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"Help" feature, Personal Message Deleting


Maylissa

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It appears something else may have changed on the site in just the last few months. I can't seem to find any way now to selectively check off, then delete, any PMs (Personal Messages), to save space in my Messenger section. ??:huh:??  IS there still a way, or am I just being 'blind'? If there isn't a way anymore, then what happens to your Messages when you exceed the storage limit???

I also can't find a general "Help" section anymore. Is it hidden somewhere? Tried the basic Search button for this, but that didn't seem to yield any pertinent results.

Seems rather odd that such basic features are now missing!  

Edited by Maylissa
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Hi Maylissa,

I don't know the answers to your questions about the PMs feature, but I've submitted a query and I'll let you know whatever I find out.

As for the "Help" section, I asked about that some time ago. Here is the exchange I had with our provider:

Marty Tousley

09 August 2015 - 02:26 PM

Can you tell me: Where has the "Help" link gone??? It used to be at the foot of the main page (in very tiny print) but it gave members access to all kinds of instructions on how to use and navigate the site. Is that all gone now? Or is there any way to access such a help feature in this new version?

 

~ Marty T

 

Rhett Buck

09 August 2015 - 02:43 PM

Hello, yes the help is one item that was removed, I wish I had a better answer for you, as it has been brought up a few times, but most people didn't seem to use this much it seems.

 


Regards,

 

Rhett
Hosting & Support Manager
Invision Power Services Inc

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Marty Tousley

09 August 2015 - 03:00 PM

That is most unfortunate. My members used that Help feature a LOT. Now I'll be the one they turn to for that kind of help.

 

 

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Thanks, Marty. I always hate to give you yet another task to do...sigh.

I'll await whatever response they provide you...although the news about the removal of such a basic feature as a Help section is pretty discouraging, and rather uncommon! Perhaps this also says that GH members are a bit more forum-user savvy than most?! (if so, good for US for being cleverer than the "average bear"!) Now I suspect they've also removed the PM editing feature as well then...groan...since it's not usually very hard to find such things, and I think I likely clicked every possible button & drop-down menu I saw.

I don't suppose there's any chance of the provider adding back in such useful &/or needed features at this stage, is there?

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I doubt that, Maylissa ~ When something like this is changed, I'm left to find out about it after the fact. I was especially annoyed at their deleting the "Help" feature because I know our members found it so useful. (I know that I certainly did.) But as you can see, nobody asked for my opinion beforehand :huh:

For what it's worth, I do try to pass along to the provider how our members feel about their changes. They have lots and lots of message board customers, but I think we're probably one of the few boards whose users are coping with caregiving, grief and loss. Still, this company is one of the best message board designers out there, so I've stuck with it. (A few years ago my former employer tried for two years to design its own rendition of this message board, and eventually gave up the project, because replicating its best features proved to be too costly and far too complicated.)

Like you, I tried every button, link and option I could find to see if I could figure out the answers to your PM questions, all to no avail. Seems to me things like this shouldn't be so difficult . . .

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But as you can see, nobody asked for my opinion beforehand :huh:

Seems to me things like this shouldn't be so difficult . . .

Yes, you'd think liaising with you would be an absolute "given" for such a specialized, fully-moderated forum's development or redevelopment! (but hey, what do non-techies know? :rolleyes: <-- this guy, but with a smirk, not a grin!)

I agree, it's pretty much one, big SIGH, and/or "seriously???" My opinion remains the same then -- for the features I most often used (and even others I didn't, but were available), I still preferred the board the way it used to be a few years ago. :unsure: Seems to be an ironic metaphor on loss of "what was," no? Geez....

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Okay, Maylissa ~ Here is the content of my exchange with our provider:

Marty Tousley

16 November 2015 - 12:20 PM

Hello ~ I've received the following query from one of our members, and I don't know how to answer her. Can you assist me, please?

 

I can't seem to find any way now to selectively check off, then delete, any PMs (Personal Messages), to save space in my Messenger section. ??Posted Image?? IS there still a way, or am I just being 'blind'? If there isn't a way anymore, then what happens to your Messages when you exceed the storage limit???

~ Marty Tousley, Site Administrator

 

Marc Stridgen

17 November 2015 - 08:22 AM

Hello,
She is quite correct. The only way in which to do this in the version you are currently running is to enter the conversation and leave the conversation. This was an omission in the 4.0 software which has been corrected in 4.1. We can upgrade your site to this version if you would like for us to do so.

Kind Regards,

Marc Stridgen
Invision Power Services, Inc.

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Marty Tousley

17 November 2015 - 11:41 AM

Okay, Marc ~ Please just go ahead and upgrade my site to the newest version. Consider this my authorization for you to do so.

~ Marty Tousley
Site Administrator

As I'm sure you've noticed, Maylissa, the site has been upgraded now, and we are left with learning to manage all the other changes that came with this fix. (That's the price we pay: whenever we fix one problem, it seems to create ever more changes we didn't expect. Yikes!) 

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I know you are still tweaking the new software, Marty. I have a few observations if I may ~ I really hope the “Help” feature can be brought back. It takes a while to learn new features and being able to go to a “Help” link is very helpful and eliminates needing to always ask the staff.

On the Home page, there are three links right below the picture that all send us to the same place ~ the Browse, Forums and Home links each takes us to the Home page. Perhaps deleting Browse and Forums would clean up the bar under the picture.

I like the Activity page added on the top bar along with your Grief Healing Blog. I have often wondered if members know what rich resources are there.

The Calendar has always been a good link. Perhaps “timed” webinars could be added to the calendar or other dated resources.

Sometimes there are some good articles that would benefit everyone and many members do not go to the thread on the Home page under “Tools for Healing.” Perhaps some of the more general articles could be featured in links under the “Articles” link in the bar at the top.

This post does not need a response, Marty. I'm just thinking out loud. 

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Thank-you for pursuing this, Marty, and for giving the green light to adding the PM editing feature back in -- yay!!! Any idea when this will be accomplished? I don't have enough time today to check, myself.

I wonder if it will be set up like the old, clear & easy version, though? This all reminds me of these constant computer/phone/pad upgrades, where features that were working perfectly fine  are either removed for no known reason, or rejigged for the worse, so people don't even want to upgrade to new versions anymore. In any event, I guess we'll see how it goes. I'm just thankful something is being added back in because quite frankly, I didn't even understand Marc's answer! -- "enter the conversation and leave the conversation." Que??? That makes it sound like I may have inadvertently gone and deleted a Conversation during my last foray! Maybe I should get myself a position as a "technical writer" for Invision, lol! (my H always says I'd be excellent as one)

I'll have to check out some of enna's points, too, when or if I ever have time. Her suggestion about the Calendar is a good one, although sometimes such things may require posting under more than one heading/forum, depending on whether there is good info related to an event that members may want to know about, regardless of having missed the dated event. (I've often thought I should post such things in 1, 2 or 3 appropriate places, but it's so time-consuming that I don't) 

I also agree that the Help feature should be reinstated! Still shaking my head over that one...

Thanks again, Marty, your follow-up is as always, greatly appreciated!

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Yikes, sorry to hear that, Marty! It's never a simple fix, is it? Technology too often makes our lives too darn complicated & is SO time-wasting, it isn't funny! 

But heh-heh....one can only imagine what would happen if we got the Help feature back, too!!!! :o

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I did it but I'll have to play with it to figure out what I did because it was back when we first got this changed website.

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I wrote what worked for me Sept 16 to Marty and just found it.

Try this, it worked for me:

You have to create a folder, put the ones you want to save in it, and THEN empty the conversations.

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