"The taxon must be specified"

Submitted by OliverRat on

I'm trying to submit a casual record of a social wasp. Date, location, etc., all seem to be ok, but when I try to specify the taxon (a) I do not see a drop-down list when I start typing, (b) after entering 'Dolichovespula *' and clicking Submit, I get the general error message "The data could not be saved", and the error "The taxon must be specified" under the Taxon text box. I am using Google Chrome Version 87.0.4280.88 on a dirty old Mac running OS X 10.10.  I can't update either the OS or Google Chrome.  I have enabled cookies from irecord.org.uk. 

This problem has wasted much time. Does anyone have a solution or other help please ? 

 

Comments

Submitted by James Emerson on Fri, 13/10/2023 - 19:08

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All of the error stuff comes back to the main issue, which is nothing coming up when you start typing. You can only save a record if you have selected it from the drop down menu first. Unfortunately as your spelling seems correct I can't suggest why nothing is coming up when you enter Dolichovespula - I have just gone and tried and it comes up fine for me (Windows 10/Edge). Hopefully just an intermittent fault of some sort and trying again it will just appear normally?

Submitted by OliverRat on Sat, 14/10/2023 - 11:19

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Thanks very much for your post. I tried logging out, re-starting the browser, logging in again, and re-entereing the record but the result was exactly the same. This looks like a consistent and systematic problem to me. I cannot say that it is a fault given that my hardware, OS version, and browser version are all out of date. If and when I have the chance I'll try submitting the record from a Windows computer and will then report the result.

Submitted by vc33moths on Mon, 16/10/2023 - 19:57

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Have you tried putting in the relevant name, but in a truncated form. Instead of Dolichovespula, try Dolichovesp

 

R Homan

Submitted by OliverRat on Tue, 17/10/2023 - 12:58

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Thanks for the idea but yes I tried entering only the stem of the taxon name, with or without a terminating '*' and it made no difference. I think the problem lies in either the browser version or the Mac OS version, or a combination thereof. I do not have an up-to-date Mac OS to try, but if anyone does, please try it and post the result!

Submitted by Fairfran on Fri, 20/10/2023 - 16:40

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...and like the first poster, I have now been here over an hour, all to record a predatory hornet! Casual is a joke, I logged in, and it made no difference. I have re-entered everything twice, I shan't be doing it a 3rd time. I have taken screenshots, so if anyone has an address to send to, I shall happily cooperate. Otherwise, in my mid 70s, and better things to do, I'm giving up! Glad to know I wasn't alone with the taxons or should that be the Klingons! Cheers, Fairfran. 

Submitted by teebee on Mon, 15/07/2024 - 16:47

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I have experienced the same problem, with the taxon being rejected. I use Firefox and have a couple of extensions installed that block adverts and JS scripts, which I have disabled for this site to no effect.

I switched to Google Chrome and signed in with the user I just created, and the species (coincidentally, also Dolchivespula saxonica) autopopulated as I was typing it.

This looks like either an issue with Firefox itself, or with certain extensions being used in FF.

Hope this helps someone.