How To INBOX FULL! Clear your private messages/conversations

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Gary W. Graley

Gary W. Graley

“Imagination is more important than knowledge"
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Mar 2, 1999
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26,377
Hi folks, I've had a couple of people ask me recently about how to clean out their inboxes of messages, these are the private messages for those with paid membership, the lower your level, the fewer messages you are allowed. So it's good to try and do some housekeeping from time to time.

The envelope next to your avatar takes you to your messages

2022-04-12 21_13_49-Window by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Then click on Show All so you can see all the messages

2022-04-12 21_14_17-Window by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Click the check box on the right of the message you want to remove

2022-04-12 21_14_50-Window by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

A drop down list will show up at the bottom, select Leave Conversations and then click on Go

2022-04-12 21_15_58-Window by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

a new window will pop up, just do the default and click Save

2022-04-12 21_16_53-Window by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Then Click on the left side the word Trash, this will take you to where the message went to so you can then really delete it

2022-04-12 21_17_24-Window by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

click on the box next to the message and then a drop down box shows up at the bottom, select the Delete one and then press Go to get rid of it.

2022-04-12 21_18_23-Window by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

I think that you need to get rid of the messages first in your IN box and then from the Trash box to really clean out and make room for more.

I hope this helps some folks,
G2
 
You can also delete a message from the message itself (rather than from the main mailbox). I end up doing this sometimes because I skip messages during mass pruning because I want to double-check whether I need to keep them. From an open message, at top left select Leave (you may have to click on the three dots to open the menu). From there, proceed according to Gary's directions.

Re: Trash...I have never used that step, or even seen that option. Going to look, now
 
That's a great tip right there as well, thanks !
G2
 
Back to Trash - since I have been using my phone to access the site more recently, I haven't seen it. As far as I can see at this time, it can only be accessed on my (Android) phone immediately upon deleting a message. Near the top of the page, click on Navigation. A small menu will appear which includes Trash. (I have 13 pages of deleted messages.) A potential benefit of not emptying the trash is that you can re-access/restore those deleted messages.
 
I've never noticed before that there's a Trash folder. (maybe it's new with the latest update?)

I see old messages I thought I'd deleted in there going back to 2015. If I click to open one, I'm given the option to 'rejoin conversation' so maybe it's just message headers that are stored, and not the entire conversation.

I selected a bunch of them and deleted, but it isn't making any difference in the used/allowed storage percentage.
 
Sounds much like it doesn't matter if you don't take out the trash ;) which is good news? just the OCD in me that has to wipe out every vestige of old mail I reckon.
G2
 
Gary W. Graley said:
Sounds much like it doesn't matter if you don't take out the trash ;) which is good news? just the OCD in me that has to wipe out every vestige of old mail I reckon.
G2
Click to expand...
Ah. I'm more if a hoarder that way, "What if I need to reference something in this message from 7 years ago?" Even when I know there's nothing important there and I'd never be able to find it again anyway.
 
That's a great point, history is important, I tend to repeat it because I've forgotten so much :) but, hard to fight that OCD and one thing that bugs me about OCD is that it's not in alphabetical order ;)
G2
 
Thank you for this. I just went back to Gold and found that my Inbox was full. I'm not drunk, and I'd like to think that I'm not stupid, but simply could not figure out how to DELETE a message. The process seems unnecessarily complicated. Leave =/= Delete in the mind of most folks. Just glad that I searched before carping about it.
 
Sadly I'm realizing that the basic member ship is just going to drive me nuts. I have a PM, it has 14 responses. Most of those are useless but there are 3 that have info I'd like to keep, at least for a week when I get what I bought through the PM. If I could nuke the 10 back and forth replys, that'd be great, but it looks like my only option is leave the entire convo. The joys of XenForo vs BB and VB. Is it possible in the default black 2.2 theme the button to remove a reply in the convo is missing? Or a limitation of this software? If I could upgrade my Basic to gold for the increased price I would. As it is I can't even PM a mod/admin to ask about it without clearing my whole box.
 
azerik said:
Sadly I'm realizing that the basic member ship is just going to drive me nuts. I have a PM, it has 14 responses. Most of those are useless but there are 3 that have info I'd like to keep, at least for a week when I get what I bought through the PM. If I could nuke the 10 back and forth replys, that'd be great, but it looks like my only option is leave the entire convo. The joys of XenForo vs BB and VB. Is it possible in the default black 2.2 theme the button to remove a reply in the convo is missing? Or a limitation of this software? If I could upgrade my Basic to gold for the increased price I would. As it is I can't even PM a mod/admin to ask about it without clearing my whole box.
Click to expand...
You can export conversations and save them on your device, freeing up the space here. Might be an option to consider.
 
azerik said:
Sadly I'm realizing that the basic member ship is just going to drive me nuts. I have a PM, it has 14 responses. Most of those are useless but there are 3 that have info I'd like to keep, at least for a week when I get what I bought through the PM. If I could nuke the 10 back and forth replys, that'd be great, but it looks like my only option is leave the entire convo. The joys of XenForo vs BB and VB. Is it possible in the default black 2.2 theme the button to remove a reply in the convo is missing? Or a limitation of this software? If I could upgrade my Basic to gold for the increased price I would. As it is I can't even PM a mod/admin to ask about it without clearing my whole box.
Click to expand...
It might not be ideal, but I would probably just copy and paste into a text file. That might be good enough if you just want to keep info like a tracking number or someone's contact information. Maybe not effective if you want proof of an agreement if there's a dispute.
 
azerik said:
Sadly I'm realizing that the basic member ship is just going to drive me nuts. I have a PM, it has 14 responses. Most of those are useless but there are 3 that have info I'd like to keep, at least for a week when I get what I bought through the PM. If I could nuke the 10 back and forth replys, that'd be great, but it looks like my only option is leave the entire convo. The joys of XenForo vs BB and VB. Is it possible in the default black 2.2 theme the button to remove a reply in the convo is missing? Or a limitation of this software? If I could upgrade my Basic to gold for the increased price I would. As it is I can't even PM a mod/admin to ask about it without clearing my whole box.
Click to expand...

azerik azerik , you can upgrade to a Gold Membership at anytime, no need waiting. The remaining unused dollar balance that is on your Basic Membership at the time you upgrade to Gold will just be prorated, and extend your new 1 year Gold Membership time wise by that prorated unused dollar amount.

That is a common issue that happens all the time (getting prorated) and Spark the owner will take care of you, even if it doesn’t happen automatically.
 
Gary W. Graley said:
Hi folks, I've had a couple of people ask me recently about how to clean out their inboxes of messages, these are the private messages for those with paid membership, the lower your level, the fewer messages you are allowed. So it's good to try and do some housekeeping from time to time.

The envelope next to your avatar takes you to your messages

2022-04-12 21_13_49-Window by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Then click on Show All so you can see all the messages

2022-04-12 21_14_17-Window by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Click the check box on the right of the message you want to remove

2022-04-12 21_14_50-Window by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

A drop down list will show up at the bottom, select Leave Conversations and then click on Go

2022-04-12 21_15_58-Window by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

a new window will pop up, just do the default and click Save

2022-04-12 21_16_53-Window by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Then Click on the left side the word Trash, this will take you to where the message went to so you can then really delete it

2022-04-12 21_17_24-Window by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

click on the box next to the message and then a drop down box shows up at the bottom, select the Delete one and then press Go to get rid of it.

2022-04-12 21_18_23-Window by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

I think that you need to get rid of the messages first in your IN box and then from the Trash box to really clean out and make room for more.

I hope this helps some folks,
G2
Click to expand...
Gary,

Thank you excellent job with the screen shots.
I would greatly value the ability to keep my messages.
128 - Conversations
Scored as 500+
Because reply's within the message count against the total.

I enjoy paying my income taxes more than paying $60 yearly
to the site. ZERO or negative response from the folks running
the site when requests for improvement are made.

Thank you again,

Dan
 
barkingspider2007 said:
Gary,

Thank you excellent job with the screen shots.
I would greatly value the ability to keep my messages.
128 - Conversations
Scored as 500+
Because reply's within the message count against the total.

I enjoy paying my income taxes more than paying $60 yearly
to the site. ZERO or negative response from the folks running
the site when requests for improvement are made.

Thank you again,

Dan
Click to expand...
For Platinum, the limits are 500 messages or 300 conversations, whichever comes first. There is the option to Export conversations to save them externally from the site.
 
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