Clicked on Alert behaviour

[Avondale87]

When I click on an alert the behaviour is spasmodically unpredictable.
Sometimes it takes me straight to the post, other times well up the page.
I did wonder if it took me to my last viewed post. Where I got to in viewing that thread.

I assume it's supposed to take me to that particular post.

Just tried again with a longer press (I'm on a Samsung tablet with stylus) it worked flawlessly!
I post anyway as others may experience similar

 

[Joeseph]

I find clicking on the actual link to the alert difficult when on my phone as very easy to click the link to the thread instead - fat fingers!
Will try the longer press method & see if it improves my hit rate - thanks!

 

[Cygnus]

I have also noticed this and the landing seems to be completely random but generally consistent to the individual alert. Some show the link landing on the post referenced and then it shifts to another.
I've tried to see if there was a pattern but there is not one I could fathom and it occurs for me on iPhone, iPad and desktop (safari & firefox).

 

[Avondale87]

I see a pattern
If I click on a response made to a post of mine it takes me to my post not the response.
If I hold and ask to open in new tab it takes me straight to the responders post
This is on my Samsung tablet with stylus
It's repeatable

 

[Avondale87]

Well this is crazy
Now it's working as expected.
Temperamental

 

[Cygnus]

I think it maybe linked to how the rest of the page (of the thread) loads. I have noticed one instant where it lands on the post indicated by the alert, there is a bit of Matrix like behaviour and the view settles on an image several posts above the one referenced by the alert.

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

I think it maybe linked to how the rest of the page (of the thread) loads.

This!

It seems that the software only remembers the original layout of a page in a thread and as soon as something changes it, like when a post was deleted, it can’t see the new layout and a link in Alerts takes you to the wrong spot.

The same thing happened on POTN. Sometimes a link in Heads Up brought you to the wrong place and for the same reason: a post higher up on the same page had been deleted. So it’s not specific to XenForo. Apparently forum software has difficulties adapting to a modified thread page.

 

[Cygnus]

This!

It seems that the software only remembers the original layout of a page in a thread and as soon as something changes it, like when a post was deleted, it can’t see the new layout and a link in Alerts takes you to the wrong spot.

The same thing happened on POTN. Sometimes a link in Heads Up brought you to the wrong place and for the same reason: a post higher up on the same page had been deleted. So it’s not specific to XenForo. Apparently forum software has difficulties adapting to a modified thread page.

Levina, that is indeed a possibility I never considered (personally never saw it on POTN) with changes being made between the alert being created and being read. I would have thought though, once the page had been added to, the indexing would be reset so further alerts to the post would be direct.

This is obviously not that prevalent an issue so a watching brief is the way to go for me however just as an aside, I have tried using the direct link to the affected individual post in the alert (using the share link straight into my browser) and it does exactly the same thing as I described previously.

EDIT
I tried the same exercise (direct address input into browser) but using Firefox rather than Safari. No issue at all, so it may be how Safari renders the forum and there is some combination in that thread that confuses it as it’s quite happy with other threads.
Just to confirm to myself my findings, posted same direct link on iPad using Safari and got the same result.
So for me, it's clear that I use Safari and be prepared for the occasional hiccup or use Firefox.....

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

I tried the same exercise (direct address input into browser) but using Firefox rather than Safari.

Interesting, Colin. I use Firefox and it‘s usually spot on.

 

[Cygnus]

Interesting, Colin. I use Firefox and it‘s usually spot on.

What I meant Levina, was Firefox works whatever the method I use to view this thread but Safari has a bit of a problem with this particular thread.

 

[OhLook]

Levina, that is indeed a possibility I never considered (personally never saw it on POTN) with changes being made between the alert being created and being read. I would have thought though, once the page had been added to, the indexing would be reset so further alerts to the post would be direct.

The self-correction you describe didn't happen for me. It didn't matter how old a HeadsUp was (e.g., overnight), it could still take me to the wrong place, sometimes in the middle of a post. I use Firefox.

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

The self-correction you describe didn't happen for me. It didn't matter how old a HeadsUp was (e.g., overnight), it coud still take me to the wrong place, sometimes in the middle of a post. I use Firefox.

It happened to me too. I always assumed it was because a post higher up was deleted, but not sure.

 

[OhLook]

It happened to me too. I always assumed it was because a post higher up was deleted, but not sure.

Maybe when a post was shortened or lengthened? Add or remove photo, edit text.

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

Maybe when a post was shortened or lengthened? Add or remove photo, edit text.

Could be, modified in a way that messed up Heads Up, anyway.