real", MORE often than not - IF, there has been NO "Enter" for 20 Minutes; THEN, "Time-Out" CAN occur.
.
'Rule of Thumb' in 'FamilySearch', DO NOT expect any more 20 Minutes before 'Time Out'.
.
[ And, in some instances, you are lucky to even get 20 Minutes ... ]
.
That "Enter" DOES NOT mean "Typing" any "Text", that means NO interaction between your page/screen and 'FamilySearch'.
.
[ ie. "Typing" any "Text" is STILL "Idle"; and, NOT interaction between your page/screen and 'FamilySearch' ... ]
.
Hence, why I suggest a "Warning" may be difficult to implement.
.
Plus ...
.
Another thing to Note/Remember, is that there is NO (Automatic) "Auto Save", when working in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
.
IF, you DO NOT "Select" Save; THEN, it is NOT "Saved" ...
▬ it is GONE ...
▬ you LOOSE it ...
▬ say good night ...
[ And, you have to START ALL OVER, AGAIN ... ]
.
Been there, done that ...
[ Still happens, every now and then ... ]
.
Best advise ...
.
ALWAYS compose ANY thing [eg. Reason; Note; Discussion; Memory (especially, Story); Source (Citation; Note; Reason); Message; etc.] of "Length", in a, "Text" Editor (eg. even just, "NotePad"); or, "Word" Processor; or, the like, BEFORE, proceeding to ANY Part of "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', where you can then "Copy" and "Paste"; and, "Tweak" (eg. "Spell Check"; Format; etc), if required.
.
Most of us have ALL learned this through BITTER Experience.
.
Just my thoughts.
.
Brett
.
0 -
FYI
.
Now ...
The aforementioned said ...
.
Best advise ...
.
ALWAYS compose ANY thing [eg. Reason; Note; Discussion; Memory (especially, Story); Source (Citation; Note; Reason); Message; etc.] of "Length", in a, "Text" Editor (eg. even just, "NotePad"); or, "Word" Processor; or, the like, BEFORE, proceeding to ANY Part of "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', where you can then "Copy" and "Paste"; and, "Tweak" (eg. "Spell Check"; Format; etc), if required.
.
Most of us have ALL learned this through BITTER Experience.
.
Just my thoughts.
.
Now ...
That said ...
.
IF, you are lucky; THEN, ...
.
Sometimes ...
[ And, just sometimes ...]
.
IF, you have ANOTHER (ie. being the SAME) 'Tab', for the individual/person OPEN, as a "Duplicate"; THEN, you can 'sometimes' get the 'Time-Out' to extent beyond the 20 Minute/1 Hour, if you KEEP "Refreshing" that OTHER ("Duplicate") 'Tab'; and, "Working" away (ie. "Typing") in the MAIN page/screen.
.
The aforementioned does not always work; but, sometimes it does.
.
And, that OTHER ("Duplicate") 'Tab' must relate to the SAME 'Tab', for the SAME individual/person.
.
Just some thoughts.
.
Brett
.
0 -
FYI
.
Now ...
The aforementioned said ...
.
Best advise ...
.
ALWAYS compose ANY thing [eg. Reason; Note; Discussion; Memory (especially, Story); Source (Citation; Note; Reason); Message; etc.] of "Length", in a, "Text" Editor (eg. even just, "NotePad"); or, "Word" Processor; or, the like, BEFORE, proceeding to ANY Part of "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', where you can then "Copy" and "Paste"; and, "Tweak" (eg. "Spell Check"; Format; etc), if required.
.
Most of us have ALL learned this through BITTER Experience.
.
Just my thoughts.
.
Now ...
That said ...
.
IF, you are lucky; THEN, ...
.
Sometimes ...
[ And, just sometimes ...]
.
IF, you have ANOTHER (ie. being the SAME) 'Tab', for the individual/person OPEN, as a "Duplicate"; THEN, you can 'sometimes' get the 'Time-Out' to extent beyond the 20 Minute/1 Hour, if you KEEP "Refreshing" that OTHER ("Duplicate") 'Tab'; and, "Working" away (ie. "Typing") in the MAIN page/screen.
.
The aforementioned does not always work; but, sometimes it does.
.
And, that OTHER ("Duplicate") 'Tab' must relate to the SAME 'Tab', for the SAME individual/person.
.
Just some thoughts.
.
Brett
.
0 -
Brett is correct. The 20-minute "disconnect" is something that was necessitated by people leaving their computing devices sitting alone (such as in a library) and unintended. That represents a security breach that can cause untold damage to major parts of the site.
The problem is that while you are working on a text window, such as a message to another user, or note for a deceased person in the tree, there is no communication between your computer and the FamilySearch servers.
One solution that has been suggested in the past is to have another window open on a FamilySearch page and periodically refresh the page.
Unfortunately, that will not resolve network glitches that can do the same thing as the 20-minute timeout (a disconnect).
0 -
Brett is correct. The 20-minute "disconnect" is something that was necessitated by people leaving their computing devices sitting alone (such as in a library) and unintended. That represents a security breach that can cause untold damage to major parts of the site.
The problem is that while you are working on a text window, such as a message to another user, or note for a deceased person in the tree, there is no communication between your computer and the FamilySearch servers.
One solution that has been suggested in the past is to have another window open on a FamilySearch page and periodically refresh the page.
Unfortunately, that will not resolve network glitches that can do the same thing as the 20-minute timeout (a disconnect).
0 -
Unfortunately, even the most experienced of us have occasionally stumbled across this painful issue. It is an inherent problem with all web browsers and filling out large text fields on most websites and not just FamilySearch.org. It is necessary for security purposes.
If you ever have to get up and leave the computer for a while, or if you've just been thinking and typing for a long time, it is likely that you will have a timeout. You can continue typing but you don't know that you have already lost it all. So if for any reason you suspect that you've taken too long, BEFORE YOU LEAVE THAT FIELD, select all of the text in the field and just copy it to your clipboard. You can always paste it into a simple text document as well just for added backup. Then if you have timed out and lose it all when you leave the field, you have a backup to rebuild the message with.
Also note, that as long as you are still in that field editing, you can always get a copy. If FS were to implement things so that you got a message as soon as the timeout occurred, you would IMMEDIATELY lose everything! So it is good that they do not do that, because the way it is currently set up, you could potentially leave your computer on for HOURS after the link times out but still do a copy before leaving the text field.
Usually, if I already KNOW that I'm going to take a while to think through and compose a message of some sort, I will put it into a temporary text file on my computer and then when done, transfer it over to the browser via a cut and paste.
Sorry that you had that painful experience, but welcome to the club!
:-)
0 -
Unfortunately, even the most experienced of us have occasionally stumbled across this painful issue. It is an inherent problem with all web browsers and filling out large text fields on most websites and not just FamilySearch.org. It is necessary for security purposes.
If you ever have to get up and leave the computer for a while, or if you've just been thinking and typing for a long time, it is likely that you will have a timeout. You can continue typing but you don't know that you have already lost it all. So if for any reason you suspect that you've taken too long, BEFORE YOU LEAVE THAT FIELD, select all of the text in the field and just copy it to your clipboard. You can always paste it into a simple text document as well just for added backup. Then if you have timed out and lose it all when you leave the field, you have a backup to rebuild the message with.
Also note, that as long as you are still in that field editing, you can always get a copy. If FS were to implement things so that you got a message as soon as the timeout occurred, you would IMMEDIATELY lose everything! So it is good that they do not do that, because the way it is currently set up, you could potentially leave your computer on for HOURS after the link times out but still do a copy before leaving the text field.
Usually, if I already KNOW that I'm going to take a while to think through and compose a message of some sort, I will put it into a temporary text file on my computer and then when done, transfer it over to the browser via a cut and paste.
Sorry that you had that painful experience, but welcome to the club!
:-)
0
