For the TL;DR crowd: Feel free to scroll down toward the bottom to get to the actual instructions.
The thing about web browsers is that they cache the websites you visit by default. When you return to a website you've already visited, your browser will rely on its cache unless it can detect that something has changed. Oftentimes, us web developer types will build our websites to tell your browser not to cache certain areas of a website. However, it's not always that easy, especially where Javascript is concerned.
If you visit this website, then try to use certain functions and they don't work properly, then there's a good chance that the Javascript has changed. Sadly, your browser can't always tell that it has changed, so it is still trying to run the old cached code unsuccessfully. That is likely why you might see a spinning icon or flashing dots repeatedly in perpetuity. Our website is currently under active development and we try to release regular updates on a monthly basis -- except for security and/or important bug fixes, which we'll install as soon as we feel they are stable.
Browser cache files will expire after a certain amount of time. Some websites will instruct your browser to expire them early when big updates have been made (such as we've done here). However, those "tricks" don't always work, since it is information stored on your computer and could be construed as invasive. So we walk a fine line here -- we want you to clear your caches, but it just wouldn't be right for us to just do it for you. At the same time, your browser may also try to "protect" you from such a behavior. What this means is that eventually, the updates made to our website will show up in your browser if you don't manually clear your cache, but it depends on when your browser expires cached files.
One way to run an initial test on a specific website, although not totally foolproof, is to open your browser in incognito or privacy mode and then visit the website in question. However, since running in these modes is private, it doesn't use your browser's cookies. This means that you won't be logged in (even if you were previously) when visiting a website in this mode.
Then there are browsers that cache properly and those that don't. It is a common complaint among web developers that Google Chrome doesn't truly clear ALL cached items when you use its own built-in cache clearing function. Firefox and Edge do not appear to have this problem. Chrome has other issues and is quickly becoming the IE of the browser world. Chrome can be a CPU and memory hog and I question Google's privacy policies (I think they are conniving and sneaky). Even Microsoft is very transparent about the information it collects. But I digress...
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How to clear your cache
Now that I've bored you to death, how do you clear your browser cache(s)? Well, you can use the built-in functions, if you wish.
In Edge and Firefox, most, if not all, caching issues can be resolved simply by clearing it.
In Chrome, the built-in function *might* work. In fact, you have better odds of success if you run Chrome's cache clearing tool twice. Even then, it might not clear everything.
To use the built-in browser cache clearing tools, visit this website for instructions: https://kb.wisc.edu/helpdesk/page.php?id=12384
iOS doesn??t work right as long as I??m logged onto a Windows computer. I logged out the computer and it started working again.
Not sure if this is relevant. ?ÿI only share with the spirit of improvement opportunity. ?ÿApparently on my iPhone I am able to ??like? one post per browser session. ?ÿSo, first, I liked your post. ?ÿThen, I was unable to like any more posts. ?ÿUntil I ??x??d? out of my broswer seesion and then started another. ?ÿThanks BRO ;). We do appreciate you, a lot.
Things have been working fine on my Samsung S7 for quite a while.?ÿ Today I couldn't like or reply to threads on it.?ÿ I eventually got it fixed.
It took some digging to find where to clear enough to fix it.?ÿ I had to go into Advanced page to get to the "site settings".?ÿ?ÿ Before that, clearing "cookies and site data" and "cached images and files" didn't do it.
Clearing browser data on Chrome in Windows apparently doesn??t clear anything?ÿ
I closed the window on my iPhone (safari) then opened it and was able to like twice
but then I couldn??t edit until I closed it and opened it again
Great information. I use Chrome all the time as well as Crap Cleaner.?ÿ
What do you like as a browser ??ÿ
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Gary
Like you I have been using Chrome with CCleaner. No problem with RPLS Today ever. I must be doing something wrong.?ÿ ??ÿ
Like you I have been using Chrome with CCleaner. No problem with RPLS Today ever. I must be doing something wrong.?ÿ ??ÿ
Hey first time quote worked on my iPad 😀
chrome works great on computer, but clearing browser history doesn't seem to do anything. Everything is still there but that's a browser issue.
Maybe I missed this, but how often should we be cleaning the cache again ? ?ÿI think I'm down to two likes and one edit?ÿper session with Safari.
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Everyone is different. I do housekeeping with CCleaner about once per week, which includes clearing all the browser caches. I also have CCleaner clear all the browser cookies because I always logout of everywhere when I leave. I don't like the nefarious ones that track my every move even after I browse away from their website (like Facebook). But I also use LastPass for my passwords, so clearing cookies isn't a big deal for me. Some folks rely on the "remember me" checkboxes, even though it's a really bad idea, so clearing cookies can be detrimental to them.
When a website you frequent makes updates to the styles, layout, or the scripts used for various functions, that is a good time to clear your caches, particularly in regards to that website. However, I wish you good luck knowing when that happens at most websites -- I actually post announcements to let you know when a good cache clearing might help. After a big update, I also have some settings that I make active for about a week afterward that attempt to tell your browser to wipe out any cached items pertaining to this website. Even that can only do so much though, because I don't want to be intrusive. As you can probably guess, there's a delicate balance and I take privacy very seriously. I will never operate this website like Facebook, who is eager to make money from your privacy (or lack thereof) by selling your data and tracking you everywhere you go, even outside of Facebook. Anyway, that's another rant for another time.
Note that your caches will eventually expire, but it depends on the browser, its settings, and the cache settings on each website, as to when they'll expire. It's too much to keep up on, so that's why I do housekeeping once per week.
So... to answer your question... it depends.
Thanks, Wendell. I actually did just hit the like button, twice.?ÿ ??ÿ
It's the Safari settings. I have my Firefox set up differently so it can take full advantage of all the functionality the site provides. The last bit of advice I had put to memory, was to clean the cache after any upgrades to the site's 'dialing-in' and tweaks.?ÿ
In Safari this site gets placed into the 'frequently visited' bin and I access it from that dropdown. When I clear the cache it clears the frequently visited and I have to recreate the pattern of frequently visited sites. The bookmarks are deep and this site would get buried, along with the other favorites.
At some point I need to look at a selective cache and cookie cleaning through the Safari options.
edit: Post a reply and the Like button starts functioning. wow. ?ÿ ??ÿ