Avast Forum redirecting to forum main page after page refresh

[Skakara]

This is really annoying. Avast Forum is redirecting to forum main page after some time you do a page refresh.

Test 1:

1) Login to forum (Avast Account) & select "remember me".

2) Open any topic page in any forum, e.g. https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=151424.0 topic or a specific post in a topic like this: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=151368.msg1099736#msg1099736

3) Wait 1-2 hours (I haven't tested which is the limit actually, but it's not that long since this problem occurs many times a day). Do NOT open/load any other avast forum pages during this waiting period!

4) Refresh the tab opened in step 2 e.g. using F5.

= Browser is redirected the forum main page.

NOTE! After you've refreshed one tab, the second or (3rd, 4th...) tab when refreshed stays on the current page (which is expected).


EDIT:

Test 2:

1) Make a bookmark to your browser from any topic page, e.g. https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=151424.0 and close the page/tab.

2) Wait 1-2 hours (I haven't tested which is the limit actually, but it's not that long since this problem occurs many times a day). Do NOT open/load any other avast forum pages during this waiting period!

3) Click/open the bookmark created in step 1.

= Browser is redirected the forum main page.

Looking at the cookies in my browser, the time to wait (in step 3) might be just 1 hour.

My guess is that the forum software checks the login credentials (avast account) after that 1 hour. But why does it have to redirect to the forum main page?


This redirecting is really annoying. I like to keep some topics &/ specific posts open in tabs and go back to them after a while (on a same day, or night after). Refreshing the page then redirects me to the forum main page. Not nice.

EDIT: corrected that the redirect goes to forum main page.

[DavidR]

Not having the redirection issue that you are experiencing to sub-forums. But I use the 'Show unread posts since last visit.' & 'Show new replies to your posts.' links very frequently.

This often results in the display of the standard index.php forum home page. This can be even when first used or after a delay, where the logon credentials are possibly checked. You then have to click the link in the index.php page again to display these shortcut links to new posts/replies.

[Skakara]

Fixed the 1st post, it's the main page where the redirection takes you. Not a sub-forum page. Sorry.

When I came to read DavidR's new post (I got the new post notification to my email (didn't click on the links)) and I refreshed this page, I was taken to the main page. Why is this happening? It's so annoying.

P.S. Similarly annoying "feature" is that when I submit a reply, I'm redirected to the sub-forum page. Why? I've been using forums a lot and usually after posting, you're taken to the same topic and to your new post.

[schmidthouse]

Yes when submitting a post/reply it seems it does not return to the reply/post in the thread like it used too.

[DavidR]

Yes when submitting a post/reply it seems it does not return to the reply/post in the thread like it used too.

It does for me, check your forum settings > Look and Layout are set to do that.

That said, I don't use the Reply button, as I have the Quick Reply option enabled, so that may differ from what you are doing. When I quote a post, I have no problem getting back into the topic when I post the quote and response to it. But that too uses the Quick Reply window.

[schmidthouse]

Thanks David, I'll take a look.
I know you are set up top notch as you are a Quick Gun.

Edit: Yes there were some areas needed 'ticking'

[Skakara]

Thanks David of the "Return to topics after posting by default." setting tip. EDIT: it works with "full post/reply". Excellent.


Hopefully somebody from avast comments on the main issue.. and better yet, fix it.

[DavidR]

Thanks David of the "Return to topics after posting by default." setting tip. EDIT: it works with "full post/reply". Excellent.


Hopefully somebody from avast comments on the main issue.. and better yet, fix it.<$1alt="" title="" onresizestart="return false;" id="smiley__$2" style="padding: 0 3px 0 3px;" />

You're welcome.

There have been some weird redirects, going back to the index.php after a delay and that is no doubt related to the logon validation.

I'm not entirely sure what they can do about that, with this more secure logon and subsequent validation. The remember me should under normal circumstances mean a cookie is required (so clearing cookies for my.avast.com or forum.avast.com isn't advised).

In the old logon process you could assign a duration (I always went for stay logged in), but I don't see any such option in the new logon function.

[Skakara]

I'm not entirely sure what they can do about that, with this more secure logon and subsequent validation.

Everything can be done. For example, first thing that comes to my mind: when a page refresh is initiated, the server gets the request and with that server knows from which "page"  (URL) that request comes from. It's easy from there. You know in server side the URL, you could use server side variable to store the URL until you need it when server initiates the redirect. Everything CAN be done. Trust me, I'm a software developer/tester.

[DavidR]

I haven't experienced any issues you mention about page refresh initiating a redirection.

If you look at the URL, everything starts with index.php and then you have the query parameters, if anything stalls all you end up with the index.php url.

[Skakara]

I haven't experienced any issues you mention about page refresh initiating a redirection.

Did you follow my specific instructions, aka steps to reproduce the issue?

[DavidR]

I have many tabs that I leave open during the day for areas in the forums and refreshing those doesn't result in a redirect.

The only time it does redirect for me is the tabs are left open in firefox on closure (end of day), when I next open firefox the next day, those would start at the index.php as I mentioned previously.

However, I have two other areas that are in pinned tabs for areas of the forums and they remain unchanged, even on a firefox restart - no redirect to index.php.

[Skakara]

You didn't quite answer the question, did you follow my specific instructions, aka steps to reproduce the issue? And more specifically, did you try with either one of the links in step 2? (EDIT: I made a small edit to the step 2, was: "Open any page", now: "Open any topic page", can you try again? Thanks)

[DavidR]

I have tried to follow your steps, but you kept changing them and I can't keep up.

It shouldn't be this hard to replicate and I'm just not seeing it as frequently as you are and in some areas not at all. But I generally don't keep a topic page or specific post open all day or for several hours. I check through unread posts, respond to posts where appropriate and then close the page.

I don't see the point in keeping them open after having actioned them.

[Skakara]

But I generally don't keep a topic page or specific post open all day or for several hours. I check through unread posts, respond to posts where appropriate and then close the page.

Sorry about the changes, and more specific instructions. Your text in bold might be the reason you're not seeing this issue (you're constantly active in the forum). I edited the 1st post once more, the step 3 now has this added: "Do NOT open/load any other avast forum pages during this waiting period!". So, you have to wait the 1-2 hours before refreshing the test topic page in step 3. And during that waiting period, you can't open a single avast forum page (doing this would "renew" your login and the test would fail)!