Option to preview message by default before post or automatically

[alegotardo]

I once made this suggestion in the local tab, but I do not think I ever brought it here.
Sometimes we create posts that have a lot of formatting or many quotes, we edit the quotes and it ends up being a little complicated to maintain consistency.

Who has never clicked on "Post" and needed to go back to correct something? In a hurry, sometimes we forget to click "Preview" before sending something.

What do you think if there was an option where we could activate "Preview" before click to "Post"?
It does not need to be it mandatory for all users, but rather give each user the option to "force themselves" to do it.

Alternatively, it would be interesting if the system could automatically update the preview as we type message, and to reach the "Post" button we would have to scroll through the preview, this would force us to "take a look" even briefly, before posting.

EDIT - CLOSED
Best answer (I need to suggest this feature too!)

[Mia Chloe]

Alternatively, it would be interesting if the system could automatically update the preview as we type message, and to reach the "Post" button we would have to scroll through the preview, this would force us to "take a look" even briefly, before posting.

There's already a script for this that automatically updates your drafts as you type in the field box try looking up tyninjas scripts it should be among them. Nevertheless as for the function you are asking it's not really necessary  even if you have a point.  For me I read even after making the post if there are mistakes you can edit even after posting.

If you are a bit skeptical, it takes a while for the forum to recognise edited posts and mark as edited which means it won't be obvious if you edit it within 5 minutes of posting.

[promise444c5]

There's already a script for this that automatically updates your drafts as you type in the field box try looking up tyninjas scripts it should be among them.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5480688.0

[TypoTonic]

There's already a script for this that automatically updates your drafts as you type in the field box try looking up tyninjas scripts it should be among them.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5480688.0

I think you guys misunderstood the OP. He isn't talking about drafts, he just wants to automatically preview posts before posting.

Who has never clicked on "Post" and needed to go back to correct something? In a hurry, sometimes we forget to click "Preview" before sending something.

There's really no reason to be in a hurry in the first place. You can also just edit your post in case you forgot to add something.

What do you think if there was an option where we could activate "Preview" before click to "Post"?
It does not need to be it mandatory for all users, but rather give each user the option to "force themselves" to do it.

Alternatively, it would be interesting if the system could automatically update the preview as we type message, and to reach the "Post" button we would have to scroll through the preview, this would force us to "take a look" even briefly, before posting.

I don't think it's necessary. Can't you just "force yourself" and make it a habit to press alt+p instead?

[promise444c5]

There's already a script for this that automatically updates your drafts as you type in the field box try looking up tyninjas scripts it should be among them.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5480688.0

I think you guys misunderstood the OP. He isn't talking about drafts, he just wants to automatically preview posts before posting.

Ohh yeah.. about that, I only provided the url for anyone  that may be interested to check it out since it was pointed out by Mia already . I was going to to edit the post by the way but it won’t be necessary anymore since you already quoted it

Alternatively, it would be interesting if the system could automatically update the preview as we type message, and to reach the "Post" button we would have to scroll through the preview, this would force us to "take a look" even briefly, before posting.

Well, I don’t think it will be added but I might just have found what will work for you.. Try this :

Code:

// ==UserScript==
// @name        Auto-Save Draft for BitcoinTalk.org [modified +preview]
// @description Auto-Saves your post drafts on BitcoinTalk.org
// @match       https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=post*
// @grant       none
// @version     1.2
// @author      TryNinja
// @namespace https://greasyfork.org/users/1070272
// @downloadURL https://update.greasyfork.org/scripts/484095/Auto-Save%20Draft%20for%20BitcoinTalkorg.user.js
// @updateURL https://update.greasyfork.org/scripts/484095/Auto-Save%20Draft%20for%20BitcoinTalkorg.meta.js
// ==/UserScript==

// "Drafts are saved whenever you preview or post a topic, post, or PM. Up to 100 drafts are kept. Drafts are deleted after 7 days."
// WARNING: Be mindful that a low interval might make you override your entire draft history in a go, since there is a limit of 100 drafts.

const INTERVAL_SECONDS = 60;

let initialMessage = getCurrentMessage();
let lastModifiedMessage;
let draftIndicatorElement;

function currentTimeUTC() {
  const date = new Date();

  const horaUTC = date.getUTCHours();
  const minutoUTC = date.getUTCMinutes();
  const segundoUTC = date.getUTCSeconds();
  return `${horaUTC.toString().padStart(2, '0')}:${minutoUTC.toString().padStart(2, '0')}:${segundoUTC.toString().padStart(2, '0')} UTC`;
}

function textToEntities(text) {
  let entities = "";
  for (let i = 0; i < text.length; i++) {
    if (text.charCodeAt(i) > 127) entities += "&#" + text.charCodeAt(i) + ";";
    else entities += text.charAt(i);
  }
  return entities;
}

function insertDraftStatusIndicator() {
  const messageArea = document.querySelector("#postmodify textarea[name=message]");
  const indicatorElement = document.createElement("p");
  indicatorElement.id = "draftIndicator";
  indicatorElement.textContent = "Auto-Save draft is activated!";
  messageArea.after(indicatorElement);
  draftIndicatorElement = document.querySelector('p[id=draftIndicator]');
}

function addEventListenerToPreviewButton() {
  const previewButton = document.querySelector('input[name=preview]');
  previewButton.addEventListener('click', function() {
    const currentMessage = getCurrentMessage();
    lastModifiedMessage = currentMessage;
    draftIndicatorElement.style = "color: green;";
    draftIndicatorElement.textContent = `Draft saved manually @ ${currentTimeUTC()}`;
  });
}

function getCurrentMessage() {
  const message = document.querySelector("#postmodify textarea[name=message]").value;
  return textToEntities(message.replace(/&#/g, "&#38;#")).replace(/\+/g, "%2B");
}

async function draft(message) {
  var i, x = new Array();
  var textFields = ["subject", "message", "icon", "guestname", "email", "evtitle", "question", "topic"];
  var numericFields = [
    "board", "topic", "num_replies",
    "eventid", "calendar", "year", "month", "day",
    "poll_max_votes", "poll_expire", "poll_change_vote", "poll_hide"
  ];
  var checkboxFields = ["ns"];

 for (i in textFields) {
    if (document.forms.postmodify.elements[textFields[i]]) {
      x[x.length] = textFields[i] + "=" + escape(textToEntities(document.forms.postmodify[textFields[i]].value.replace(/&#/g, "&#38;#"))).replace(/\+/g, "%2B");
    }
  }
  for (i in numericFields) {
    if (document.forms.postmodify.elements[numericFields[i]] && typeof(document.forms.postmodify[numericFields[i]].value) != "undefined") {
      x[x.length] = numericFields[i] + "=" + parseInt(document.forms.postmodify.elements[numericFields[i]].value);
    }
  }

  for (i in checkboxFields) {
    if (document.forms.postmodify.elements[checkboxFields[i]] && document.forms.postmodify.elements[checkboxFields[i]].checked) {
      x[x.length] = checkboxFields[i] + "=" + document.forms.postmodify.elements[checkboxFields[i]].value;
    }
  }
  const payload = x.join("&");

  let postUrl = window.smf_scripturl + "?action=post2";
  if (typeof window.current_board !== 'undefined' && window.current_board) postUrl += ";board=" + window.current_board;
  if (typeof window.make_poll !== 'undefined' && window.make_poll) postUrl += ";poll";
  postUrl += ";preview;xml";

  const res = await fetch(postUrl, {
    "body": payload,
    "method": "POST",
    "headers": {
      "Content-Type": "application/x-www-form-urlencoded"
    },
    "mode": "cors",
    "credentials": "include"
  });


  if (res.status === 200) {
    lastModifiedMessage = message;
    draftIndicatorElement.style = "color: green;";
    draftIndicatorElement.textContent = `Draft saved @ ${currentTimeUTC()}`;
    const xmlText = await res.text();
    const parser = new DOMParser();
    const xmlDoc = parser.parseFromString(xmlText, "text/xml");
    const previewSection = document.getElementById("preview_section");
    if (previewSection) {
      previewSection.style.display = "";
    }
    if (typeof window.onDocSent === "function") {
      window.onDocSent(xmlDoc);
    }
  } else {
    draftIndicatorElement.style = "color: red;";
    draftIndicatorElement.textContent = `Draft failed @ ${currentTimeUTC()}`;
  }
}

(() => {
  insertDraftStatusIndicator();
  addEventListenerToPreviewButton();

  setInterval(() => {
    const currentMessage = getCurrentMessage();
    if (initialMessage !== currentMessage && lastModifiedMessage !== currentMessage) {
      draft(currentMessage);
    }
  }, INTERVAL_SECONDS * 1000)

})()

It’s a modified version of the same script from TryNinja [modified by me ] .. let me know if it resolves your issue .

[TypoTonic]

-snip-

Ohh yeah.. about that, I only provided the url for anyone  that may be interested to check it out since it was pointed out by Mia already . I was going to to edit the post by the way but it won’t be necessary anymore since you already quoted it

That's my bad. I only replied based on your snipped quote, but I should've read the entirety of Mia's post.

It’s a modified version of the same script from TryNinja [modified by me ]

I just tried it and it works. I must say, that's pretty cool! Although I still prefer alt+p since that's what I'm used to, but this is definitely what OP is looking for. +1

[OgNasty]

Who has never clicked on "Post" and needed to go back to correct something? In a hurry, sometimes we forget to click "Preview" before sending something.

There's really no reason to be in a hurry in the first place. You can also just edit your post in case you forgot to add something.

Exactly.  If you want to see a preview, then hit the preview button.  That is a much better alternative than forcing everyone to have to take another step to make a post.  The edit button exists for a reason.  I personally use dictation to make a lot of my posts and sometimes they come out stating the exact opposite of what I'm trying to say (i.e. maybe a don't is changed to a do).  While some people may take issue with you going back and editing posts to make clarifications or corrections, it is actually totally normal and not something to be afraid of doing.

[Alpha Marine]

There is no maximum number of times needed to edit a post, so you can edit it as long as you want. Nobody has ever been beheaded for making a mistake while making a post. Even with what you propose, mistakes will still be made, and posts will still need editing. Sometimes, when I make a post, before clicking "post", I click on "preview" and read through the post, only for me to check later and see an error. Making mistakes is normal; that is why there is an edit feature.
Making grammatical or typographical errors is not a big deal to me. It becomes an issue only when the post is filled with them, like in almost every line, and this can only happen when the person is not paying attention to what he is doing, and even at that, he can still edit it after posting.
Other mistakes, like forgetting to post a link or the correct image link, are errors that can be easily fixed.

[JustBeKause]

The edit button exists for a reason.  I personally use dictation to make a lot of my posts and sometimes they come out stating the exact opposite of what I'm trying to say (i.e. maybe a don't is changed to a do).  While some people may take issue with you going back and editing posts to make clarifications or corrections, it is actually totally normal and not something to be afraid of doing.

First of all, I have high doubts you use dictation to write your slop on this forum. My rationale is because you like to be a "satoshi-poser". I.e. - you have two spaces after the end of every one of your sentences. Are you really dictating "space space" after every sentence you write, lul? 

Second of all, the edit button privilege should be removed from forum users like yourself: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5572127.0

Don't come to meta and argue the proper use case of the edit feature and how innocent it can be used. Don't come here and imply that there should be no worry of scrutiny for over editing and over deleting. It's bad-faith behavior and it will send new forum users down a shitty path.

[rat03gopoh]

Who has never clicked on "Post" and needed to go back to correct something? In a hurry, sometimes we forget to click "Preview" before sending something.

There might be a more plausible reason than posting "in a hurry", it seems like a proposal to save the sigspammer/alt farming behavior (not accusing you of that, either). lol
What if the reason is: the "post" and "preview" buttons have almost no space on the mobile display. Or if I enable the translator addon, it will reposition those buttons.

[AVE5]

What do you think if there was an option where we could activate "Preview" before click to "Post"?
It does not need to be it mandatory for all users, but rather give each user the option to "force themselves" to do it.

Let's not contradict this propose to the feature we already have here.
With how much I can put my thoughts to match what your point of view is here, it still seems to serve the same where the POST and POST icon's remains an option for the user to decide if preview before post or Post's without being previewed.
No matter how we twist it, the preview preview option will ever remain manually operated because only you can detect when you want to preview your texts. Automatic can never be an option.

[Lucius]

~snip~
There might be a more plausible reason than posting "in a hurry", it seems like a proposal to save the sigspammer/alt farming behavior (not accusing you of that, either). lol

That would be really useful for some, especially the ones you mention. I personally don't need something like that because I'm not in a hurry, and I know that it's completely normal and common for me to review the post before I publish it.

This is a forum, not a chat - so why rush into posting until you're sure everything is as it should be?

[MarryWithBTC]

Who has never clicked on "Post" and needed to go back to correct something? In a hurry, sometimes we forget to click "Preview" before sending something.

There's really no reason to be in a hurry in the first place. You can also just edit your post in case you forgot to add something.

Exactly.  If you want to see a preview, then hit the preview button.  That is a much better alternative than forcing everyone to have to take another step to make a post.  The edit button exists for a reason.  I personally use dictation to make a lot of my posts and sometimes they come out stating the exact opposite of what I'm trying to say (i.e. maybe a don't is changed to a do).  While some people may take issue with you going back and editing posts to make clarifications or corrections, it is actually totally normal and not something to be afraid of doing.

Even if there is an upgrade of the system to force preview on everyone, there are some who will rather see it as a waste of time. They will end up scrolling speedily in order to skip the preview and post hastily. I don't understand why people should make hasty posts. Spending a few minutes to preview my post will give me the re-assurance to submit.

[alegotardo]

It’s a modified version of the same script from TryNinja [modified by me ] .. let me know if it resolves your issue .

Wowww!!
Thank you, this script is perfect!