Overview
The shared error list is the area on a form that displays messages returned after an unsuccessful request. This page covers the Sign in, Sign up, Publish Article, and Update Settings forms.
| If you need to… | Go to |
|---|---|
| Find the form where an error appears | Find the error surface |
| Recognize the error area and its fields | Recognize the error area |
| Decide what the message means | Handle the error branches |
| Respond when a request fails | When an error occurs |
| Correct and submit a sign-in request | Sign in |
| Create an account | Sign up |
| Create or edit an article | Create and edit articles |
| Change account settings | Manage your settings |
| Add a comment to an article | Comment on articles |
| Find broader troubleshooting guidance | Common issues and solutions |
The Article screen's comment errors belong to the comment procedure rather than to this page. Use Comment on articles for that flow.
Prerequisites
Before you submit a form, have the information for that form ready. The forms covered here are listed in the procedure below. Know which task you are performing before you open its form.
An error list is part of the form response. Its wording comes from the error data returned for that request, so read the message that appears on the form.
Find the error surface
Use this procedure when you need to locate the form that produced the error.
Prerequisites
- Know which task you were performing.
Steps
-
Open the form that matches your task.
If you were… Open the form with… Signing in Email, Password, and Sign in Creating an account Username, Email, Password, and Sign up Creating or editing an article Article Title, What's this article about?, Write your article (in markdown), Enter tags, and Publish Article Changing settings URL of profile picture, Username, Short bio about you, Email, New Password, and Update Settings
Result: The form for the task is on screen, with its fields and submission control available.
Recognize the error area
The error list is separate from the fields you use to enter information.
| Form | Fields around the error area |
|---|---|
| Sign-in form | Email and Password |
| Sign-up form | Username, Email, and Password |
| Article editor | Article Title, What's this article about?, Write your article (in markdown), and Enter tags |
| Settings form | URL of profile picture, Username, Short bio about you, Email, and New Password |
When the form has error data, the error list appears. When it does not, the error list remains absent. Review and correct the information in the fields before submitting again.
Handle the error branches
Use this procedure when an error list is present or when you need to check whether one is present.
Prerequisites
- Have the affected form open.
Steps
-
Look for the error list on the form.
-
Read each message in the list.
Each error-list item shows an error key followed by the value returned for that error.
-
If the error list is not present, continue with the form fields and the task procedure for the form you opened.
Result: You have either read the message shown for the failed request or confirmed that no error list is displayed.
When an error occurs
When a request fails, its response body is passed to the form. The form-specific task page describes how to correct the request and submit it again.
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| An error list appears | The form received error data. | Read each item, then return to the fields named by the message. |
| No error list appears | The form has no error data to display. | Continue with the form-specific task. |
| An error-list item appears | The item combines an error key with the value returned for that error. | Use the displayed key and value to decide which field to review. |
Continue after an error
Use the task page for the form you were completing. Select Sign in, Sign up, Publish Article, or Update Settings, according to the form you are correcting.
Steps
-
Return to the task page that matches the form:
Form Task page Sign-in form Sign in Sign-up form Sign up Article editor Create and edit articles Settings form Manage your settings -
Select the affected field and enter the corrected value.
-
Select the control for the form you are correcting.
Form Select Sign-in form Sign in Sign-up form Sign up Article editor Publish Article Settings form Update Settings
Result: The corrected request is submitted from the task form.
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