Checking who is still having login problems

[Graeme]

Dude made a change a couple of hours ago. I want to find out how many people have been having problems SINCE that time.

So can you please answer this poll based on what has happened since the date of THIS post.

Graeme

[Cole Parker]

Well, it didn't kick me out this time. But I bet it will next time.

C

[colinian]

I found that when I go back to the forum list and it shows that I'm not logged in, if I do a refresh (F5 in IE) if fixes the problem. So, knowing that, I can work around the problem.

I just got an idea. When I was in my web design class we had a big discussion about session cookies. Could this problem be related to session cookies not causing an update on the main forum page? Maybe forcing a refresh on the main forum page would fix the problem.

Colin

[Tanuki Racoon]

I found that when I go back to the forum list and it shows that I'm not logged in, if I do a refresh (F5 in IE) if fixes the problem. So, knowing that, I can work around the problem.

This does not work for me.

As long as I stay on the page, I stay logged in (REMEMBER ME) however once I quit my browser and re-start the log-in doesn't remember me. This leads me to believe you are correct that it's something with session cookies because in ONE session it works once I log in. The second session fails.

[Graeme]

I had to re-login after Dude made his change when I changed from my work laptop to my home PC. However I've had absolutely no problems on my home PC since then, despite several reboots. I haven't gone back to my work laptop, though (and don't intend to for a few days -- it's a public holiday here today and I do NOT intend to do any work -- at least paying work).

[Cole Parker]

I'm being allowed to post a reply here. Some places in the forum I can, some I can't. Exceedingly weird.

One thing I notice, and I'm too illiterate when disucssing computers, and you can all snicker, but if it helps, good. It probably won't.

When I click on the Reply button, it takes a second or two to pull up this page I'm now writing on. While those seconds are passing, I normally have my normal mouse arrow visible on the screen. When I'm going to be kicked off, the arrow changes to an hourglass and a Microsoft message saying it's shutting down the window occurs.

When I'm allowed to post, the arrow is flickering very briefly, maybe milliseconds, then remains an arrow instead of an hourglass, suggesting to me it's in the process of maybe deciding to kick me off, or not. But something's happening in that time.

I'll leave it to you guys to figure it out.

I sure can't.

Cole

[Tanuki Racoon]

Cole: Do you know how to update the following two items on your system:

1. The mouse driver

2. Your Java Engine?

If so, try that. Those are the two most likely culprits. Also if your system is set to use Microsoft's Java Engine, download and install Sun's and use real Java. Microsoft's Java engine is famously buggy.

[Cole Parker]

WBMS:

I only speak and read English.

Non comprende.

C

[colinian]

This does not work for me.

As long as I stay on the page, I stay logged in (REMEMBER ME) however once I quit my browser and re-start the log-in doesn't remember me. This leads me to believe you are correct that it's something with session cookies because in ONE session it works once I log in. The second session fails.

OK, I didn't try that. I usually keep my browser open. I'll try it now (10:21 p.m. PST) and report back in a minute or so.

Colin

[colinian]

OK, I didn't try that. I usually keep my browser open. I'll try it now (10:21 p.m. PST) and report back in a minute or so.

Colin

I'm back (10:22 p.m. PST). I had closed IE, restarted it, went to ADForums, and I was still logged in.

I'd think that if I shut down Windows, which I almost never do unless I install an update or new program that makes me reboot, then the cookie would "disappear" and I wouldn't be still logged in.

Colin

[Graeme]

I'm back (10:22 p.m. PST). I had closed IE, restarted it, went to ADForums, and I was still logged in.

I'd think that if I shut down Windows, which I almost never do unless I install an update or new program that makes me reboot, then the cookie would "disappear" and I wouldn't be still logged in.

Colin

There are two types of cookies. Session cookies remain while an instance of the browser is open (it doesn't have to be the same browser window that you originally used to access the site). The other type of cookie is stored on your hard disk and only disappears if you actively remove them.

Therefore, if you have completely closed all of your browser windows and when you start them up and find yourself still logged onto AD, you should also find the same after a reboot.

[colinian]

OK there are two separate but probably related problems:

1. If you click "Remember me?" on the logon screen, it doesn't remember you the next time you log in.
   
2. If you navigate to a number of different forum pages then use the Back button to move back to the Forum home page, it shows you as not logged in.
   

This is probably a cookies problem. For those who might not know, a "cookie" is a very small string of data stored on your computer by a web page. It contains some information that is put there by the web site so they know if you have been to their site before, what your login ID and password are, etc. The data is almost always encrypted. Good web site design says that the web site should be a database of users, assign each of them unique code like a member # they assign to you, and store that code in the cookie on your PC. Done that way, cookies are not a spyware or any other kind of threat.

There are two basic types of cookies:

Persistent cookies are stored on your PC with no expiration date or one very far out in the future. Usually Windows will delete old cookies when they expire.

Session cookies can have a code and/or other information like which page on the site you started from and which other pages on the site you've visited this time.

This is simplistic, but it will maybe, possibly, explain what's going on with the AD forums.

To make #1 above work, a Persistent cookie has to be stored on a user's PC and then be retrieved each you visit the web site.

To make #2 above work, a Session cookie has to be stored on a user's PC and then be retrieved each time you visit any/most pages on the web site.

If storing and retrieving cookies isn't working on the web site's system, they won't be created, stored, and retrieved correctly. This is one possible explanation about what's going on with the AD forums.

Colin

[colinian]

There are two types of cookies. Session cookies remain while an instance of the browser is open (it doesn't have to be the same browser window that you originally used to access the site). The other type of cookie is stored on your hard disk and only disappears if you actively remove them.

Therefore, if you have completely closed all of your browser windows and when you start them up and find yourself still logged onto AD, you should also find the same after a reboot.

I just installed an update, a non-MS application, that required a reboot. While it was waiting for me to decide "now" or "later" in the reboot dialog box, I opened IE7, went to AD, logged on, went to one of the topics, back to the main forum (I was still logged in), closed IE7, then clicked "OK" in the reboot dialog box. After Windows restarted I ran IE7, went to AD, and I was still logged in.

Colin

[DesDownunder]

Dude made a change a couple of hours ago. I want to find out how many people have been having problems SINCE that time.

So can you please answer this poll based on what has happened since the date of THIS post.

Graeme

Logged on OK with my Homepage Tab in IE7.

Clicked on AwesomeDud.com link on Forum Index page (top left hand corner) and was directed to AwesomeDude Homepage in a new instance of IE7.

Then clicked on the AD Forums link on that page and it went back to the Forums Index, not logged on.

Original Forum page is still OK and logged on.

Beats me! I can live with it.

[colinian]

Logged on OK with my Homepage Tab in IE7.

Clicked on AwesomeDud.com link on Forum Index page (top left hand corner) and was directed to AwesomeDude Homepage in a new instance of IE7.

Then clicked on the AD Forums link on that page and it went back to the Forums Index, not logged on.

Original Forum page is still OK and logged on.

Beats me! I can live with it.

Des, can you repeat this and when you get to the Forums Index press function key F5 and see if the refresh fixes things so it then shows that you're logged on?

Colin

[DesDownunder]

Des, can you repeat this and when you get to the Forums Index press function key F5 and see if the refresh fixes things so it then shows that you're logged on?

Colin

Hi Colin,

I have done as you ask and refresh doesn't help, still logged out.

I also tried adding a question mark (?) to the URL in the address bar which forces a full reload of the page and still the homepage does not log me on.

This page still has me logged in and seems to be fully functional.

Aha! I have found something.

The link I use to log on with in my IE7 homepage Tab is

http://www.awesomedude.com/adboard/index.php?

The "AD Forums" link on AD's homepage is

http://awesomedude.com/adboard/index.php

Notice the difference is that AD Forums link does not have the ? or the "www" in it.

I tried this again. The ? does not affect it, but the missing 'www' does.

So if I insert the www into the address the homepage comes up logged in.

Do I get a free Ken doll for my discovery?

[colinian]

Hi Colin,

I have done as you ask and refresh doesn't help, still logged out.

I also tried adding a question mark (?) to the URL in the address bar which forces a full reload of the page and still the homepage does not log me on.

This page still has me logged in and seems to be fully functional.

Aha! I have found something.

The link I use to log on with in my IE7 homepage Tab is

http://www.awesomedude.com/adboard/index.php?

The "AD Forums" link on AD's homepage is

http://awesomedude.com/adboard/index.php

Notice the difference is that AD Forums link does not have the ? or the "www" in it.

I tried this again. The ? does not affect it, but the missing 'www' does.

So if I insert the www into the address the homepage comes up logged in.

Do I get a free Ken doll for my discovery?

Des, you identified the problem in the link from the AD homepage. The link in my Favorites has both the 'www' and the ?.

Dude, I think Des definitely deserves a Ken doll, complete with appropriate appendages!

Colin

[dude]

OK.. I have changed the link on the Home Page to just /adboard/index.php which generates the link http://www.awesomedude.com/adboard/index.php in your browsers.

[Cole Parker]

Congrats, Des. That change Dude made fixed mine, too.

And mine needed fixing. Oh, wait, we're still talking computers here.

I think you deserve more than a doll for this, even if it is anatomically correct. How about a big wet kiss?

Cole

[DesDownunder]

Congrats, Des. That change Dude made fixed mine, too.

And mine needed fixing. Oh, wait, we're still talking computers here.

I think you deserve more than a doll for this, even if it is anatomically correct. How about a big wet kiss?

Cole

A big wet kiss? Oh all right but just don't try to log in whilst we kiss.

Uh oh I have said the wrong thing again?

Thanks guys I was just lucky to notice the missing www.

[TalonRider]

It will be interesting to see what happens when I get back to work on Monday. I was having login issues with The Talon House and GA. Almost 2 weeks ago, just before the hard drive decided to take a dump on me, the issue was gone. During the time that I didn't have a computer in my office, I had to work elsewhere and had no problems logging in to those sites.

They brought the computer back late Thursday afternoon and I was off Friday to attend a workshop on 'Mistake-Free Grammar and Proofreading' so I didn't get a chance to check things out.

Jan

[Mountain Dude]

Notice the difference is that AD Forums link does not have the ? or the "www" in it.

I tried this again. The ? does not affect it, but the missing 'www' does.

So if I insert the www into the address the homepage comes up logged in.

Do I get a free Ken doll for my discovery?

Yep -- that works for me too

[blue]

A tentative "Eureka!" then.

Well, an anatomically correct Ken doll might be spiffy, but why not someone other than Ken? Personality and looks both... hmm... I just think I'd like someone besides Ken more.

OOH! Story idea... gotta write it down. OK, excited about that one, though I have others before it.

You *will* see stories from me some day.

[Cole Parker]

Well, an anatomically correct Ken doll might be spiffy, but why not someone other than Ken? Personality and looks both... hmm... I just think I'd like someone besides Ken more.

Me too. I've always found him quite shallow. His personality is, well, plastic.

Cole

[DesDownunder]

Ken is shallow? Plastic? Sorry I didn't know that. I wouldn't want anything to do with a shallow, plastic, anatomical correct doll. would I?