# Why not separate PREVIEW and SUBMIT buttons? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 30, 2005, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-separate-preview-and-submit-buttons/328607 "2005-10-30T18:13:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-separate-preview-and-submit-buttons/328607/1 "2005-10-30T18:13:56Z")
More than a few times I move my mouse to click Preview and, in my passioned frenzy to slay ignorance, I click Submit instead. This happens because the two buttons are so close to each other. I suggest that instead of having them both centered, have one justified right and the other justified left? It doesn’t seem that it would hurt anything. And I doubt that I’m the only one who has made this mistake. Just a suggestion… ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-separate-preview-and-submit-buttons/328607/2 "2005-10-30T18:35:05Z")
I’ve made the same mistake myself. Unfortunately I don’t think it can be changed, it’s just past of the vBulletin format. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-separate-preview-and-submit-buttons/328607/3 "2005-10-30T21:40:38Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Unfortunately I don’t think it can be changed, it’s just \*\*past \*\* of the vBulletin format. (Bolding mine) The irony! It burns! ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-separate-preview-and-submit-buttons/328607/4 "2005-10-30T21:47:30Z")
> [@Wolfian](#): > > The irony! It burns! See!?! It’s those damn buttons. And how can it be possible that they can’t be changed? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-separate-preview-and-submit-buttons/328607/5 "2005-10-30T21:54:07Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > And how can it be possible that they can’t be changed? Because if it is hardcoded into the board program, any changes will be undone every time a new update comes out. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-separate-preview-and-submit-buttons/328607/6 "2005-10-30T22:12:15Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > Because if it is hardcoded into the board program, any changes will be undone every time a new update comes out. Couldn’t it be done as part as a more fundamental update. Obviously, I know squat about programming, but hell, it seems so minor. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-separate-preview-and-submit-buttons/328607/7 "2005-10-30T23:20:46Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Couldn’t it be done as part as a more fundamental update. Obviously, I know squat about programming, but hell, it seems so minor. No, because the updates come from vBulletin, the originator of the messageboard software. Every time there is a major update, it reloads the software with a version that doesn’t have any of the changes we might make to our specific copy. Everything would be undone each time we update. ---
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-separate-preview-and-submit-buttons/328607/8 "2005-10-30T23:45:19Z")
I was about to write up a javascriptlet that you could stick in a custom js file for your browser when I noticed that each button has an access key. I suggest you test these out in this forum before venturing into the wild…=) Typing alt + s will submit your message and typing alt + p will preview your message. They are on complete opposite ends of the keyboard and have decently logical letter-name assocations so this should be a good fix. alt + s on the search page will submit your search and alt + r will reset the form fields. These also work for the FAQ. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-separate-preview-and-submit-buttons/328607/9 "2005-10-30T23:56:43Z")
Hey, it works! (Preview) And now to post. Nice one, **alterego**! ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-separate-preview-and-submit-buttons/328607/10 "2005-10-31T03:06:10Z")
> [@alterego](#): > > I was about to write up a javascriptlet that you could stick in a custom js file for your browser when I noticed that each button has an access key. I suggest you test these out in this forum before venturing into the wild…=) > > Typing alt + s will submit your message and typing alt + p will preview your message. They are on complete opposite ends of the keyboard and have decently logical letter-name assocations so this should be a good fix. > > alt + s on the search page will submit your search and alt + r will reset the form fields. These also work for the FAQ. I have a Mac. I don’t have an “alt”. Can it still work? ---
**Author:** ![Foaming\_Cleanser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Foaming\_Cleanser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foaming_Cleanser)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-separate-preview-and-submit-buttons/328607/11 "2005-10-31T03:12:45Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > I have a Mac. I don’t have an “alt”. Can it still work? There’s probably a little “Alt” on the top left of the Option keys. But if there isn’t, the Alt keys are the Option keys. ---
**Author:** ![Topologist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/topologist/32/3208_2.png) [@Topologist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Topologist)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-separate-preview-and-submit-buttons/328607/12 "2005-10-31T03:27:40Z")
Another Mac user here. Control-P works to preview. If you see this, then Control-S worked for submit. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-separate-preview-and-submit-buttons/328607/13 "2005-10-31T03:46:49Z")
Hm, does this work on my Mac? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-separate-preview-and-submit-buttons/328607/14 "2005-10-31T03:57:34Z")
OK, the results of that test: alt-s gives me the German sharp S, ß (the one that looks like a beta). Command-s (the cloverleaf/open-apple) brings up the “save” menu. Control-S submits. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-separate-preview-and-submit-buttons/328607/15 "2005-11-02T02:53:08Z")
> [@Wolfian](#): > > The irony! It burns! You have just discovered a new principle, which in your honor will be named **Wolfian’s Corollary** to Gaudere’s Law. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-separate-preview-and-submit-buttons/328607/16 "2005-11-02T18:57:42Z")
😉 **[SOURCE](http://www.vbulletin.com/)**