Communicating using Private Messages

[gary]

Communicating using Private Messages
This message board allows its users to communicate privately by using Private Messages. To visit the Private Messages section, you either can click on the [X new messages] link on the left hand side below the forum header, or you can directly access it through the User Control Panel..

Depending on your [settings], there are 3 ways of being notified that a new Private Message has arrived:

1. By receiving an e-mail
2. While browsing the forum a notification window will pop up
3. The [X new messages] link will show the number of currently unread messages

You can set the options to your liking in the Preferences section. Note, that for the popup window notification to work, your will have to add the forum you are visiting to your browser’s popup blocker white list.

You can choose to not receive Private Messages by other users in your Preferences. Note, that moderators and administrators will still be able send you Private Messages, even if you have disabled them.


Message display
The Inbox is the default incoming folder, which contains a list of your recently received Private Messages.

Composing a new message
Similar to the posting screen, so a reference for the basic functions should be enough. What needs to be explained are the To and Bcc fields, how they integrate with the friends list and how to find members (which could also be a link to the memberlist section).

Message Folders
Just like in your e-mail client, all private messages are stored in folders. Working with folders is similar to working with forums. The Inbox is your default incoming message folder. All messages you receive will appear in here.

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.

Each folder, including Sent messages and Outbox, can hold a board-defined amount of messages. This is a global setting that only a board administrator can change. An info text displays the current number of allowed messages and the current percentage of space your messages are using at the top of each folder. If no restriction is displayed, you are allowed unlimited messages in each folder.