M-series Dodge forum section not working?

[John Mc]

When I go to Forums and click on the M-series Dodge sction, I get an "invalid URL" error.

I clicked on several other sections, and they all worked fine.

[W_A_Watson_II]

OK, Looking into it. https://powerwagonadvertiser.com/forums/forum/military-dodge-4x4-trucks/m-series-dodge-%C2%97-m37-m42-m43-v41-m601 (M-Series Dodge — M37, M42, M43, V41, M601)

As a Subscriber I can access it.
Not Logged in I can access it.
As a Registered User I can Access it.

I'll check your account John and see if I can find any issues with your user.

[W_A_Watson_II]

I can find no issues with your Account, or that Forum Section. I do see you posted to it at 11:25 AM Yesterday. Could be a Browser/cash issue. Try clearing your Browser Cache, and or restarting your Browser/Computer.

[W_A_Watson_II]

John,

Curious, can you access the "Hauling — Transporting" Topic under the DODGE TRUCK RELATED ADVERTISING (Commercial advertisers may post here also.)?

[John Mc]

The M-series section is loading fine this morning. I did not change anything other than starting up my computer this AM. A was logged in yesterday when it failed. I tried logging out and logging back in again and it made no difference.

Hauling-Transporting is giving me an "Invalid page URL" when I just tried it.

[John Mc]

Update: I got into the M-series once, but cannot get back in again just a few minutes later. I'm now getting the "Invalid page URL" error again. Clearing my cache makes no difference.

As I recall, the post I made yesterday at 11:25 AM which you referred to was done in response to an email notification I received. I clicked on the link to respond - which went normally. Then I decided to browse around, but it would not let me in.

[W_A_Watson_II]

OK What about the: Curious, can you access the "Hauling — Transporting" Topic under the DODGE TRUCK RELATED ADVERTISING (Commercial advertisers may post here also.)?

[John Mc]

OK What about the: Curious, can you access the "Hauling — Transporting" Topic under the DODGE TRUCK RELATED ADVERTISING (Commercial advertisers may post here also.)?

Sorry, I responded to that, but must not have clicked "send", because I don't see it here.

I get the same error when I try to access Hauling and Transporting. I can get in to "Dodge 4x4 Trucks For Sale & Wanted" without any problem. I can also get in to the "WWII Dodge" section.

I am a subscriber, so I don't think my access is blocked due to that. The M-series section is my main reason for being here.
[EDIT] - Oops! I see I'm a "PWA Member" somehow I thought I was a subscriber (especially since I was able to pot a series of photos some time ago). Is there a way to switch form one status to another?

[W_A_Watson_II]

John,

Thanks for the reply. I'm suspecting it has something to do with the "—" used in the section name. I suspect (if you have access to them) you can't get into any of the following:

Brain Storm — the advisory group
Technical — automotive content
Shooting sports — firearms & related
M-Series Dodge — M37, M42, M43, V41, M601
Hauling — Transporting

I've changed the M-Series to a different "-": M-Series Dodge - M37, M42, M43, V41, M601. Likly an issue with the last update and the browser/computer/phone you use.

Please see if you can get into the M-Series section now, and let me know.

Also what computer/phone do you use, and what application.browser?

Thanks,
Will

[John Mc]

I'm running a Mac OS 11.2.2 (Which I believe is the latest OS).
Accessing using Firefox (86.0 which is the latest version for the Mac).

Today, my old bookmark for the M-series started working again, and I can access the M-series page. I have not changed this bookmark since long before the problem started.

However, if I try to access the M-series page by going to https://powerwagonadvertiser.com/forums/ and them clicking on the M-series line, I get the same invalid URL error message.

Out of curiosity, I tried accessing using the Safari browser. As long as I am logged OUT it works fine accessing from the main forum page. If I log in, I can get to the main forum page, but attempting to get to the M-series page by clicking on that sub-forum line no longer works: I get the invalid URL error. However, if I am logged in, pasting my old bookmark into the address bar gets me in to the M-series forum, but then clicking on any topics gets the invalid URL error. In short: logged out everything works normally. Logged in, I can get to main forum page, but M-series subforum line does not work. (pasting in an old link the the M-series forum gets me in when logged in, but clicking on any topic in there returns an error).


EDIT: I just went back and tried logging out in Firefox: When logged out, the system behaves normally there as well, just as it does in Safari

[John Mc]

BTW - "Service & Repair Procedures..." does not work when logged in, "Off-Road Techniques & Adventures" does work.

Service & Repair does work if I am logged out.

[W_A_Watson_II]

John,

OK, as I dig further, I suspect it's still an issue with the forum names, which is also part of the links. It looks like the previous Admin used some special characters in the names, and that can cause browser issues. Also as I change them, this will break your saved links, so only use the Forum Links while we sort this out.

The issue is with the "space dash space" ( - ) & ( — ) characters in the name. Not sure why being logged in and logged out causes a problem, and I can not reproduce that.

The character in the URL is displayed as a black diamond with a question mark in it in my system (%C2%97). I know on other forums those on a Mac will type and past responses and you end up with double question marks as a result.

It appears to be a difference in the character set Mac uses vs the PC (windows & Linux).


Lets try something different.
Open your browser(s) and clear their cache from a blank page.
Then go to "https://powerwagonadvertiser.com/" and not use any saved links/favorites/bookmarks.
Then access the Forum, and try access each section.
Take notes of wick ones don't work, and copy the URLs and send them to me at: Will@powerwagonadvertiser.com

Thanks for your patience and help in this issue.

Will

[John Mc]

Email sent with details on which worked and which did not. Second email sent with URLs from non-working links.

[W_A_Watson_II]

John,

OK Thanks I'll look into it.

So when you say "I logged out, cleared my cache and history and clicked on a few of the ones that had failed above, and every one I clicked on worked fine." As long as you are not logged in all is OK, the problem is when you are logged in?

Will

[John Mc]

John,

OK Thanks I'll look into it.

So when you say "I logged out, cleared my cache and history and clicked on a few of the ones that had failed above, and every one I clicked on worked fine." As long as you are not logged in all is OK, the problem is when you are logged in?

Will

That is correct.