Private Messages in my inbox.

CG2014's Avatar
I have 1,702 messages in my inbox out of 2,500 allowed.

I want to delete some of them, at least half.

But the forum is set up where I have to open each one, read it's content to see if I want to keep or trash, and then delete it?

There is no way to delete one in view mode and it will automatically be replaced by the next message in line showing its content?

Opening 850 messages one by one takes time even if I open each one in a new browser tab.
needingmilking's Avatar
its awkward, isnt it?

you see the little square on the right side? the check box?

Check the messages you want to delete, then go all the way to the bottom right corner, you will see a drop down list, on of the options is delete.

Have fun!
ck1942's Avatar
Or, scroll all the way to the bottom of your messages.

There you will find

Download all Private Messages as:

XML CSV Text

They will listed by each of the past few days, then by week to week and by months, as well. Entire sections can be deleted with a single click.

If you have a place to store all of your messages, you can download the entire file (best to use a tablet or laptop, imo) (I prefer text) and save the entire file. I do this roughly once a month, using my laptop and downloading into "notepad" and then saving the file in one of my hidden on line accounts... you can use a spare email account and save the entire download as a single "draft" which is easily searched using the "find" function.

Once saved, you can return to the site's PM files and delete what you need.

Best practice I have found is to set up several folders beyond the In and Sent folders, and as suggested by another poster, shift important messages you want to keep track of into a folder or two.

You may even delete entire contents of a single or multiple folders.

Happy Hobbying!
NYr's Avatar
  • NYr
  • 09-12-2017, 07:42 AM
I do the box as needing suggested....you can only do one page at a time.

ALSO, sent PMs count. you can delete those too. (under User CP, place mouse over the "Private Message" section to go to sent items.
CG2014's Avatar
its awkward, isnt it?

you see the little square on the right side? the check box?

Check the messages you want to delete, then go all the way to the bottom right corner, you will see a drop down list, on of the options is delete.

Have fun! Originally Posted by needingmilking
I know about that but I want to check the content of each message before I mass delete them an entire page at the time.

Couple of other forums I go to that use VBulletin and Bulletin, their inbox are set up to scroll left and right between messages, showing the content of each one and then delete, all on the same page: like scrolling through several photos on a news site.
needingmilking's Avatar
Ah! alas, it seems we dont have that here.

Good luck
Chung Tran's Avatar
damn it, CG2014! I sent you 5 PM's, the first was to tell you I cashed in a savings bond and was going to give you $20,000.. the next 4 were to remind you of the expiration date on that offer. which was August 31..

fuck it.. you didn't respond, so I gave it to Harvey Relief.