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What will I learn to do?
The Personal messaging page looks like this:
You will find the SPIP built-in messaging system very useful to exchange with other contributors on your SPIP website.
In this lesson, you will learn how to create, modify and send a message; you will also learn how to answer one.
You will learn how to use the memos, to remind you when you have to write something on special occasions, or before a specific date etc.
If you are an administrator, you will also learn how to write an announcement, to quickly inform all users about some special event or site activity.
When you create a message, a memo, or an announcement, you can choose to add this item to the calendar.
You will learn how to do that in the lesson Work with the Calendar.
First, watch the steps
You are logged in and you are at the Launch pad:
In the toolbar, rollover the mouse on the Personal messaging icon
Choose "NEW MESSAGE" in the menu
The SEND A MESSAGE page opens
In the Title field, type the title
Type the name of the recipient - if you do not remember the names, leave it blank
You can ignore the Appointments block at this stage.
Type or copy-and-paste the text of the message
Click “Submit”
When submitted without an author name, a page "Add a participant" opens and asks you to select one author:
Choose a name from the drop-down menu
Click "Add", and you’ll see the author name added
You can add more authors if you want to
Click "Send this message"
You can view the message you just sent under "Discussions in progress", on the Personal messaging page.
The Personal messaging page can be accessed any time by clicking on the Personal messaging icon.
If the content of your message is not fully ready yet, you can choose to save a draft and send it later.
In such as case, this message will be listed in the "Your messages in progress" block on the Personal messaging page.
Create and send a message
Create a message
Why would I use SPIP messages instead of using my email?
Using SPIP messaging allows you to use only one tool, SPIP, for both content management and communication with the team. It also allows you to keep track of the discussions over time.
How do I reply to a new message?
You have just logged in.
If you have been invited to a new discussion by another user, an alert "You have a new message" appears on the Launch pad and on each page of the private area.
Click on the alert to see the message. Once opened, the notification disappears
The message opens
At the bottom of the message an icon "Post a message" also appears
Click the "Post a message" icon to reply to the message
To modify the title, click on the Title field
Click in the Text area, type your reply
Click "Preview message before validating"
If the message appears as you want it, click "Final message: send"
Your message is now visible under the original message.
The initial message turns into a private discussion forum. That way, once a message is sent, a discussion can take place, in the shape of a forum located under this message.
All participants to the discussion can now :
post messages in response to the replies using the "Reply to this message" link.
post messages in response to the original message using the "Post a message" button.
Reply to a message
Reply to a message
After a discussion is started you will no longer receive the alert "You have a new message": you will have to check the new answers on the Personal messaging page.
Can I modify a message?
You can only modify a message if you created it, and if this is the original message of the discussion.
On the Personal messaging page:
Select the message you want to modify in the "Discussions in progress" block, by clicking on its title
The discussion page opens.
Click the "Modify this message" icon - Beware, you won’t see it unless you are the author of the message!
Make the changes you want
Click "Submit"
Modifying a message whereas the discussion has already started and other authors already answered your message can prove very confusing for them!
Therefore, it is not recommended to use this function, unless to perform minor changes such as typos.
How do I add or remove participants - including removing myself?
You do not need to be the initiator of a discussion to add (or remove) participants.
At any moment in time, it is possible to add a recipient: either during the editing of the message or after it was sent (for instance, to add a new participant to a discussion which is interesting to him).
On the Personal messaging page:
In the "Discussions in progress" block, select the discussion you want to add participants to, by clicking on its title
The discussion page opens.
Click on the little arrow next to "Participants to the discussion"
You can see the list of participants to this discussion
Click on "Add a participant" ; and repeat the steps you have just learnt at the beginning of this lesson !
If you wish to remove a participant to the discussion:
Click on "remove this participant" next to the name of the author you want to get rid of
How do I stop participating in the discussion myself?
A button labelled «Stop participation to this discussion» allows any participant to remove himself from a discussion.
The discussion will no longer appear on your messaging page.
Can I totally remove a discussion from the private area ?
Yes you can! To do so:
On the discussion page, remove all participants one by one
Then click on "Stop participating in this discussion"
The discussion is completely removed!
How do I create a memo?
A memo is a reminder or a note for your personal use.
For example, a memo aims at recording important notes or reminding you of a specific date or something to do.
In SPIP, it looks like a message - but a message that does not require any recipient, since only the author of a memo accesses it.
Creating a memo in SPIP is very simple:
Rollover the mouse on the Personal messaging icon
Click on "NEW MEMO" in the menu
The PERSONAL MEMO page opens
Type a title for the memo in the Title field
Type the memo in the Text field
You can ignore the Appointments block at this stage.
Then, click "Submit"
Your memo has been created!
All your memos are listed in the "Your memos" block, on the Personal messaging page.
You’ll notice that a ’Your memos" box is also visible in the Launch pad, on the left, with the memo icon and the memos titles inside it.
How do I delete memos?
Deleting a memo is also extremely simple.
On the Personal messaging page:
Click on the title of the memo you would like to delete
The memo page opens.
Click "Delete this message" on the bottom left
How do I create an announcement?
An announcement is very helpful to quickly inform all users about some special event or site activity.
The announcements are visible to all editors and administrators, but only administrators can create and modify them.
Creating an announcement is similar to creating a memo or message:
Rollover the mouse on the Personal messaging icon
If you are an administrator, a "NEW ANNOUNCEMENT" item is visible in the menu
Click on"NEW ANNOUNCEMENT"
The Announcement page loads
Type the title and the text of the announcement
Click "Submit"
Click "Send this message"
Your announcement is created!
All the announcements are listed in the "Announcements to all editors" block, on the Personal messaging page.
The announcements are also displayed in the Launch pad of each author, in a separate box on the left named "General announcements".
When you delete memos and announcements, no confirmation is required ; your memo or announcement is deleted as soon as you’ve clicked on "Delete this message" !
Can I delete announcements?
Yes, and it is very easy:
On the Announcement page, Click on "Delete this message"
All Administrators can delete any announcement.
Summary
Now you know how to create messages, memos and announcements.
You have a quick and easy way to communicate with others on your site.
