Finding new messages to me?

[Reflo Ltd]

Is there a simple way to find all new messages to me or replies to posts I have made?

[vangogh]

Yes there is a simple way. You can set it up through your user control panel. It'll probably take me longer to type the instructions that for you to make the actual changes.

In the top right on any page click on Settings. That will take you to your control panel. Scroll down a bit and on the left hand side look for the section My Settings and then the General Settings link under My Account. Everything you want should be on this page.

Once on the General Settings page look in the section Messaging and Notification. There's a setting for Default Thread Subscription Mode. I think by default it's set for no subscriptions, but there are options in the drop down to be subscribed through your control panel only or one of three different email options. If you post a lot the instant emails will probably get annoying. The daily or weekly emails might not be too bad.

I have mine set to be subscribed through the control panel only so when I come to the forum I click on Settings and there's a list of all the threads I'm subscribed to that have new posts in them. I find that the easiest way to keep up to date.

Just below the Default Thread Subscription Mode options there's a section for private messaging. I assume that's what you meant by new messages to you. You can set the private messages (PMs) similarly to subscribing to threads. The PMs I have set to send an email, though I I'm here often enough that I tend to see them here first.

Whenever you have a PM or visitor message (which shows up on your profile) or a friend request it'll show up at the top under Notifications. You'll see a number next to the word if you have any messages waiting for you. You'll be able to access them right from there or just click through to your control panel and find everything.

While you're in your control panel look around at some of the other options you can edit. One thing you may want to do is add a signature with a link back to your site. Look at the bottom of my post to see mine.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

[Reflo Ltd]

When I clicked on the settings link it actually took me to a page that showed new messages to me (in threads, not PMs). Getting the PMs is easy enough. It is knowing if anyone has contrivuted to a thread I am involved in that is tougher to find.... maybe not anymore though, thanks for the tips.

[vangogh]

Glad to help. The page with the new messages is your control panel. I guess the forum default is to subscribe you to any thread you post in and show the posts there. That's how I have it set up. I find it the easiest way to keep up. Probably why it's the default too, since I set the default. Poke around the links in your control panel. There are a few things in there that can make the forum easier to use and the overall experience better.

One other way to make it easier to stay up to date with the conversations going on is to click on the New Posts or Today's Posts links in the upper left. New Posts will be posts you haven't seen and Today's posts will be any from the last 24 hours even if you've already seen them.

[Reflo Ltd]

Thanks again for the help. You made life a little easier for me.

[vangogh]

I see you figured out how to add a signature. It looks good.

[Reflo Ltd]

I'm almost a natural now... thanks to your help ;)