WinXP SP2, Firefox 1.0. 

so this is a confirmed case of a phantom post being caused by data loss? 

Correctamundo. 

Half the time I type a post and hit submit, and the form clears without making a post. Refreshing does nothing. 

metlslime, I've just figured out at least one reason that null posts are being formed. Somehow when I load a thread, sometimes there won't be an icon selected by default in the Post A Reply area. If I hit submit after typing a post but without rectifying the no-icon-selected problem, it increases the thread post count without adding a new post.

I tested this just now in the Stories thread, and that's what happened (it's post #31). I tried making a post before it (post #30) which resulted in a null post, but I don't remember whether an icon was selected or not. 

jiggers! 

jiggers! 

Yeah, I loaded the page at first and none of the radio items were selected, and the post wouldn't post.

Good work detective RPG! 

here's what I saw in the faq page:
There are 4 registered users online right now: , blitz, Kell and PuLSaR.

What does comma do before the blitz's name?
Or there an invisible user around here? 

I always travel with a 2 person entourage...today I've brought the Invisible Man along with me. 

 

that's that evil Invisible Man 

I wonder if the null post problem is associated with Firefox, because I've never had that problem before I recently switch from IE. Also, this problem seems to have become increasingly common as Firefox has gained popularity. 

I use firefox, and was using it when my post in the story thread disappeared. 

thanks for the clue, RPG. So the radio button problem is inconsistent? Is there any pattern to it? 

after previewing a message, the radio button is left blank. 

When you preview a post, and then hit "back" in your browser, the radio button for the icon goes away.

That's how I produced the blank post above. 

But does with Firefox. 

But, on a side note, why would you hit "back" after previewing your post? The preview page has an edit box, and a preview and submit button. You can just keep going forward, never backwards (and always twirling towards freedom...) 

test 

I think I've got the invalid icon bug fixed -- i added some server-side validation that should chatch that and a few other problems.

Note: another thing i added is a block to prevent both title and body from being empty. So watch out!!!! 

I've now updated the javascript validation to be consistent with the server side validation. I also fixed the stupid flaw in my javascript that let you type just a space for body and title and submit. So hopefully, you'll never see a server-side error message.

And yes, i was screwing with the posting code for the last hour. Sorry shambler :)

As a bonus, here's Cthulhu nigiri!
http://www.antipope.org/feorag/artwork/beermat/cthulhu-nigiri.jpg 

without my Chopsticks Of Ultimate Horror.

Nice work with the forum code, metlu ;) 

why would you hit "back" after previewing your post?

Because people on the internet are stupid and will do anything possible to screw up anything possible in any possible way.

(Like making blank titles.)