How to post a private message?

[Dottie Atwater]

Someone sent me a private message. Until then, I didn't know we can send private messages. But please tell me how to do so. Thanks.

[Admin_01]

Private messages (PMs) are an integral part of Chiriqui.Life (CL). Technically speaking, they are called "conversations" rather than private messages. The common moniker of private message just works better for most people.

A PM is generally like regular email, except that it never leaves the control of the CL website. Recipients of a PM can only be other registered members of CL. They are delivered to the CL PM inbox immediately upon being dispatched. A PM sits in an inbox for each account designated until it is read. You can receive a notification when you get a PM (see below).

There are at least four ways to initiate a PM and to start the addressing specification:

• You can create a PM most easily by doing a mouse over of the originator of a posting (see the upper left-most originator information in the posting), and then selecting "Message" from the bottom left of the pop up dialog.
   
• You can also initiate a PM from inside of a member's profile by clicking on the envelope looking icon and "Message" box to the far right of their display name.
  
   
• You can click on the 'message' icon in the far upper right of the home page (assuming you are logged in).
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• And finally, assuming that a Display Name "referral" is included in a posting, simply click on it. A "referral" is a Display Name preceded by an at-sign (@) that has been entered by the originator of a posting. For example, @Admin_02 is a referral link for one of the CL administrative profiles. Simply click on that highlighted referral link and the profile for that member is displayed; then use the second method described above to initiate a PM.

A PM must have at least one recipient, at least one word for a title, and at least one word in the text body.

The recipient(s) are designated by using the Display Name of each user. If you don't recall the Display Name in its entirety, then start first typing (slowly) what you do recall for the Display Name; the software will start trying to give you some options to select from. For instance, if you want to send a PM to me as the admin (Display Name of 'Admin_01'), start by "a", "d", "m", "i", and you will see the display names in a drop-down list that match what you have started typing. Then select Admin_01 from the drop-down list to send me a PM. To enter more than one person that PM, then after completing the first name just go for number two, then number three, etc. Typing of display names is not case sensitive.

When the content of your PM is ready for dispatch, just click on the send button at the bottom of the window.

PMs can have attachments, photos, etc., and incorporate all of the style formatting that a post can use.

There is a lot more to PMs than what is in this reply. For instance, there is an inbox. You can create folders. You can save PMs and manage them by moving them to folders of your choosing. If you receive a PM and want to reply to it but wish to include a third addressee to the recipient list, you can do that as well.

There are some icons close to your login name (upper right) that you may wish to become familiar with. One looks like a bell (for notifications) and one like an envelope (for private messaging).

And finally, you can set your notification (the bell mentioned above) preferences such that you get an email letting you know that a new PM has been delivered to your PM inbox.

Let me know if you have more questions.