Messages Tool

With the Messages tool you can send and receive private messages to and from any or all of your site members. This is much like a miniature email system within your site, not requiring any outside programs. You can even send your messages directly to members email accounts, and have messages sent to you in the Messages tool forwarded to your email as well.

On the main page of the Messages tool, there are three tabs: Compose Message, New Folder, and Settings. Below the tabs is a table showing all your messages folders (by default, there are Received, Sent, and Deleted folders). Next to each is shown how many messages are in that folder, and in the case of the Received folder, how many you have not yet read.

For any folders you have added, there is a Folder Settings link on the right hand side which will allow you to change the name of the folder, delete the folder, or add a new folder. Clicking on the name of any folder will take you to the contents of that folder.

In the folder view, there is a table of all the messages in that folder. Using the View selection box, you can choose to either see all messages together, or to have them grouped by conversation (a particular string of messages sent back and forth between you and another user(s)). There are check boxes on the left and a Mark Checked as Read link at the top of the table if you need to mark a message as read (it will no longer show up as unread on the main page). There is also a search box, and a button for composing new messages directly from this page. At the top right corner are two links which will change the view to the previous or next folder in your Messages tool.

Clicking on the name of a message takes you to the message details and contents. There are several buttons here, allowing you to compose a new message in Reply to this one, Move the message to a different folder, Delete the message, or return to the previous folder view. Links in the top right corner allow you to move to the previous or next message within the current folder.

In both the folder and message views, there is a path at the top left which will allow you to jump to a different location in the path by clicking on that location's name, including Messages which will return you to the main page of the tool.

The New Folder tab on the main page allows you to create a new folder to place messages in. Simply enter a name for the folder and press Add. You can create a folder by clicking on Folder Settings for an existing folder, and then pressing Add, which will take you to the same page for creating a new folder as the New Folder tab. You can only create folders under the top level of the Message tool (there is no way to make subfolders). To put messages in your new folder, go to any message and press the Move to folder button. Select the folder you want to put the message in, then press Move Message.

The Settings tab on the main page has only one option for you to decide on. Picking Yes for Auto Forward Messages will automatically send a copy of every message you receive in the Messages tool to the email address entered in the text box below. Press Save Settings to save any changes you make.

The Compose Message tab on the main page, button of the same name in folder view, and the Reply button in message view, all take you to a page where you can create and send a new message (in the case of Reply, some choices are automatically filled out for you, and the text of the message you are replying to appears at the bottom of the page for reference).

Here you can select a recipient by highlighting their name (or a group, or type of site member) in the To box. The Send option allows you to either send this message through the Messages tool (As Message), or as an email (To Recipients' Email Address(es)). The Label selection box allows you to choose a priority for the message. You must enter a Subject for your message in the text box provided. Next you can create the content of your message in the text editor interface. Finally you can add an attachment with the Add Attachment button. Press Send at the bottom of the page when you are ready to send your message.