What in heck does this mean?

[iart]

I tried to reply to a post and got this message...

Correct the highlighted errors and try again.

• Post flooding detected (community received posts of a unique message more than 1 times within 3,600 seconds)

[bayp26]

It means you have to convert 3600 seconds into minutes, then figure out what "community received posts of a unique message" means.

After that, you have to wonder if the programmers are from another planet.

Once you figured all that out, you can post again and receive the same message.

[eburtonlab]

It probably means you tried to post the exact same message text twice in an hour. Typically that happens if you are reusing a cut and pasted message, or else you are trying to repost a message with no changes after the first attempt fails.

Presumably this is intended to stop spammers from quickly posting duplicate spam messages using scripts.

If you are not a spammer, you can often get around the flooding error by changing your text slightly; such as by adding a newline to the top or bottom of the message text.

[draxxus_9801]

Listings are a little buggy today..it could definitely have something to do with that. Give it a little time and try again, you should be fine.

[coffeebean832]

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Community-Platform-Feedback/Post-flooding-error/m-p/31808675#M20801

[Anonymous]

I'm guessing you were attempting to remove HTML... 

[slippinjimmy]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I'm guessing you were attempting to remove HTML... 

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Yeah that is the usual culprit. First you reply and get the HTML message, if you fix that or simply try again you get the Post Flooding message (because you have attempted to post the same thing twice but the coding doesn't understand the first time failed.

As far as HTML content, the boards are very sensitive, if you copy/paste from any web page you are likely also copying HTML (hidden).

Best practice is to cut and paste from  the source to Notepad which will strip out the html, then cut and paste from Notepad to the forum.

Once you get the post flooding message you have cancel the post, reload the thread, reply to the same post and your see "saved content" which you can use and usually it will go through.

Only other options for post-flooding is to just forget about the post or come back and try again in about 10 minutes (but make sure to get rid of the HTML).

[iart]

The thing is, I put the HTML into a text.doc and then paste on ebay. I assumed this would work. But, no.

[coffeebean832]

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@slippinjimmy wrote:

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Best practice is to cut and paste from  the source to Notepad which will strip out the html, then cut and paste from Notepad to the forum.

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A faster option is to hold down the SHIFT key simultaneously when using Ctrl + V to paste. The addition of the Shift key will strip out formatting during the paste process.

[eburtonlab]

A faster option is to hold down the SHIFT key simultaneously when using Ctrl + V to paste. The addition of the Shift key will strip out formatting during the paste process.

Control-Shift-V is very useful, but take care using it if your pasted text contains long links; the actual hypertext link will be removed, and if the placeholder text is shortened with an elipsis, what is left will not work as a link.

Typically I find that when composing a post, if using the "preview" feature displays the post correctly, I am able to post from the preview screen without an error. If the preview results in an html error, in many cases I can count to five and try the preview again -- often it will display correctly at that point, and I am able to post. Presumably stripping out the html works the second time around, after a slight delay.

If the preview fails twice, then I have to use the "html" button to manually strip the non-text "div-class" lines from the post and try again.

[bayp26]

I shouldn't be so hard on the programmers.

I understand.

I just told my wife that I am running to the store and I'll be back in 8243 seconds, more or less.

She said, "See if you can be back in 7043 seconds, I have some chores for you that may take 4000 seconds at least."

Later I told my disobedient son that he's grounded for 86,400 seconds.

[Anonymous]

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@iart wrote:

The thing is, I put the HTML into a text.doc and then paste on ebay. I assumed this would work. But, no.

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I often go one step further and convert to plain text, just to be sure.

[donsdetour]

It means you tried to copy and then Paste in post a reply with that paste.

Use  note pad first so it does not stay with all the info your copy has with it.

[simba6]

Putting HTML even by accident with a copy and paste will trigger that.   Some text you copy has HTML to select it's font.    I suppose they could say one hour but, this is the internet age.

[jewelbiz]

I get this all the time and just give up even when I hit reply and type in my message.

I just figure the blues hate my guts and I’m on a watch list of eBay members  to automatically delete.