Private messaging

[Sue]

Is anybody else having trouble working out how to use the new private messaging system?

I'm finding it really complicated.

Possibly due to senility 🙄

[diable rouge]

I've received and sent a PM without problems, but I did notice that I've received new unopened versions of all the previous read PM's I'd received under the old system.

I'm ok with that, these things can happen with a change of server etc, but there doesn't appear to be a way of deleting these messages unread like you could before, and instead I would have to open each message and then delete individually, which will take ages.

So if anyone knows a shortcut, spread the love!...

[OutOfFocus]

Is anybody else having trouble working out how to use the new private messaging system?

 

Put some screen shots of desktop version here

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fGqc5HgfrJ1uSQv1A8KSpZhNwnkfuGtQ4lDZUEm9JVk/edit?usp=sharing

If you want me to add some chat reply here (or I am answering the wrong question)!!

DR - you can mark all messages as read, but it appear that deleting all messages is a "feature missing".

[diable rouge]

Thanks for your feedback OOF, fortunately I've found a way to delete unread messages.

At the bottom of the page there is a default setting of 'Mark/Unmark as important'. If you click on the drop down menu symbol next to it, it brings up the option 'Delete marked', click on that to change the setting.

Then mark all messages you want to delete (If you want to delete all messages, click on the 'Mark All' button to save time, otherwise select individually which messages you want to delete), and then click on the 'Go' button. This will take you to new page asking if you want to delete the marked messages, click on 'yes' and they are deleted and you're then returned back to the message page...

[KidKruger]

I am also finding my way through the private message function.

Current thing confusing me at the moment is if I send a private message it seems to go to an outbox and not into the sent box or the sent/read box, stays there for hours or longer so I assume the addressee hasn’t received it which means whatever we’re trying to progress, cannot.

Whether I have to figure something out or someone else has to fix something I’m sure it’ll settle down soon.

At least we have a forum still thank heavens 🕺

[ianr]

This is from Chapter 5.5.3 of the User Guide in the phpBB 3.3 documentation file (1.6MB) https://download.phpbb.com/pub/documentation/3.3/proteus_documentation.pdf.

"Sent messages will appear in either the Outbox or the Sent messages folder. As long as the recipient(s) have not yet read the message, it will stay in the Outbox. As soon as someone reads the message it will be archived to the Sent messages folder. If the administrator allows it, you can edit messages after sending them as long as they are in

the Outbox and the recipients have not yet read them."

[KidKruger]

Wow thanks ianr !!

[Joe]

"Sent messages will appear in either the Outbox or the Sent messages folder. As long as the recipient(s) have not yet read the message, it will stay in the Outbox. As soon as someone reads the message it will be archived to the Sent messages folder. If the administrator allows it, you can edit messages after sending them as long as they are in

the Outbox and the recipients have not yet read them."

 

Yes this is correct. Private Messages are always immediately 'sent' in this forum software. The 'Outbox' term is confusing because you'd usually associate this with an email system, where its used to describe a message which has been written but not yet sent to the recipient.

A few people were getting confused by this so I've now changed the label to read 'Sent messages (Unread)' and 'Send messages (Read)'.

[thebond]

Me too, I've noticed PM's seem to stay in 'Outbox' for several minutes before being sent.

I've lost all my stored messages since the new format. It's so much more complicated this new system. I know we are creatures of habit and find change challenging (some more than others) but it's overcomplicated by any standard. Strip it back to make it more user friendly. I'm looking all over the place to find what I want. Quite frankly I've become a bit disillusioned with it and don't spend half the time on EDF now. Maybe that's a good thing, but there maybe not.

It is what it is..............progress they call it I think

[Sue]

Me too, I've noticed PM's seem to stay in 'Outbox' for several minutes before being sent.

I've lost all my stored messages since the new format. It's so much more complicated this new system. I know we are creatures of habit and find change challenging (some more than others) but it's overcomplicated by any standard. Strip it back to make it more user friendly. I'm looking all over the place to find what I want. Quite frankly I've become a bit disillusioned with it and don't spend half the time on EDF now. Maybe that's a good thing, but there maybe not.

It is what it is..............progress they call it I think

 

Yes, I'm very glad the forum is still here, and very grateful to those who have made that possible, but every page seems to be full of so many symbols and red dots and ads and "do not automatically parse URLs" and stuff that it's hard to find the actual content!

Also it seems to default to the first post of what may be a very long thread, rather than to the most recent post.

Maybe I just need more time to get the hang of it 🙄

What on earth does "Disable BBCode" mean?

[diable rouge]

Also it seems to default to the first post of what may be a very long thread, rather than to the most recent post.

 

 

That's because you've clicked on the thread title, which also happened with the old system.

If you click on the little grey icon to the right of the latest poster's name that will take you to the latest post...

[KidKruger]

True, DR.

However it seems not true for mobile version, never seem able to jump to latest post of a thread when using mobile.

[Sue]

Also it seems to default to the first post of what may be a very long thread, rather than to the most recent post.

 

 

That's because you've clicked on the thread title, which also happened with the old system.

If you click on the little grey icon to the right of the latest poster's name that will take you to the latest post...

 

I can't see any latest poster's name, only the thread title.

My laptop is dead so I can only use my mobile at the moment, but I generally use my mobile for the EDF anyway.

[Joe]

The website looks different when you are viewing it in a mobile verses a desktop. That is intentional. The mobile view is a slightly cut down version of the desktop and more optimised for a small screen and navigating with your fingers. The "Last Poster Name" and "Latest Post" button (as mentioned above) have been hidden in mobile view, but they are there on the desktop view.

If you want to use the full desktop view when using your mobile, all you need to do is press the Desktop View button on your mobile:

iPhone: https://www.browserstack.com/guide/request-desktop-site-on-iphone

Android: https://browserhow.com/how-to-view-full-desktop-site-on-chrome-android-phone/#how-to-enable-desktop-site-in-chrome-android

(Let me know if that doesn't work!)

I do agree that perhaps there is an argument to making the "Last Poster Name" show on mobile view by default. I will look into doing this in the next few days. But for the moment, feel free to use the 'Desktop View' workaround I've mentioned above.

[OutOfFocus]

What on earth does "Disable BBCode" mean?

 

Simple answer - leave it unticked.

Longer answer - the new forum lets you insert what it calls BBCode :

  [b]bold[/b]  [i]italics[/i]  

which comes out as bold italics. Under some circumstances you may wish to switch this off.

[Sue]

Oh, ok. I've always done that anyway to make things bold. The old forum allowed you to do it as well.

[Sue]

The website looks different when you are viewing it in a mobile verses a desktop. That is intentional. The mobile view is a slightly cut down version of the desktop and more optimised for a small screen and navigating with your fingers. The "Last Poster Name" and "Latest Post" button (as mentioned above) have been hidden in mobile view, but they are there on the desktop view.

If you want to use the full desktop view when using your mobile, all you need to do is press the Desktop View button on your mobile:

iPhone: https://www.browserstack.com/guide/request-desktop-site-on-iphone

Android: https://browserhow.com/how-to-view-full-desktop-site-on-chrome-android-phone/#how-to-enable-desktop-site-in-chrome-android

(Let me know if that doesn't work!)

I do agree that perhaps there is an argument to making the "Last Poster Name" show on mobile view by default. I will look into doing this in the next few days. But for the moment, feel free to use the 'Desktop View' workaround I've mentioned above.

 

Thanks Joe!

[Spartacus]

Hi Joe

Strange one, received a private message and after reading it all previous private messages from the old forum appeared and show up as unread

Is there a bulk read option ?

[Joe]

Hi Joe

Strange one, received a private message and after reading it all previous private messages from the old forum appeared and show up as unread

Is there a bulk read option ?

I had reports of this from other people as well. The unread count needs resyncing, so you won't be able to fix it yourself.

I will try and solve this at the weekend.