How to use the Quote feature....and other questions about the share symbol....

I'm sorry... I know what a share symbol is.  But where is it?  

Ron

Ok... It appears to be a browser issue.  I use Chrome.  I can  not see the share symbol in Chrome but I can see the share symbol in Safari.  Great company this Crowdstack is.  I thought developers where supposed to make their stuff work on multiple platforms?

Chrome

Safari

I'm sorry Alan, but "Copy link to reply" is not a replacement for quoting... I really hope we can regain that quoting functionality that most of us used effectively as you sort things out with this upgrade. And to blame it on the upgrade is disingenuous as it appears to be an OGR decision:

https://hey.crowdstack.com/sup...s-back-several-years

EDIT:

It is further confirmed that the Quoting issue is an OGR decision as you can see the customized edit clearly here:

https://ogrforum.com/...ss-1584140144000.css

One can override this setting client side by injecting this CSS in their browser or via a proxy or any other number of ways:

.h-quote-menu-item {
 display: unset !important;
}

I guess this is my bottom line... While some have misused & abused the quoting functionality, many many more used it to great effect and the benefits outweigh what I perceive to be a vocal minority. Nobody is has been reaching out to OGR every time they saw an effective quoting operation and said "Gee, this quote tied this response together despite the rats nest of tangents on this thread. Please don't take quoting away". But there were some when their feathers got ruffled by a misuse of a quote, by george OGR heard about it. To bad OGR couldn't have conducted a poll of sorts to really determine a representative sentiment. But this is OGR's forum, and they can do as they please with it. It is just a shame that a useful engagement tool has been removed. I'll be less inclined to engage and share my help with others if I have to put more effort into deciphering a wall "geocities" looking copy paste and subsequent reformat and spent more time formatting my responses to have proper looking quotes.

Since I don't see the share symbol with FF, that option doesn't work well for me.  Here's all I see.

Kind of like upgrading from Windows 7 to 10. Moderate learning curve follows....

https://ogrforum.com/...2#138682179728734472

I clicked the share button

Clicked on Copy Link to reply

Pasted it into this new post.

Is this how it's supposed to work?  Just show a link to a thread I'm already replying to?

Real change for "improvement" is good.  Change for the sake of change with no value added, is stupid.

Wow! Tough crowd...As requested,I  think we should give Alan some time to research solutions. For what it's worth, I use the Chrome browser and the share symbol has been visible on my devices since the upgrade.

John

bmoran4Member:
"I'm sorry Alan, but "Copy link to reply" is not a replacement for quoting... I really hope we can regain that quoting functionality that most of us used effectively as you sort things out with this upgrade. And to blame it on the upgrade is disingenuous as it appears to be an OGR decision"

FWIW, when Rich posted that it was "fixed" to Crowdstack  yesterday ,the "Reply with quote" option was indeed functional.

John MeynckeMember Digital Subscriber

I also use Chrome, and there's no sign of any share symbol. Had to use copy and paste for this.

https://ogrforum.com/...7#138682179729104377

I guess you missed where Rich said he had the configuration settings to disable the reply with quote and that "we just may do that" 

ACDX Rob, 

Can you share how exactly you do quoting to make it look like the old way in your posts?  When I do it, it just pasted a link?

Thanks

Ron

OK... For those who can NOT see the share symbol, check you Ad Blockers.  I disabled the ad blocker in Chrome and Share is now visible.

Ron

https://ogrforum.com/...c/138682179727710928

I think mine is working same as Ron045 re: the pasting as Alan suggested.  The above was supposed to be a quote of Alan's post. It's a link alright, but it certainly does not look like a quote.  Using Firefox 74.0 on a Windows PC.

I do seed the Share icon.  It would be nice if the Copy item was above all the other social media platforms.  But I guess with Facebook being the number one big brother ....er.. I mean social media site, I guess that's why it needs to be on top.  {edit: I now see all those other options only exist on the opening post for a thread, so I guess it may not be too bad... all the subsequent posts just show the Copy item}

Ironically, while I can see all the other pics ADCX Rob posted (ie, Firefox version example), I can't see the one where he is trying to share his quote method with us.  {edit:  seems that's on my end.  my anti virus doesn't like something about a certificate at URL:www.upl.co}

I'm starting to think the main purpose of this upgrade was to defeat ad-blocking software. (not by OGR, by Crowdstack, the underlying part the OGR folks have no control over)

-Dave

OGR CEO Publisher posted:

...If you want to quote someone in order to respond to their post, you will click on the share symbol and then copy it. When you get ready to respond on the thread, just paste what you copied first...then go ahead and make your response and publish it to the thread. You will see that a link to the post you copied and are responding to is there. 

I prefer the previous "reply with quote" method.  Yes, quote sometimes, if not often was not used most efficiently where a quote user could or should've trimmed the original source post so as not to regurgitate a sometimes long multi-subject and picture filled post for a response to one specific item within.  Trying to include multiple quotes has become a chore over the past several "updates" to forum software unless your ability to html source-code or whatever it's called is up to snuff.

Another NOW-MISSING feature is when selecting Print Topic, the ability to select single, 10 or 100 posts.  Sometimes I would print a thread (either PDF or paper) for future reference and the ability to see all the topic's posts is more useful than the current software's single/individual post version.

The previous "reply with quote" method was being badly abused. People would re-post a dozen photos, only to add, “Nice pictures!” at the bottom of the post. Photo-centric threads became a mess and almost impossible to read.

Attempts to change this bad habit fell on deaf ears. So we disabled the feature. That’s the reason...no more, no less.

I get it, but the result could be worse.

I could just ignore the picture threads, knowing that would happen (or grin and bear it and just slog through it).

Now if I want to reply to include several other members (trimmed - I almost NEVER quote in entirety) posts to add to a discussion, I may just sit it out, since it's so much more involved to do so now.

I'm not the most prolific poster, so I guess not a huge loss if it comes to that.  Hopefully it doesn't drive too many people in that direction though.

-Dave

https://ogrforum.com/...4#138682179732870344

I must be an  idiot.  I'm trying to follow the directions and can not get my reply with quote to look like ADCX Rob's or Keystone's.  I've turned off Ad blocker, used three browsers, and android and an iphone and all it does is paste this link.

If the problem was excessive reply of pictures, why didn't you just disable the copying of pics when we clicked Reply with Quote?

Very Frustrating.

I don't see a share button on chrome either. Not worth the aggravation. I'll just copy and paste. No way we'll have any redundant quotes with this setup LOL!

Because the needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many.   [/sarcasm]

It would be helpful if you stated what method you used to do that quote though.  I think it's more than just Ron045 that can't get it to work the way the instructions suggest. (my attempts have resulted in only textual links as well)

In my case for the above, I did a screen shot and pasted it in to the reply box (I'm noticing now that you have a photo attachment as well, so was it the same method?). 

Of course it's a picture now, not text, so if I wanted to highlight a section or something, I could not.

-Dave

Alan posted: "If you want to quote someone in order to respond to their post, you will click on the share symbol and then copy it.  When you get ready to respond on the thread, just paste what you copied first...then go ahead and make your response and publish it to the thread.  You will see that a link to the post you copied and are responding to is there."

Where is the share symbol?  Can't use it if it is not there. I am using Firefox. All I see is the "Copy Link to Reply" link, the "Report Reply & Printer Friendly Format" link, and the Like symbol. This really sucks. I come here to relax not be frustrated by stupid changes.

I'm glad nobody complained about the misuse of the English language.  Sometimes people misspell words and/or make grammatical errors.  I wouldn't be too happy here if English was not allowed too.

https://ogrforum.com/...c/138682179727710928

Just checking to see how this works... 

EDIT:  Took a couple tries, but I think I have it figured out.  

Mitch 

OK.....It has taken me a while to mop up the my blood and sew up the wounds.  First...let me address a comment above made by Brian (bmoran4).  My intention was NOT to be "disingenuous".  I didn't say that OGR can't make any changes...read my post above more closely. 

In any case, I was merely trying to help those that wanted to know how to quote under the current way of doing so.   Yes...it is more of a re-direct to a post rather than a quote as we had been used to.  Rich and I discussed what to do about the quote feature since Crowdstack made these changes a few days ago and everything looked so different.  Honestly, we thought this quote change would satisfy the majority of folks but it appears that may not be the case.  All we ever heard was folks complaining about the long quotes within threads and the misuse of the quote function...not taking time to copy and paste leaving out the pictures, etc.  

I will be the first one to admit that I am not as smart as my phone or computer and don't like big changes but each and EVERY time there has been a change in format on this site, we have had a bunch of complaints as to how much better the previous format was as compared to the new one.  Hey...I don't like a lot about this new format but MOST of what has been changed, we can not change back and can only contact Crowdstack to see what they can or are willing to do.  Why the heck some of you can't see the share button and others can is a mystery to me but I assure you that Rich is working hard to clean up the aftermath of these "upgrades".  We do want CONSTRUCTIVE suggestions as well as any problems you are having....we need to know BUT you have to give us time to address all of this.  Some we can change or modify and others (most) we can't and we all will just have to get used to....again....just as we have a multitude of times in the past. 

Finally....Rich and I will discuss working on the quote function so that it will work as it did before or as close as possible...but please use it sparingly and responsibly.

Thanks for your understanding....

I see the same thing Forest (above) sees, with no "share" button or capability. I use Firefox as my browser and do have an ad blocker installed, which I intend to keep installed, not because of this forum, but because of so many other sites I visit. Personally, I liked the "Reply With Quote" capability that was previously in place, but I also took the time--not that much time was required--to learn how to use it properly and to only quote brief and relevant sections of the post I was responding to. VERY rarely needed to include a previously posted photo in my reply, and almost never needed to quote the entire post made by a member.

At present, it appears that about all I can conveniently do is edit my own post.

Allan, 

Not sure what ad blocker you are using, but the one I use allows me to disable ad blocker on certain web sites.  So I disabled on OGR and the share icon returned.  Along with the all of the colorful sponsor blocks at the top of the page.  

Reply with Quote is still dead however. 

Thanks for the updates Rich. I'm sure this was not how you folks planned to spend your weekend. Not like there's anything else to do right now....

As for the "reply with quote" feature. I used it often and properly (delete extra pix, etc), found it to be very convenient. A straight up copy and paste works just as well and I will do that until the feature returns (?).

I'm using firefox/ win 10/ with Ad block plus, and the icons both appear on my screen.

Still don't like the new email format. They took out the body of the post so now I'm not sure which post is getting "liked"

Bob

Alan, please don't change the quote function back to what it was.  It's been a pleasure to read threads without encountering the duplicate strings of photos with a mere "thanks" for the original comment; or, similar misuses.

I, too, liked the "reply with quote" feature but used it as it was intended.  I will gladly accept the additional few seconds it takes to copy and paste to be rid of the abuse wrought by misuse of the "reply with quote" feature.

Haven't the past few days provided a better forum experience without the "reply with quote" feature?  Has any meaningful content been lost or missed due to the feature's absence.

I have posted a tech support ticket at Crowdstack about the share icon problem.

Ron o45 asked, "...If the problem was excessive reply of pictures, why didn't you just disable the copying of pics when we clicked Reply with Quote?..."

Because we can't!  The "Reply with Quote" feature replies with everything in the quoted post. There is no way for us to strip out the photos in a quoted reply and keep only the text.

Rich,

On Trainorders.com, when using the "Quote" feature (tab) ALL photos in the post being quoted are eliminated, so you are responding (Quoting) to ONLY the text. I don't know how they do it, but it has worked VERY well for many, MANY years on their site.

Rich Melvin  Because we can't!  The "Reply with Quote" feature replies with everything in the quoted post. There is no way for us to strip out the photos in a quoted reply and keep only the text

You can't.  I understand that.  Did you ask Crowdstack about it?  It might be a few keystrokes or a toggle to prevent copy of pics when a person wants to copy text.  This is not a unique problem.

My workplace prevents me from pasting pictures with text and only allows the text to come through.  So it is possible.

Ron

Rich Melvin posted:

Ron o45 asked, "...If the problem was excessive reply of pictures, why didn't you just disable the copying of pics when we clicked Reply with Quote?..."

Because we can't!  The "Reply with Quote" feature replies with everything in the quoted post. There is no way for us to strip out the photos in a quoted reply and keep only the text.

Can you create a forum specifically for "Photo Albums" and disable the Reply with Quote only there as that seems to be the area with the most prolifically annoying misuse?

OGR CEO-PUBLISHER posted:

 

Honestly, we thought this quote change would satisfy the majority of folks but it appears that may not be the case.  All we ever heard was folks complaining about the long quotes within threads and the misuse of the quote function...not taking time to copy and paste leaving out the pictures, etc.  

...

Rich and I will discuss working on the quote function so that it will work as it did before or as close as possible...but please use it sparingly and responsibly.

Thanks for your understanding....

Alan and crew, I appreciate the willingness to revisit the "Reply with Quote" functionality. 

FWIW, I don't routinely quote pictures, I try to quote only relevant text when making a reply.  There are, however, some times where a reply really needs one or two graphics from the original post, especially when discussing technical modifications or repairs.

OK Guys and Gals....Rich and I just got off the phone and the reply with quote is back to the previous functionality.  You can access it through hovering over the gear symbol.  Rich is looking into alternatives as far as dealing with the misuse as discussed above. 

Thanks Alan, I promise not to abuse it!

bmoran4 posted:

Can you create a forum specifically for "Photo Albums" and disable the Reply with Quote only there as that seems to be the area with the most prolifically annoying misuse?

There has been a "Photo Album" forum here from day one! The misuse of the Reply with Quote feature was evident in all forums.