'Mark as unread' feature

[Sofia Grace]

Will this feature be coming with Elkarte?  So many people probably think I'm a dick because I read messages and unless they're directly related to mentoring I typically don't reply right away... which turns into never replying, since then I get new messages and the read ones get buried.  If I could mark as unread/flag for follow up, I'd be a happy girl.

Please?  Pretty please?

[RedPhoenix]

I join the begging.

[Vekseid]

You mean in PMs?

I was hoping to completely redo the PM system, but that isn't going to happen for 1.1

Not as trivial as it may seem...

One non-perfect way to handle this would be to highlight unreplied pms in some fashion.

[AmberStarfire]

You could create something basic for marking and unmarking messages, like a little read image or a single colour in a square box you can flick on or off. That wouldn't be hard to create. I figure it would come in 2 parts:

1. You'd need a column in a PM table of the database specifically for it (perhaps marked flagged) that displays N or Y for each PM with N as the default.

On the page itself, access it via PHP and display it as coloured if it's 'Y' or display as blank if it's 'N'.

2. You'd need to be able to click it to flag it. It could submit a query to the database that marks it as Y or unmarks it as N in the database (if it's one then clicking it does the other). It would be similar to the 'add/remove' bookmark on the bookmarks page.

All it would be is similar to a highlighter pen.

[Sofia Grace]

A few days ago I decided to just create a 'follow up' label but since I'm just getting into the use of labels it isn't doing me much good.

As far as what you two are discussing, it's going up and over my head. @_@

[Beguile's Mistress]

PMs that you have replied to have a green arrow over the icon.  Therefore, all icons with no green arrow have no had a reply sent.  It isn't much but that is how I keep track of what needs a reply.

[Sofia Grace]

Its an arrow? I always thought it was a plus sign. Or maybe I knew it was an arrow. Who knows.

I can open my inbox and see the ones with no mark on the little chat bubble icon but that isn't enough to prompt me to go back, since sometimes messages don't warrant replies, etc. I want to be able to mark it as though it hasn't been read at all so that it displays in my unread message tally... or they're highlighted in some way. Something irritating to make me want to answer/open them and make the highlight/notification go away. XD

[NightLux]

PMs that you have replied to have a green arrow over the icon.  Therefore, all icons with no green arrow have no had a reply sent.  It isn't much but that is how I keep track of what needs a reply.

Wait what?  *goes to look at PMs*  You've got to be kidding me.  Why didn't I ever notice that before?

Its an arrow? I always thought it was a plus sign. Or maybe I knew it was an arrow. Who knows.

I can open my inbox and see the ones with no mark on the little chat bubble icon but that isn't enough to prompt me to go back, since sometimes messages don't warrant replies, etc. I want to be able to mark it as though it hasn't been read at all so that it displays in my unread message tally... or they're highlighted in some way. Something irritating to make me want to answer/open them and make the highlight/notification go away. XD

Maybe a good suggestion would be to create a label ("No Reply") or something and use that to differentiate?

[Ket]

PMs that you have replied to have a green arrow over the icon.  Therefore, all icons with no green arrow have no had a reply sent.  It isn't much but that is how I keep track of what needs a reply.

I've been here nine years, and this is the first time I've noticed this, thanks to you. *feels really dense!*

[Top Cat]

You're not the only one. The lack of a Mark Unread feature has been my frustration with the PM system, and I didn't really notice the Replied token.

[RedRose]

Didn't see that either, wow!
Well I just hope revamped pms will still have the option to look like a thread.

[Beguile's Mistress]

I probably would have overlooked it, too, but for the fact that my work email has the same arrows, though they are larger and brighter and kinda hit you in the eye! :D  I'm so used to them that I noticed our arrows early on.

I like the emal systems that use an envelop icon that is closed when new, open flap when read and arrowed when replied or forwarded. :-)

[Vekseid]

Well, if someone wanted to make a pair of icons to make the difference stand out, I can go upload them to all the themes.

Didn't see that either, wow!
Well I just hope revamped pms will still have the option to look like a thread.

The plan was for the new PM system to essentially be private threads. So much logic is duplicated between posts and pms right now it's silly, and trying to replicate e-mail is a royal pain.

[Beautiful Mystery]

Well, if someone wanted to make a pair of icons to make the difference stand out, I can go upload them to all the themes.

The plan was for the new PM system to essentially be private threads. So much logic is duplicated between posts and pms right now it's silly, and trying to replicate e-mail is a royal pain.

Pokes her head in about icons.

What are you looking for? I mean I can attempt something.

Key word being attempt :P I make no promises. Unless someone else wants to.

[Verasaille]

I actually like the idea of PM's being in a private thread manner. Though I would like the option to delete those I do not wish to see anymore. Or a way to quickly access the conversation, like if you have not heard from someone in a long time, and you need to PM them and have a reference point. Like a request you did not have time to do when they first asked and now you do.

[Formless]

I do not know how it all works, but a suggestion:

Would it be possible to turn the private message section into something similar to other boards. Each message would be clickable, and the newer ones would be in a bolder font, while already read messages are in a thinner font?

[Vekseid]

I can keep that sort of thing in mind for when we get there in Elkarte, at least.

Pokes her head in about icons.

What are you looking for? I mean I can attempt something.

Key word being attempt :P I make no promises. Unless someone else wants to.

Could poke Amberstarfire or other people about making the graphics.

One just needs to be more visible than the other.

[Oniya]

Maybe just a quick recolor?  Answered messages get a green envelope, and unanswered ones get a red one?

[Beautiful Mystery]

I can keep that sort of thing in mind for when we get there in Elkarte, at least.

Could poke Amberstarfire or other people about making the graphics.

One just needs to be more visible than the other.

I just didn't want to promise something amazing and have it suck. >.>

Maybe just a quick recolor?  Answered messages get a green envelope, and unanswered ones get a red one?

That could work. Or just unanswered are blank and answered are red? I think red would stand out against all backgrounds.

[Oniya]

(Need to make the black transparent, but that's a quick hack of the current icons)

[Beautiful Mystery]

(Need to make the black transparent, but that's a quick hack of the current icons)

I can make those transparent. Edit: Here they are. I did send them to Veks though.

[Sofia Grace]

>_>

feels like a pain in the ass

I feel like that would be helpful for some people.  Personally, I'm hoping that eventually the 'mark as unread' feature can be worked into the PM system.  I already know which messages have been replied to and which ones haven't by looking for the arrow on the envelope - so essentially, BeMy would just be making new icons to replace the ones we already have. 

My main problem has always been distinguishing the ones that warrant no reply from the ones I actually need to follow up on.  In other words, if we were to compare it to work e-mails, the messages I don't need to reply to versus ones I flag for follow-up.  The flagging feature/mark as unread feature works well in my work/personal e-mail system because if it's marked as unread or actually flagged then I know I need to do something about it - it will stand out from all of the other messages I've read and didn't need to reply to.  If it's marked as unread, I can exit my mailbox and return and it will still be unread, which will prompt me to answer.  As of now, when I open my mailbox I'm only really looking at the ones with the orange 'new' alert next to them.


Question, though - I know we're able to mark threads as unread, what's the difference between us marking messages as unread when it comes to the tech-y/coding side of it?

[Beguile's Mistress]

Maybe add something that indicates the importance of the message, or gives some type of priority status, so you know it needs a reply.  A button in the message itself, where the Reply, Reply All and Quote buttons are, that could be clicked to add an icon to the subject in the PM index.  It could show up in the same spot where the New icon is and be a bright yellow.

[Vekseid]

I can make those transparent. Edit: Here they are. I did send them to Veks though.

As I mentioned in PM, the 'answered' one (green) needs to stand out a lot less. It shouldn't 'pop', your eye should gloss over it.

[Sofia Grace]

What if the answered one was white and the unanswered one was that bright green color?

[Oniya]

As I mentioned in PM, the 'answered' one (green) needs to stand out a lot less. It shouldn't 'pop', your eye should gloss over it.

Could always leave the answered one with the default image.  Like I said, those were pretty much hacks.  Nothing fancier than a color palette change as far as effort.