# Test for preview and submit buttons **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 9, 2006, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-for-preview-and-submit-buttons/379676 "2006-11-09T05:22:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-for-preview-and-submit-buttons/379676/1 "2006-11-09T05:22:59Z")
I’m going to type this text and then click the “Preview Post” button… …and now I’m going to type more text and click the “Submit Message” button under the preview section to see which version gets submitted. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-for-preview-and-submit-buttons/379676/2 "2006-11-09T05:24:45Z")
Well, that’s not how I would have designed it, but what the heck. Having two buttons with different labels that do the same thing is a little weird, though. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-for-preview-and-submit-buttons/379676/3 "2006-11-10T14:03:17Z")
[QUOTE=Hunter Hawk] Well, that’s not how I would have designed it, but what the heck. Having two buttons with different labels that do the same thing is a little weird, though. [/QUOTE] I’m surprised no one else replied, so I’ll give a go. Unless I misunderstood your post… “Preview Post” allows you to see what your post _will_ look like once you hit “submit reply”. It is useful for ensuring that quote tages, link labels, spelling, font sizes, etc. are formatting properly. The post does not yet appear in the thread until you hit “submit reply”. Were you to leave the thread and comeback without hitting “submit reply” the post would not be there. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-for-preview-and-submit-buttons/379676/4 "2006-11-11T06:10:57Z")
No, I was wondering about the two “submit” buttons. When you’re previewing your post, there’s a button under the Preview section labeled “Submit Message”. However, there’s also a button under the edit field labeled “Submit Reply” (in this case; if you’re creating an OP, I think it’s labeled “Submit New Thread” or something like that). I was curious about what would happen if you previewed your post, then made edits, then clicked the “Submit Message” button–I was wondering whether it would submit the version you’re previewing (the version it’s right next to) or the edited version (the one it’s far away from). As it turns out, the latter is what happens. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-for-preview-and-submit-buttons/379676/5 "2006-11-11T15:49:37Z")
As a wise woman once said… “nevermind…” obscure SNL reference… ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-for-preview-and-submit-buttons/379676/6 "2006-11-11T19:05:55Z")
I guess that’s just intended for convenience. If the preview looks okay, just hit the button there. If you’re sure you haven’t made any errors and don’t want to preview again, use the other button.