Correct the highlighted areas, and try again

[ubcensored]

I'm told to correct the highlighted areas when corresponding to someone trying to help me. 

Problem is, 

nothing is highlighted.  

I erased the entire message and sent a single word "test"

Again,  I receive the message in red,  correct the highlighted areas, and try again. 

Did I break the ebay inner webs? 😉

[rebell45]

How are you trying to communicate? In eBay messages or on these discussion boards?

[ubcensored]

Discussion boards.  

That one got through. 

[eburtonlab · Accepted solution]

If you are running into error messages when posting on the discussion boards, there may be a couple of different things going on.

The first error likely has to do with html codes in the text if you have pasted something from elsewhere. You can often avoid this error by pasting your text into a text editor or a convenient text field such as a google search bar to strip out the hidden non-text characters. Then copy from the field and past into your post.

Previously the message posting software would automatically strip out the html characters after generating an error message and simply let you post  -- and it may in fact still do so, but now when trying to post again after the first error, you are likely to encounter a second error about "flooding". This is likely to prevent spammers from posting the same message over and over, but it is now far too sensitive and often prevents posting messages after receiving an error the first time around.

If you run into the flooding error, you may have to open the original message in a new tab, post a placeholder text message, and then use the edit function to paste in the message you intend to post, after stripping html codes.

[smabrouk]

I have encountered that error a few times before.  Unfortunately, there is some html code which cannot be viewed causing the error.  

What I have found to be best is using the “Cancel” option to close the post/reply box and, then, start a new post/reply.  When I have created a long post (before this error appears), I copy the text of the post/reply to the clipboard, paste the text into Notepad on a PC or a basic email in iPad, before I cancel the post/reply, so that I can eliminate the errant code.  Then, I copy the text into the new post/reply window and submit the post/reply.

[ubcensored]

I appreciate your answer. 

My dumbed down interpretation;  

invisible super secret characters have disabled my ability to send a simple response. 

Waaaaaay too many steps to be practical. 

Thank you for explaining this to me. 

[eburtonlab]

invisible super secret characters have disabled my ability to send a simple response.

Invisible characters may complicate copying and pasting, but you should still be able to type in a message without generating any errors.

If you are copying and pasting from elsewhere, pasting the text into a search bar and copying again from the new location should strip out the invisible characters -- you may lose some formatting, though, such as paragraph separators. Then paste that stripped text into a new message field, check formatting, and post.