Why is the discussion's "Post" button missing?


Symptoms:

  • In Discussions, clicking Reply to a discussion thread opens a new window but the page does not load fully.
  • The page does not allow the user to post a reply to the discussion thread.
  • The button to submit a post is not available.

Resolution:

Check whether the issue occurs only in one specific browser or in all browsers.

For example, try to reproduce the issue you are having in another browser (i.e. if you are using Chrome, try in Internet Explorer or Firefox).

If you can't reproduce the issue in another browser (i.e. the website loads fully in the other browsers):

  1. On the page with the issue, press CTRL+Shift+R. This refreshes the page but allows you to get the source webpage instead of any conflicting cached page.
    If the page loads fully, the issue is resolved.
    If it does not load fully, go to step 2.
  2. Clear the browser's web cache, cookies, and browsing history.
    Important: Performing this action does the following:
    • Web addresses you've visited, listed on the History page, will be removed.
    • Any IP addresses pre-fetched from pages you've visted will be removed.
    • If you opted to have sites remember your username and password (or any other auto-fill information), they will be cleared from your browser's memory when you clear cache and cookies, and you'll have to sign in again.
    • Websites might load a little slower because all of the images and content must be re-downloaded.
  3. Restart the browser.

If you can reproduce the issue in another browser:

  1. Close and re-open all programs. They may be using up a lot of memory which can cause the browsers to behave slowly or not load completely.
  2. Restart the computer.
  3. Temporarily disable any new Antivirus/Firewall that may have been recently installed/upgraded.
  4. Check for malware. If you are seeing any suspicious pop-ups, unwanted tool bars, redirects or strange Google search results, you may have inadvertently installed malware. If you suspect this is the case, download anti-malware software.
  5. Temporarily disable Add-Ons in the browser.
  6. Ensure that pop-ups are allowed.

If you are still experiencing issues after this, you will need to run a Fiddler trace. This allows Support to debug the traffic between networks and potentially identify what could be blocking the pages from loading.

To run a Fiddler trace:

  1. Download Fiddler.
  2. Launch Fiddler.
  3. Select Tools > Fiddler Options and ensure the following options are checked:
    • Capture HTTPS Connects
    • Decrypt HTTPS traffic
    • Ignore Server Certificate error
      NOTE: In the bottom left corner of the page, you can toggle Fiddler on and off by clicking Capturing. If nothing displays, then this means it won't capture any data.
  4. Reproduce the issue. For example, log in to iLearn Learning Environment and attempt to send an e-mail, upload to Assignments, or submit to the discussion board.
    Note: You will be able to see the Fiddler report reporting data while you are reproducing the issue.
  5. Once the page times out, go to the Fiddler window.
  6. Select Edit > Select All.
  7. Select File > Save > Session(s) > in ArchiveZip.
    Important: While Fiddler is running, ALL browser activity is recorded, including page content. Ensure that you do not to view any confidential information that you do not want to be viewed by anyone examining the trace.
  8. Attach the file when you submit a ticket to the D2L Help Desk.