|
johnm214
Registered: 05/31/07
Posts: 17,582
Loc: Americas
|
Post data warnings in firefox/other browsers
#8552479 - 06/22/08 10:56 PM (15 years, 9 months ago) |
|
|
When navigating websites I often get post data errors when using the navigation buttons (back, forward, et cet) to go back from pages with forms. This is a pain in the ass. I understand the purpose, but it is still annoying. I am aware of when I would be resubmitting the data, and don't need to be reminded.
I don't understand websites too well, but I have searched and found people saying the error message isn't neccesary and is a result of people using post comands instead of get commands. Is this true?
Either way, anyone else find these popup warnings in firefox or whatever annoying? Is there anyway to disable them? Id on't really care to see them.
And why doesn't this page have that problem? What does shroomery do differently that doesn't cause the post popups when navigating through the pages with fillable forms?
|
zouden
Neuroscientist
Registered: 11/12/07
Posts: 7,091
Loc: Australia
Last seen: 14 years, 5 months
|
Re: Post data warnings in firefox/other browsers [Re: johnm214]
#8553065 - 06/23/08 03:39 AM (15 years, 9 months ago) |
|
|
You get the error on the shroomery if you go to the Psychedelic Experience and choose a category (bottom-right) - it uses POST to select the category for some reason, so going back brings up the warning. I heard this was going to be 'solved' in future versions of firefox, but the message is still there in FF3 (though it's a bit more friendly). I find it really annoying too, and I don't think it's necessary - when I press back, I want to see the last page. Don't re-send the data! Just cache the fucking page and show it to me!
-------------------- I know... that just the smallest part of the world belongs to me You know... I'm not a blind man but truth is the hardest thing to see
|
Seuss
Error: divide byzero
Registered: 04/27/01
Posts: 23,480
Loc: Caribbean
Last seen: 1 month, 19 days
|
Re: Post data warnings in firefox/other browsers [Re: johnm214]
#8553114 - 06/23/08 04:19 AM (15 years, 9 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
I don't understand websites too well, but I have searched and found people saying the error message isn't neccesary and is a result of people using post comands instead of get commands. Is this true?
Not really.
There are two ways to send data from the web client back to the server. One method is GET, the other is POST. The GET method includes the data in the HTTPD query; in other words, the data becomes part of the "filename" being requested. Because of limits on the maximum filename length, the amount of data that can be sent via GET is fairly limited.
To fix this problem, POST data is used. POST data is submitted as "option data" rather than combined into the "filename". Because of this, POST data does not have arbitrary limits on length.
The problem you are seeing with the error message is an artifact of how the web works... the web is stateless. When you visit a page, the page is standalone. There is no dependency upon the previous page visited, or the next page to visit, as far as HTTP is concerned. Unfortunately, many applications require a certain path (of states) to accomplish a task.
To manage state, most sites create a session (stored on the server) to hold the state, and a cookie to identify the web browser to a session. When your browser sends data, it also sends the cookie. The server can look up the cookie (in a database, etc) and load the session variables to implement a stateful browsing experience.
But, there is a catch... the damned back button... the back button allows the web browser to go back in time to a previous state. Unfortunately, the web site, which is managing the state, has no idea that the browser has gone back in time. This causes no end of headaches when you move forward again after going back, resubmitting the data you entered twice... from the wrong state, no less...
The problem gets even worse when you have several pages in a row that are all created within context of the previous page. Now, if I am at the third page, and I hit the back button, the web browser has to submit data to the first page to regenerate the second page that is to be displayed.
There really is no solution... other than to redesign how the web works, which isn't going to happen. The only other alternative is to pop up a warning message so that the user knows they are potentially confusing the stateful relation that the web site is trying to maintain with the web browser. One of those "proceed at your own risk and don't blame us if it doesn't work" type of warnings...
-------------------- Just another spore in the wind.
|
zouden
Neuroscientist
Registered: 11/12/07
Posts: 7,091
Loc: Australia
Last seen: 14 years, 5 months
|
Re: Post data warnings in firefox/other browsers [Re: Seuss]
#8553167 - 06/23/08 04:53 AM (15 years, 9 months ago) |
|
|
But I don't understand why the browser can't just load the page from cache and not send any data.
-------------------- I know... that just the smallest part of the world belongs to me You know... I'm not a blind man but truth is the hardest thing to see
|
Seuss
Error: divide byzero
Registered: 04/27/01
Posts: 23,480
Loc: Caribbean
Last seen: 1 month, 19 days
|
Re: Post data warnings in firefox/other browsers [Re: zouden]
#8553228 - 06/23/08 05:19 AM (15 years, 9 months ago) |
|
|
> But I don't understand why the browser can't just load the page from cache and not send any data.
Because what is in the cache may no longer be valid, and more often than not, the web site told the web browser not to cache the page (thus there is nothing to load from the cache).
-------------------- Just another spore in the wind.
|
Seuss
Error: divide byzero
Registered: 04/27/01
Posts: 23,480
Loc: Caribbean
Last seen: 1 month, 19 days
|
Re: Post data warnings in firefox/other browsers [Re: zouden]
#8553233 - 06/23/08 05:22 AM (15 years, 9 months ago) |
|
|
Two is not always better than one..
-------------------- Just another spore in the wind.
Edited by Seuss (06/24/08 01:08 PM)
|
johnm214
Registered: 05/31/07
Posts: 17,582
Loc: Americas
|
Re: Post data warnings in firefox/other browsers [Re: Seuss]
#8557933 - 06/24/08 10:56 AM (15 years, 9 months ago) |
|
|
Double post.
I think you didn't clear your post data there buddy
Thanks for the explanation though.
I still stand by my request to disable that stupid message though. A blank page would be fine, with the message on it explaining the post data thing, for when someone tries to navigate to a page not in cache and that doesn't exist anymore or whatever.
I really don't care about seeing the data, just trying to navigate backwards.
Down with post data warnings, especially popups
|
|