Browser issue Images break page display

[Dan O.]

Affected version

the lastest update

I frequent a forum that just updated their Forum software by XenForm. When I view the forums in my older Firefox browser, if someone posts an image, that image code prevents any page code following that image, from displaying. The webmaster suggested I check with you. His only other suggestion was to upgrade my browser which can't be done and won't be, just to help moderate his forum.

I'm linking to a screen shot and also a text file of the last portion of HTML code the forum displays in my Firefox browser. There must be some problem in the HTML code the browser just can't handle?

<div class="message-userContent lbContainer js-lbContainer " data-lb-id="post-410487" data-lb-caption-desc="ftintin · Oct 22, 2020 at 3:34 PM">

        

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                <div class="bbWrapper">Here is a photo. The connectors are melted and the wires have been damaged. Based on the good advice of Dan O. , I could bypass the connector and join the wires together. <br>
<br>
If I do join the wires, will the problem go away? Or could it cause other issues?<br>
<br>
Best<br>
Fabio</div>
            
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            <a class="file-preview js-lbImage" href="/mainforums/attachments/img_20201022_152707621-jpg.53705/" target="_blank" data-fancybox="lb-post-410487" style="cursor: pointer;" data-caption="<h4>IMG_20201022_152707621.jpg</h4><p><a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.applianceblog.com&amp;#x2F;mainforums&amp;#x2F;threads&amp;#x2F;fsec748gfs0-frigidaire-gallery-dryer-front-load-dryer-hot-to-touch.80631&amp;#x2F;#post-410487&quot; class=&quot;js-lightboxCloser&quot;>ftintin · Oct 22, 2020 at 3:34 PM</a></p>">
                <img src="/mainforums/data/attachments/47/47074-a78400401cc5fd60ff2bf892965f0958.jpg" alt="IMG_20201022_152707621.jpg" loading="lazy" height="150" width="200">
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                <span class="file-name" title="IMG_20201022_152707621.jpg">IMG_20201022_152707621.jpg</span>
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This is (just one of) an affected post.[url=https://www.applianceblog.com/mainforums/threads/fsec748gfs0-frigidaire-gallery-dryer-front-load-dryer-hot-to-touch.80631/#post-410487]Malfunctioning after image forum post




BTW. I had to use an older iPad to reply to the user's comment. My older iPads also have problems with the latest updates in that none of the editor functions, including 'preview', work.

 

[Paul B]

Browser and OS versions?

Does it happen on this forum?

You can test here: https://xenforo.com/community/forums/test-messages.6/

 

[King Bill]

we have a user in our forum with a similar problem. the reason is "grid-template-columns repeat". this only works with Firefox 57 and higher

 

[Max Taxable]

Sounds just like this:

Browser issue - Broken page with some attachments

Posted on behalf of a user who didn't want to post themselves. On mobile it looks like this. Attachment doesn't display and isn't clickable: On desktop (firefox browser) is where the style is broken for me anyway - note the scroll progress bar in upper right, this post is making the page a...

xenforo.com

Doesn't happen in all threads with attachments, just some. Almost like it might be a certain image file type not compatible with older browsers rather than anything to do with xf coding.

I work around it by switching to Opera when I encounter it.

 

[Mike]

Generally speaking, browser support for auto-updating browsers like Firefox (and Chrome) is the current version and the previous release, though there is a bit a leeway. However, if these issues relate Firefox 57 and before, then we're very unlikely to make considerations for that. These are browsers that are more than 25 releases old at this point and even the Extended Support Release in that window (ESR 52) reached end of life over 2 years ago.

Given this, we're going to tag this as a browser issue. It can be resolved by using a more recent version of essentially any browser.

 

[Max Taxable]

With it not happening with every thread that has attachments in it, this is why I was sure it's not a bug, it's nothing to do with xf coding. I suspect it's a file type the older browsers/operating systems don't know how to handle when it's encountered and the page breaks as a result.

 

[Max Taxable]

I can now CAUSE this to happen with any image and it is reproducible.

It happens when an image is uploaded but neither thumbnail or full size is chosen and the post is submitted. If there are also characters typed in the message, the message posts, breaking the page layout on the older browsers. BUT if it is the image only, it of course throws the "please enter a valid message" error.

I have found NO other way to cause this issue other than what I have described. It's not file types or anything like that.

I understand this is a browser issue but it's one that can be addressed.

IMO there should be a check, making sure thumb or full either one or the other is chosen. We should not be able to submit the message without making that choice. Maybe it is a froala bug?

 

[Max Taxable]

I've tested it here at xF, thread HERE.

 

[Chris D]

I understand this is a browser issue but it's one that can be addressed.

Yes, by using a newer browser.

Sorry, if I've missed it, but why are you using such an old browser?

 

[Max Taxable]

Yes, by using a newer browser.

Sorry, if I've missed it, but why are you using such an old browser?

Many people use older browsers and operating systems for economic reasons, can't afford new stuff. I use older stuff on my main PC because I don't want to pay the 5K license key for upgrading my Samplitude.

I have newer stuff but I typically use my studio PC for browsing. I posted earlier I found a workaround for when this happens, I use Opera. I now use it also to fix the posts for ppl who post attachments without choosing thumb or full.

How come people can do that?


Lots of gamers stay with old stuff, some of their favorite games simply won't work on the newer stuff.

Either way, I've demonstrated the issue and I'm not the only one having it.

 

[Max Taxable]

To see if this issue affects you, try quoting my post #3 in the test thread I linked above. In your editor the attachment does not appear in the BB code as part of the quote, only when an attachment is uploaded but neither thumb or full is chosen. If either are chosen before posting, the attachment BB code WILL appear. As in post #1 and #2 of that thread.

 

[Max Taxable]

Furthermore, I lean towards this being due to the new version of the editor itself, not with xf core. Never had this issue on xf 2.1. It's a new problem.

Might not be anything you want to spend any time on but consider this: Economically disadvantaged people all over the world particularly in developing countries can't just go out and buy new stuff every time the NBT comes out. They continue to use older OS's and browsers. There is no other backwards compatibility issue with xenforo for these people, other than this. I can't help but think that if this is seriously looked at now that we can reproduce it, a fix might not be too difficult.

Why can we post an attachment without having to choose thumb or full, first?

 

[Chris D]

Why can we post an attachment without having to choose thumb or full, first?

Why shouldn't you be able to?

Frankly it has always been like that, it will remain to be like that. You can also attach other types of files (not media, e.g. documents, zip files, text, code etc) and it isn't possible to embed those.

If there is a solution, it won't be a change to whether or not images are embedded. It's a perfectly valid way of attaching images, particularly if the post itself doesn't provide any context and the images are as an aside to the written content or it's beneficial to just list them at the end of the post.

 

[Max Taxable]

If there is a solution, it won't be a change to whether or not images are embedded.

That's fine, I was merely spitballing that anyway.

It's a perfectly valid way of attaching images, particularly if the post itself doesn't provide any context

Try this: with NO characters typed try uploading an image and posting, without making a choice. It won't let you do that, it will throw the "you must enter a valid message" error. Then just select full or thumb and submit. Then and only then will it let you submit a post, without anything except your image in it.

That's telling me what I knew from trying to quote these posts that have attachments that weren't thumb or full - the editor isn't counting your image as a valid post if there's no characters included in the post.

That's why when neither is selected, and you quote that post - there is NO attachment BB code in your input box. Regardless if there's more characters or not.

 

[beerForo]

It's only going to quote the attachment if it is "inline," otherwise, it is technically "attached" and not a part of the post body.

 

[Overscan]

My forum, most users leave images attached as opposed to inline, partly for historic reasons (SMF didn't make it easy to insert them) but also because that way its easy to tell that the images are actually attached and not hotlinked from a 3rd party image host.

I have a few of these type of users who complain the forum doesn't work well on some random ancient browser. Usually they could perfectly well upgrade versions or switch browser to a supported one but they don't want to, usually for reasons like "I don't like the newer version" or "I like Windows XP and don't want to change".

Slimbrowser, Pale Moon, Maxthon 5 are good browsers for old computers no longer supported by mainstream browsers (Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7). All are free. All work ok with Xenforo 2.2.

 

[Max Taxable]

Slimbrowser, Pale Moon, Maxthon 5 are good browsers for old computers no longer supported by mainstream browsers (Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7). All are free. All work ok with Xenforo 2.2.

I use Opera as a workaround for this when needed, but thanks for the information I can pass on to my membership for those who need it.