I have often taken quite a long time to enter a diagram/puzzle/game and never had a problem with it showing up as a dummy board. Are you sure there is a time limit like you describe?
Extend time limit for diagrams
I'm using the latest version of Firefox 3.6.6 for Windows. Not sure what all my group mates are using, but I can ask.
I've also had problems with diagrams and a lengthy post. I get around it by typing the text of my post and immediately posting same (adding a post script ... "diagram coming"). Then I create the diagram, edit the post and insert. e.g. -
1. "blah blah blah" (P.S. diagram coming) - submit post
2. Create diagram
3. Edit post and insert diagram.
I also copy (using my browser) anything I'm about to post that has taken more than 3 minutes to compose. I've had many long posts disappear into the ether.
edit: I'm using Safari
Yes, I usually do the same thing, posting the message first, and then getting everything ready for the diagram before taking a crack at it. I was just wondering if the three minute limit could be extended by chess.com.
Riga - I'm not sure about the metrics .... sometimes a lengthy post goes through without a hitch and I'm not forced to use my browser copy. It would be nice for the powers that be to at least explain how long we have before a post is subject to disappearing into the X files
Riga, I've had the same problem. There must be a bug somewhere. I was going to post an annotated game, spent an almost an hour working on it, then lost it. I haven't posted a diagram since.
yeah I have the same deal sometimes...I feel rushed to make a diagram if it covers something complex or that just happens to go on for a while or have many options
I never had diagram posting problems, and sometimes I spend over an hour on a diagram. But I've had posts dissappear on me before, so now I make sure I make a copy of my post. :) I think the time limit for a post is 1 hour. Maybe it has changed. I don't know what the time limit for a diagram would be.
One thing you can try is that you can copy the pgn before you attempt to post your diagram. The preview tab will have a 'pgn' button on the preview diagram. You can get the pgn from that. If your diagram fails to insert, then you open another diagram and do a cut and paste of the pgn.
When you try to add a diagram to a post, there is a certain limited amount of time that you have to do it in (30 seconds? 1 minute?). If you do not complete all the moves, and click insert before this time limit passes, the diagram shows up a dummy board. Would it be possible for this time limit to be extended? It can be quite frustrating to spend a few minutes working up a nice diagram only to find that it was all for nothing, and you have to do it over.