Couldn’t send a Personal Mesage: impossible to enter the recipient’s name.

Topic

[OscarCP]

I have tried, just now, to send a Personal Message to another lounger, one with whom I have communicated in this way before without any problem, but something really odd happened and I could not send the message because I could not enter the name of the recipient, the first thing one does when writing a private message.

Instead, I got a drop list of possible names with the one I had entered, let’s say it was “X”, the handle used in all his comments and that is also in his Profile, as a part of them:  X Alpha, Mister X, etc. Regardless, I clicked on the “Subject” field to enter what this message was about and the recipient name disappeared and I was instead given the choice to send a message to “admin”or “group.”

I tried to send a test message as if “X” had been accepted even if it was now invisible. But the message did not get sent because the recipient name had not been entered.

So it looks like there is something wrong with the PM feature.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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• This topic was modified 2 years, 6 months ago by OscarCP.
• This topic was modified 2 years, 6 months ago by OscarCP.
• This topic was modified 2 years, 6 months ago by PKCano.

Replies

You have to actually “select” one of the names that appear in the To: drop-down box (i.e. highlight and click it.)

If the To: field is empty, the software can’t “Send Message” because, as far as it can determine, you didn’t actually select anyone to send it to!

Also note, the “User Name” displayed when someone makes a post isn’t always the same as their “Profile Name” which is what you have to use when sending them PMs.

I.e. the “User Name” displayed in the posts I make is alejr but the “Profile Name” required to send me PMs is bigal67.

Thanks alejr, but the name I used was the one in this persons’ Profile.

None of the names in the drop list I got instead was that one, the one of recipient to whom I wanted to send the message. Besides, I have never found this kind of thing happening before. It has always been quite straightforward: one enters the name the other person uses as handle, the one showing in that person’s replies or in the Profile, if this is different from the one in the replies, and it’s done.  No such drop list ever appeared instead.

This looks like a bug.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

OscarCP wrote:

None of the names in the drop list I got instead was that one, the one of recipient to whom I wanted to send the message.

See my above comment about “User Name” vs “Profile Name“.

alejr: Please, look up my previous comment, were it says: “Thanks alejr, but the name I used was the one in this persons’ Profile.”

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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I looked, after reading your post, to see if I have this problem. (I don’t often use the messaging system here so I could have the problem and not be aware of it). I don’t have your problem but I have NO directory! If I wanted to send the same IM to say 10 people and I can’t recall each person’s handle perfectly there is no way to send the message to all ten of them as there is no directory!

This happens in Firefox 91.13.0 ESR and Edge 105.0.1343.42. (I haven’t checked my other browsers).

Mele20 wrote:

I wanted to send the same IM to say 10 people and I can’t recall each person’s handle perfectly there is no way to send the message to all ten of them as there is no directory!

I realize it’s a bit awkward, but what you’d have to do is enter each person’s “Profile Name“, one at a time, into the To: box.

As you start typing, the drop-down will start displaying each Profile with that combo and, when you get to the one you want, select it.

Wash, rinse, repeat until the To: box shows everyone you want to receive your PM.

alejr: “enter each person’s “Profile Name“, one at a time, into the To: box”

Except that, at least in my case, the drop box did not display the name I entered, but only others very vaguely similar. As I have already explained in detail at the beginning of this thread, where I started it.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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On the right hand side is a directory, click there and then enter the person’s name to search.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

I have done this several times. Today it has not worked, every single time. Besides  none of this has ever been necessary: Using the New Message box was always very straightforward: enter the Profile name of the intended recipient in the Name box, and click on a button that is not there now, then the box for writing and then sending the message appeared. That was all.

Sending the first message on a new topic is the issue here. Answering a message is not a problem

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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It could be that the problem is with “X”. After my last comment, I have been able to message some other “not X” AskWoody people I know without trouble, in the usual way  (until tonight): opening the “New Message” window, entering the Profile name of the person I wanted to contact (other than X), and “Have you received this email?” in “Subject”, then clicking “Send” and receiving from the system the notification that my message was “Successfully sent.” And even got replies!

I have tried this with three different browsers and it worked with each as described above. Not by sending more messages to those I had sent one already, but merely making sure with each browser that when entering their Profile handles in the box for the name of whom to send the message, the box for writing the message actually opened and that I got no weird drop list.

It might be that “X” has blocked messages, but if so, clicking on “Directory” and choosing there “Blocked messages” as filter, it came up with nothing about “X”. Assuming that is the right way to figure out this.

Because after four years hanging around here, this is my first time having to do with all this unwelcome homework.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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OscarCP wrote:

It might be that “X” has blocked messages, but if so, clicking on “Directory” and choosing there “Blocked messages” as filter, it came up with nothing about “X”. Assuming that is the right way to figure out this.

The “Blocked” filter in the directory listing shows a list of users you blocked, not whether a particular user has blocked you.

In fact, if someone has blocked you from sending them PMs, their profile will not appear in the directory or the drop-down (which is most likely why you can’t PM this particular user.)

2 users thanked author for this post.

satrow, b

I thought about this and concluded the some thing. Because I remembered later on that I had once sent a message to someone blocking them, and got a notice from the system that this person did not answered messages. The message would be different if the person were blocking just my messages: I imagine that there would be another message, sort of a “cease and desist” one, abut that person blocking me, so I know and stop trying to send this messages. Also: the handle of these two people not appearing in the drop down list must mean that the search for it has failed, not that I am blocked from receiving mails from X or Y. The system, because of the fact I have already mentioned, is nicer than that

Not only there was no such message, but when I tried to message someone else: “Y”, with whom I have corresponded often, to ask if he had received the message OK, as I already explained I did with others, then Y, the name in Y’s Profile, was not found either.

This looks to me now very much as if the system is “forgetting” peoples Profile handles and cannot find them now, although it could before.

If that is the case, then this a serious bug.

So I hope that someone who has the knowledge, the means and is in the position to do something about this, takes note and acts accordingly to fix it.

And, as far as I am concerned, at this point I have said all I have to say. Thank you.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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did you get my reply???

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

Yes Wavy, and answered it today. So of you didn’t get it already, there might have been a problem with that. On my side, the delivery looked like it had gone through normally. PM  is not working very well right now, it would seem.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

[Charlie]

Hey Oscar, I sent you a private message just to test it and it worked okay.  I started with New Message, then typed OscarCP in the Send To line. It searched for a few seconds then your name came up in bold.  The first time I hit Tab and it went away so I typed it again and hit Enter.  It stayed there, I typed my message, and clicked on Submit.  Maybe using Enter is what needs to be done.  I don’t have anyone blocked out.

I haven’t had any problems that I can recall using the PM.  I use Firefox.  Hope this helps.

Being 20 something in the 70's was far more fun than being 70 something in the insane 20's

• This reply was modified 2 years, 6 months ago by Charlie.

Charlie, the problem is the other way around. You can contact me, that means I can be contacted by others with a PM. Good to know: as far as the PM software is concerned I, have not vanished from this Earth! (Yet. Give it time, give it time …) But you seem to have.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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Hang in there, we all have good days and bad.  Give it a try using the New Message box. Type in the member’s name, use mine if you want (capital C) and it will search all by itself.  When it recognizes the name, try hitting Enter or – maybe just click on the subject space.  The name should get a little x next to it.  That’s how it worked for me.  Good luck.

Being 20 something in the 70's was far more fun than being 70 something in the insane 20's

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OscarCP

Just tried messaging you from “New Message”, as I have always done. Same as before, it did not work. When I entered your name I got a drop list of names with ‘Charlie’ or ‘charlie’ somewhere in them among other things (i.e. “Charlie Alpha”), but not plain ‘Charlie’. (Yes, I tried one of those; whoever got the message obviously was not you.) But it works when sending messages to other people just fine. By the way, I have tried this using Waterfox, Chrome, Vivaldi and FireFox, as suggested by Susan: same negative result every time.

A really long, long session last night, with her and I exchanging messages about what to try, and nothing doing.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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I don’t know what’s going on Oscar, as far as I know sending PM’s to me should be the same as anyone else and don’t have anyone at all blocked.  This is a real stumper but I’ll take another look and see if I can find anything weird on my side.

Being 20 something in the 70's was far more fun than being 70 something in the insane 20's

Charley: I just sent you three PM messages, The first sent of the three explains that there is a weird problem with your handle that you need to have sorted out ASAP by getting in touch with, I guess, SB.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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I did and she’s on it.

Being 20 something in the 70's was far more fun than being 70 something in the insane 20's

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OscarCP

This still leaves out at least one other user I failed to contact in the same way. And who knows how many more are so affect and afflicted; and whether the rot in PM is spreading and will continue to spread. Until one day, maybe sooner than later, this will get all of us to vanish quietly from PM.

So I hope Susan figures this out soon, so it can be fixed before the PM Götterdammerung happens.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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Have some faith Oscar, these people know their stuff and they’ll get it worked out.

Being 20 something in the 70's was far more fun than being 70 something in the insane 20's

Charlie: “these people know their stuff and they’ll get it worked out.”

Hmmm … Hmmm … Hmmmm … Hmmmm …

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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The rot is not spreading folks.

 

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

At this point I am gone as well. I can not put a name in and have it ‘take’

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

What browser please and what extensions?

The first rule in diagnosis is to repro the issue.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

Doesn’t work:

Firefox 104.0.2 with AdBloc Plus, Disconnect, NoScript
Except with method emailed earlier.

Safari 16.0 no add-ons

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OscarCP

There are two charlie users in the database.  Go into the directory function and search for Charlie.  I haven’t had a chance to investigate why there is two Charlie users in the database.  This thing called 22H2 got released.

Oscar, I will get to your issue but right now I’m researching information regarding 22h2 that will benefit askwoody readership and you will have to be patient.  I can only do one thing at a time, and ultimately need sleep.  I will get back to this.

 

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

2 users thanked author for this post.

wavy, OscarCP

BTW that’s actually the PM “to” box working, I was referring to searching in the Directory for a Charlie. Regardless I’ve fixed it now by changing the nickname value so it’s easier to find the right charlie.

 

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

How about Fred?

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OK I’m late to the party but just playing around, could it be an issue with it limiting to 5 users? Nothing I searched for displayed more, even though I know there were more. FF 102.3 Ublock Origin

cyberSAR: I have used PM for ages and never saw anything like what is in your screenshot, except for now with Charlie and, I’m sorry to say, with another Lounger as well. There is likely to be more like them, I just don’t have the strength of character to try sending PMs to everyone in AskWoody. Particularly since AskWoody “swallowed the Whale” and there is now a whale of people here.

And as far as you are concerned, have you been able to send messages to anyone? Because that is also happening to be now another problem for some of us here, it seems. Or so I’m told.

You’ve heard of a science fiction short story by Harlan Ellison called: “I have no mouth and I must scream”? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_No_Mouth,_and_I_Must_Scream)

Could it be that AskWoody has been finally taken over by the evil AM? (Allied Mastercomputer.)

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

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Just sent one to you. Typed in Oscar and you showed up as OscarCP as the #5 entry. Used keyboard down to select and hit enter. Seems it sent OK.

Charlie: Yes, your message did get to me. I also replied. Something about “bears”?

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

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It looks like it uses the nickname field.  I changed that to CharlieHicks as there’s a lot of Charlie’s in the database and yes, the ‘search’ limits it to five entries.

Try it again please.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

CyberSAR: Well, so I’m WordPress’ guess No. 5 eh? How many OscarCPs are here? Four? More than four? Whatever: I’ve never, until I first notice this problem trying to message Charlie, seen a list like you’ve seen now and the one shown in PK’s screenshots further up: I’d just enter in “TO:” the handle of the person I was messaging and then that name would appear in small letters below (I’d guess a drop list of one?) and I’ll click on that and move on to enter the “subject” and then write the message and then click “Send” and that was that. Easy peasy. But now with Charlie … (and at least one other).

But we’ll have to wait for Susan to get to it after she’s done enjoying the latest delight from MS she’s working on.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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I just worked on it.  In the to box put in charliehicks

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

Still not working for Charlie in “New Message/TO:”, it’s the same problem as before there.

And with the other subscriber I found has the same problem too.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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It’s working for me, Edge browser, Windows 10

Try putting in the to box fredhorst and the let it sit there for a second or more to “resolve”

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

You need to put in charliehicks not just charlie

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

Susan, yes, you are right: I just tried that and it works. But this is perverse as all get out. Can anything be done to make the handle in the User Profile the same one used in PM, rather than to held a seance to ask the spirits of the wise ones dead? (And medium services don’t come cheap, you know?)

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
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1 user thanked author for this post.

wavy

Two relevant points come to mind:

(1) In, the case of Fred, I have always until now used “Fred” to address a PM message to him.
I have messaged him maybe twice this year, so this change in how to address him is recent. And I have noticed just now that his handle, the one appearing in his comments, has been changed as well. I exchanged email with him late last night, because he asked me what was going on, as he did know nothing about this. So he could not have authorized the change, because he had not heard about it.

So this has to be looked into and fixed. I know that this means dealing with WorldPress software, and that is too bad.

(2) The reason for having a handle, here and in any other public forum, is so one’s name remains private. The way to address people after the change mentioned in (1) is now much the same as requiring people to disclose their real names to others they know only by their handles — which in practice is the same as revealing one’s name to perfect strangers — so they can be contacted by them with PM.

The use of handles is not new: it goes back centuries and always have been used for the same reason outlined here. During the years before the American revolution, for example, the leading thinkers proposing a more liberal relationship with the Crown and eventually commenting in favor of the separatist option, such as Benjamin Franklin, published their opinions with handles that were the last names, or else the recognizable handles of the thinkers of the Enlightenment in Europe at the time. I think his was “Voltaire” (itself a handle). That might, with some luck, spare them also the real possibility of, at the very least, being charged with libeling the Crown and, at worst, of publishing subversive ideas and conspiracy, the penalty, depending on the judge, being a long term in prison at hard labor, or death.
Not to mention garden-variety harassment, including anonymous death threats.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

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I am going to reach out to Charlie/Fred to get some better alias.  The problem is that we have a lot of Charlies and a lot of Freds.  There has been no changes other than perhaps more Fred’s in the database.  Thus while you say “nothing has changed” a lot has changed.

I will get to this but right now I’m at work and you will need to be patient until I have time.  In the meantime I’ll reach out to Charlie and Fred regarding their nicknames/display names.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

Susan, Good to know you are going to take care of this.

By the way, what I wrote was: “I have noticed just now that his handle, the one appearing in his comments, has been changed as well.”

Generally speaking, I agree that a lot has changed. Further up in this thread I mentioned “the swallowing of the Whale” (the moving of subscribers from “Windows Secrets” to “Ask Woody”) as one of the changes. A really big one; there have been other important ones, if not that big.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

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Injecting more in the database occurred years ago and is not recent.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

Susan: “Injecting more in the database occurred years ago and is not recent.”

Yes, that has to be the case.

The common practice is that when one new pseudonym is chosen by someone, it is taken and cannot be used by later comers. The system software sees to it. I am surprised that the one from WorldPress does not work like this.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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In searching Fred and Fred Jones will both start with Fred.  Alfred is also a ‘fred’ in searching.

The alias are not the same, I mispoke.  But a name like Fred or Charlie is distinctly different than OscarCP.  They are not unique names in terms of the search engine  They are listed in the directory (way down umpteen pages),  DM is working.

You can’t search if there is a pending message unread.  In the meantime I’ll reach out to the software developer as I’ve done all I can do.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

Susan Bradley wrote:

You can’t search if there is a pending message unread. In the meantime I’ll reach out to the software developer as I’ve done all I can do.

WHAT why the heck not??

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

I don’t develop the software folks.  I just noticed that searching doesn’t work if there is an unread message.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

Oh! I see the problem, his handle is unique, but there are others that start like his but have something at the end that makes them likely to be unique.

So, to avoid having trouble with PM, one should choose a handle with a hard-to-think ending. Myself and most people add numbers, letters or a mix of both after their names (which may not even be the real names, but are names nevertheless and, therefore, often also commonly used and so common words) to avoid that.

There seems to be no remedy, no “Tech” fix, other than for someone to let you know about either themselves, or someone else being in trouble sending PMs and then you taking the time to fix this. Sorry it is like that.

One possible workaround, though, might be to make mandatory the use of connected, not separate words and endings in handles, for example: Oscar_the_Mighty_Resident_Genius, not Oscar the Mighty  …

Not exactly super easy but, as with the Whale-swallowing, doing it over a reasonable period of time could make it easier.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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That is NOT the problem, whatever you are using to parse the inputs is at fault. And of course the other problems. Use a new user profile and see what you are getting.

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

well now another complaint. I no longer even have an option to do a PM. What is going on here??

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

Can you send me a screen shot as it’s still working for me?

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

wavy, do you mean you can’t send a message to not just one, but to several people you have tried to send one?

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

whens has gone the DM option??

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

Wavy, look here, just below where one signs in to get into AskWoody:

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Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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wavy

see it now but iirc it was a head line option. is she doing a ms on us just to confuse us elder members??

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

We changed that months ago.  I even announced it in the forums as I recall?

I’m reaching out to the developer to ask about the indexing of the member listing.  We have a TON of people with no Nickname because they signed up and never completed the profile.  I can ask if we can hide them once the developer responds.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

So what is the difference between ‘display name’ and ‘nickname’? And where are each displayed. And which is in the database for DM?

🤨

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

I can now put in a name but the ‘lookup’ function is still erratic. Why IS there a lookup function at all?? Why do some searches seem to return names and not handles? Why does it return duplicate names?

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

As I told Oscar, I never used the PM Directory because in my opinion it was unusable.  All I see in the Directory are the grey ghosts and some pictures where avatars go and no member names.  I’ve always just used the “New Message” box and put the member name in myself.

As for the other questions, Susan will get it worked out.

Being 20 something in the 70's was far more fun than being 70 something in the insane 20's

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Cybertooth, wavy

I seldom use the PM function and I didn’t even know it was possible to do a search in some directory. Like you, the few times I’ve initiated a private conversation, I’ve simply typed in the name (handle, nickname or whatever the heck it’s called) of the member I wanted to contact, for example “Ascaris”.

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Same here: I’ve always used “New Messages” to send PMs. I didn’t even know there was this other way until Susan told me to try it.

But I still wonder why there was no problem messaging Fred a few months ago and now there is a problem with his handle: enter “Fred” in the TO: field in New Message and a list of 5 names, all beginning with “Alfred” drops down. What changed in AskWoody that made that so different?

And has anyone seen some comments from one of those Alfred? I don’ recall seeing anything from someone with an “Alfred” handle before.

Somehow this does not quite add up for me and still have the feeling that what changed is that a truly strange bug somewhat appeared, maybe after some update or patching of the WorldPress software, and started to chew up on the file that has the handles of all of us who have actually fully setup our Profiles.

I hope Susan and whoever is helping her manage to figure this out before I myself become a silent ghost hunting AskWoody.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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Fred

Ah Heck, I’m gonna have to go change my real name with all these changes so after I die my kids don’t look me up and find out how dumb I really was! 🙂

Good Luck Susan!

I asked last night someone here to try to send me a message from PM’s “New Message” box, as, the same as I do, it seems to me  that most people who use PM now and then do.

I read the answer this morning, and it told me that when my handle OscarCP was entered in the TO: address field, a drop down list with several “Oscars” opened and OscarCP was one of those.

So he clicked on that entry in the list and then was able to continue to proceed to enter the subject of the call and the to write and send the message

It may seem, based on my experiences of the last few days, that the list shows only five entries, the first five of what could be a longer list. So if one’s handle is No. 6 or higher, it would not be shown there and there would be no way to click on it there to enter the address of the message and be able to proceed to enter the subject and then write the message:

If the above is correct, then if one is No. 6, one is unreachable.

So: is this correct? If it is, then the problem with PM is larger than I had imagine. Perhaps much larger.

And, be it big or small, it seems to me, based on recent experience, this is a new one.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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I see what you are saying now. I’m not sure on this but previously I think I could type your name in and not have to choose from the drop-down. Now, that doesn’t seem possible. I typed your name and hit tab and enter and both times the name went away!

@Charlie @Fred

Suggestion:
Change your Display Name or Nickname in your profile to 1Charlie and 1Fred and see if that works.
That should make you two “unique” (as if you weren’t already) 🙂

PK: “Suggestion:
Change your Display Name in your profile to 1Charlie and 1Fred and see if that works.“,

There are, as can can be seen by entering “Charlie” or “Fred” in “New Message/TO:” that there are already others way ahead of that. For example, I have found there:

1charlieb” for Charlie, “Alfred something”, (several!) for Fred.

What worries me is that at most 5 entries have ever shown up.

True, mine is a small sample, but nevertheless …

So when you need to send a message to another subscriber of AskWoody, the handle of this person might be out of sight if the list only shows the first five handles in a longer list.

And this is all news to me: until earlier this year everything was same as ever: just enter the handle, get the drop down with just it, click on that and Boom!, after entering the subject, you could get on with writing the message and then send it. And have it actually received by the intended party.

The only explanation, beside that this is caused by another infamous WordPress bug, is that there has been a very large influx of new subscribers in the last few months. But it does not explain why the list is too short to show what one needs to find there.

So, I move to declare that: “This is another WP Bug!”

Anyone here who thinks so too, please lift the right hand and vote “Yes.”

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

The comment was for (addressed to) Charlie and Fred.

PK: I know, I commented on my own experience doing that too.

Now this:

For a while Charlie’s and Fred’s were changed to their previous handles plus their last names. That worked, but it was not a great idea. Later I mentioned this here, and then that reverted to “Charlie” and “Fred” (in a long comment, further up, I have explained the motivation for the centuries-old practice of not using one’s actual name when commenting in a public forum: harassment and death-threats, etc.)

And I have asked there, in that previous comment again, about whether 5 is the maximum that can be seen in the drop down list, or not. I hope someone can answer it. Because this is an important question.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

What if you don’t know Charlie or Fred’s last name? Am I missing something here?

No you didn’t miss the joker.

* _ ... _ *

Not a joke. Try it. If it’s sorted on Display Name or Nickname, “1Fred” comes before “Fred” and the “1Fred” may be unique, where just “Fred” is not.

I haven’t managed or hosted a forum in quite a few years but vBulletin and SMF were much more user friendly than this. Not a knock as I know Susan inherited this bbpress stuff but just my opinion.

OscarCP wrote:

The only explanation, beside that this is caused by another infamous WordPress bug, is that there has been a very large influx of new subscribers in the last few months. But it does not explain why the list is too short to show what one needs to find there.

To use an old American expression, maybe the bottom line is that AskWoody has gotten too big for their britches and the software can’t keep up!  🙂

 

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Cybertooth: “… AskWoody has gotten too big for their britches and the software can’t keep up!”

Maybe one could shorten that to the last five words and the statement still be true?

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
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Gentlemen:

I am reaching out to the developer of the plug in to see what can be done.

We have beaten this horse to death.

 

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

Susan1: “Gentlemen:”

gentlemen?

Susan2: “We have beaten this horse to death.”

To me, who have rode horses and made acquaintances a number of times, becoming good friends with some of them, as horses and humans may, this one looks like a real tough horse; just playing dead, I think.

Good luck with the developer.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV