Private Messaging (PM)

(JD) · 05:07 PM

Private Messaging can be an integral part of your experience here at Psych Central.

You can access the PM option from the COMMUNITY page. Up on the right of the site page you will find:

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Welcome: (your screen name here)
You last visited: Today at 9:35 AM ( date, time)
Private Messages: Unread #, Total ###
My Mood:

Relaxed

You can access your PMs from that link, or you can click on it from the drop down from the My Profile tab on the task bar.
Click on Private Messages.

Once you're on your User Control Panel page, you'll see

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Folder Controls
Inbox contains ## messages.
You have ### messages stored, of a total 6,500 allowed. (Empty Folder)

Jump to Folder:
here is a text line window INBOX with GO at the end
You have ## confirmed and ## unconfirmed private message receipts.

And below that box of information you'll see a listing of your INBOX posts, today, yesterday, the day before, last week, 2 weeks ago, 3 weeks ago and prior.

To compose and send a PM:
From your control panel column on the left of the page, read down to "send new message" and click on it.

Now you have the form in front of you.
At the top it says: recipient

That's the screen name of whom is to receive the message.
It must be completely accurate. There will be a drop down of all members with the beginning of what ever name you begin to type in there, and you can choose by clicking on it, if you don't wish to type it yourself.

You can send the same message at the same time to up to 10 other members. Separate their names by a semi-colon " ; " .

Then, if you wish to "blind copy" it to yourself or maybe admin, click on the BCC. Put those screen names in there, separated by ; and the recipient will not know that these members also received the PM you sent to them.

[The main advantage of having a "blind" copy sent to you is that if you have chosen to have an email of each message sent to your internet email address, you will receive it there. Sent PMs are not copied to your email on their own.]

Next, you need to title your message. It won't be sent unless it has a subject.

And then you have a text box like you have for any post on the site. It has all the same options for font, smileys etc.

I urge you to "Preview Message" before sending, btw.

Now before you SUBMIT message... view the information below the text window box:

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Miscellaneous Options
Request a read receipt for this message
Save a copy of this message in your Sent Items folder.
Show your signature
Automatically parse links in text
Disable smilies in text

Here are additional options. You can be informed when the recipient reads your PM.

You can also select to have a copy of what you sent put into your Sent folder. This option can be ongoing or a PM-by-PM option.

See the other options listed above.

ALL SET? Click SUBMIT MESSAGE and it's sent!

If you have selected to have a BCC sent to you, you will instantly see that you have 1 message in your INBOX.

When you open that PM (or any that you receive) down on the right bottom are clickable REPLY or FORWARD options. To reply, click that and type in the same text window as the other PM message.

[One of the options is to FORWARD any PM. This option is used to forward any PM to a moderator or administrator for assistance or comment. The sharing of PMs with any member other than those in the active conversation (on the Recipient listing) is against guidelines. If you have any questions, consult the Community Guidelines http://http://forums.psychcentral.co...ead.php?t=3643 or contact a moderator or administrator.]

Once you have sent and received PMs, you can utilize other items on the page.

Regarding the top information box:

If you click on the down arrow at the end of the text line window, you'll get a drop down that gives you options to change what page of PMs you'll view: INBOX (##) SENT (##) and then will also list any folders you have made to group your PMs into.

You can see what you sent to someone by clicking on the Sent (GO) and clicking on the PM you sent, to read it. If you like to keep easier track of what you replied, you can also add your screen name to the PM itself so you get a copy immediately, or you can use the BCC option so the recipient doesn't know you're having a copy sent to you.

On the actual listing of the PMs on your INBOX and SENT pages:
There are little arrows on the left side of the "when" designator that you can expand or compress. I, for instance, keep Today's PMs expanded so I can see the subject line of each PM. The others, I keep compressed so I only see the category listing: yesterday, the day before (names it by "Monday" etc) last week... etc.

Under another category of your control panel, the column on the left, you will see EDIT OPTIONS. From there you can scroll down on that page and find this which refers to PMs here at PC.

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Private Messaging
This forum features a private messaging system, which allows members to send messages to one another privately.

If you do not want to send or receive private messages, you may disable the private messaging system.
Enable Private Messaging

You may limit the receipt of private messages to just moderators and your contacts. Other members who attempt to send messages to you will be told that you have disabled private messaging.
Receive Private Messages only from Contacts and Moderators

The forum can send a message to your email address to inform you when someone sends you a private message.
Receive Email Notification of New Private Messages

If you are browsing the forums when you receive a new private message, the system can pop-up a notification box informing you of the new message.
Show New Private Message Notification Pop-up

Going back to the Control Panel, scroll down and under the Private Messages category, you will see these:

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Private Messages
List Messages
Send New Message
Track Messages
Edit Folders

Clicking on any of the "messages" ones will bring up you inbox, sent, new message option, messages you are tracking (wanting a receipt when read)... and the last EDIT FOLDERs is what you use to make category folders for your PMs.

Should you choose to keep your PMs rather than delete them (see options at bottom of page, on the right, for how to handle PMs) you may want to organize them. Click on Edit Folders. At the bottom of that page you'll find:

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Add New Folders
Folder Name:
Folder Name:
Folder Name:
To add a new folder, enter the name of the new folder in one of the empty boxes in the list.

Once you add folders, this page will list your custom folders and then give you the above option to add new folders.
BE SURE TO "SAVE FOLDERS" by clicking on that at the bottom of the page, once you've listed your folders.

You can manage your PMs by using the check off boxes at the right of the PM in the listing. At the bottom of that right hand side column you will find:
another GO choice ..after a window stating options. MOVE TO FOLDER GO will bring up all your folders, and then you can choose into which one you wish your "selected" (checked-off) PMs to go.

On that drop down listing you can also --after checking off which PMs you are managing-- select to mark it as "read" (without having to read it) or mark it as "unread" (to remind you to re read it later, i.e.) ... There is also a choice as to what format you want to download your Private messages in.

Let me take a moment to remind all of us that Psych Central is a mental health support site. As told in the guidelines, all communications are to be ones of support. Using a PM to deliver a mean-spirited message is against guidelines. As well, sending a PM and then immediately BLOCKING someone from replying (preventing them from replying) is against guidelines. We don't all agree, but we have to agree to have civil disagreements at those times.

BTW, technically you can send a PM to someone on your ignore list; keep that in mind if you have members on your ignore list, as this will block them from replying.

Hope this helps!
(JD)

PS Though you can access this through clicking on My Profile, this is not actually called your profile page. That page is the one accessed by clicking upon a member's screen name, and has a profile picture, visitor messaging options, friend lists, who's visited, group memberships, and where you can "befriend" the member. It's also labeled

Quote:

Forums at Psych Central > Members List

(JD) · Mar 05, 2013 at 10:54 AM

Updated Community Guidelines link: http://forums.psychcentral.com/rules...-1-2012-a.html

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Private Messaging (PM)

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(JD) Legendary Wise Elder Member Since Dec 2003 Location: Coram Deo Posts: 35,474 (SuperPoster!) 20 1,651 hugs given	Mar 05, 2013 at 10:54 AM #2 Updated Community Guidelines link: http://forums.psychcentral.com/rules...-1-2012-a.html __________________ Believe in Him or not --- GOD LOVES YOU! Want to share your Christian faith? Click HERE
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