Mass PM download to file

[bira]

Hi,

Many of my users are asking for a feature that will allow them to save old Private Messages to a file that they can download and save on their hard-drive. Something like archiving e-mail messages, I guess.

I think this would be a useful feature, and I can imagine it shouldn't be too hard, as it would be similar to MySQL dump.

Example of how it will work:

The users check the boxes next to the messages they want to "save and download to file",
click on "go",
and then are prompted to choose the directory where to save this "bira-pm.txt" file.

After that, they will be much less reluctant to delete old PMs, I'm sure, and at the same time we could limit their mailbox size without forcing them to lose much-loved PMs :)

Thanks,

Bira

[etones]

Wouldn't it be better to have the option to email home PM messages ??

[bira]

That is an option too, indeed. But after accumulating 100 PMs, would you really sit down and e-mail yourself every PM separately? :)

Many users have made the PM on the BB a second e-mail "client" for themselves. They use it very actively, and it had replaced their e-mail exchanges with friends they made on the BB. They won't bother e-mailing a PM to themselves every time they receive one, or why would they use the PM to begin with - easier to give out their e-mail address to their friends and interact by email thereafter.

But, as a mailbox for all intent and purpose, it should have the ability to allow you to archive. All e-mail clients allow that; why not the PM feature too, especially as it's not something hard to add.

[bira]

John? James? Ed Sullivan? Anyone?

Some response would be helpful please :)

[Me2Be]

Actually, I'd like a feature where they can FORWARD their PM messages to an email address (or maybe the email address they registered with).

That would be helpful

[bira]

OK, I wrote a basic hack to achieve what I wanted (download to file of all selected messages).

You can see it at http://vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=5609

Thanks,

Bira

[Menno]

I'd like to see both options incorperated :)
It would be easy to do: Add checkboxes to all the messages, then use a dropbox to download/delete/send

(and with the send it should automaticly email it to the email specified in your profile)

[bira]

Menno, the checkboxes exist already.

Making a hack based on the hack I've already done is a piece of cake. Just copy it and replace the header and all that with mail commands.

[Menno]

bira uh, I'd figured that already, but my post would have been kind off akward if I had let the bit about the checkboxes out :)