[gloriajameson]

See the Front End Pm video I linked to earlier in this thread, giving a preview and showing how simple it is. I didn’t find an equivalent video for BP better messages. Perhaps it is equally simple but I wasn’t reassured about that. Also, in material I found, BP Better Messages sounded like it was designed for Buddypress and perhaps was only considered for use without Buddypress as an afterthought.

Anyway I have now installed Front End PM and am happy with it.

[gloriajameson]

Thanks for taking the time, neon67. In fact in my case there are no anonymous users. The forum is unavailable to anybody except users manually added by me after they apply via a separate system.

[gloriajameson]

That’s a very good point! Thank you.

[gloriajameson]

Somebody recommended compressor.io to me but I’m not seeing it when I go looking. Open to alternative suggestions…

[gloriajameson]

Thanks Robin

Actually I have some further questions if you wouldn’t mind me tapping your knowledge again. There is a feature in Front End PM that allows attachments to the private messages. The size (default 4MB) and number (default 1) of attachments can be set in the FEPM control panel. I’m guessing the 4MB may come from a typical cellphone photo size (actually possibly a bit out of date these days) but my instinct is not to let big files in as I’ve only 5GB of space left on the account.

Question 1: If I used a plugin like say compressor.io, would it intercept FEPM attachments and do the job? If so, do I need to set the max file size to the before or after compression figure?

Question 2: I understand WordPress and Avada between them make multiple copies of any upload (18?) That means I could run out of space very quickly. Should I even be contemplating attachments to PMs given my site capacity? (reference https://theme-fusion.com/documentation/avada/media/how-avada-controls-responsive-images/ )

Question 3: As administrator I can go in and delete old attachments. Would that instantly free up disk space?

[gloriajameson]

Hi Robin,

I think I have sorted it, thanks. Googling a bit more seems to suggest the plugin is designed to be a separate page with no fancy link into the forum system. So I just added a link to the page on the main menu.

Thanks again

[gloriajameson]

I can’t find the attach function but I’ve just made a wix account to share it
https://gloriajameson.imgbb.com/?list=images&sort=views_desc&page=1&params_hidden%5Buserid%5D=xSFHXH&params_hidden%5Bfrom%5D=user

I was calling the pink strip across the top the header (with the Sí logo on the left)

[gloriajameson]

Right now, what I’ve got is a page url that I give to users. They go in and the plugin functions are all there. It knows their name, what messages they’ve sent etc. If I didn’t give them the url, there’s no clue on the forum pages that a PM system even exists.

The only time something shows in the wider forum is when somebody replies to a PM you have sent. Then you get a simple banner across the top saying “you have 1 message unread”, then you can click through to read it. I’m very surprised the plugin doesn’t install a link in the site header, just so users know it exists!

I’ve got a screen grab, can I attach it here or do I have to upload it somewhere and then link to it?

[gloriajameson]

Robin, sorry to bother you again but you’re so helpful I can’t resist!

I’ve got Front End PM working fine but it doesn’t seem to install a link to itself in the forum header. I was expecting it to advertise its own presence to users but so far nobody can see it except when they have been sent a PM. If they want to initiate a private conversation I have to give them the link to the Front End PM page http://forum.thehiddenpeople.ie/front-end-pm/ and then they are able to start from there.

I’ve got a query into the plugin support but I haven’t heard back yet. If I had to, could I put a button on the forum header linking to the PM page? Or is that asking for trouble?

[gloriajameson]

Actually I didn’t install it in the end. Information about it was too thin on the ground for my liking.

I installed Front End PM instead and so far it seems to be working fine

[gloriajameson]

Hi Robin,

The BBpress Messages plugin you mentioned isn’t appearing when I search for the plug-in in WP control panel. Alternatively, clicking through on the link you gave I found this, perhaps this is why it’s not appearing:

This plugin hasn’t been tested with the latest 3 major releases of WordPress. It may no longer be maintained or supported and may have compatibility issues when used with more recent versions of WordPress.

How about this one, perhaps it’s a newer version? It pops up right away on the control panel:

BP Better Messages

[gloriajameson]

Robin, I’m sure you’ve realised I’m the one you helped on another thread. I was the one who needed to contact my developer to see plugins again. You were right and it all worked out fine but I guess I should admit I’m trying to take seriously my developer’s parting words:

Just be careful with plugins – no such thing as a free lunch and it is especially true of software. Security and performance can suffer when freebies are added to the infrastructure.

[gloriajameson]

That sounds very promising indeed. Thank you!

[gloriajameson]

Thanks Robin, I had found that but was worried when I found the list of themes it had been tested on didn’t include Avada.

Also, it sounded like it really would prefer to sit on Buddypress rather than directly onto WP?

[gloriajameson]

Thank you so much for your support. I made contact with the developer and can now see plugins again.

[gloriajameson]

Almost. In the main WP side bar, I’ve got dashboard>appearance and then a choice of Customise / Menus / Options.

There’s also Avada>dashboard but no themes

Under Avada>dashboard there’s also >Maintenance>Plugins / Add-ons but it’s not a listing of the installed / activated plug-ins, it seems to be a page offering Avada-specific plug-ins none of which have ever been installed AFAIK.

The plug-ins option as shown at the beginning of the video you linked a) was there before and b) is no longer there.

Thank you so much for taking the time btw

[gloriajameson]

Thanks, that’s very informative and also bad news. I’m administrator on a .org site, so that just leaves the option no 2 (that the developer locked it down as a final act). If they removed themselves from the user list, can they even get in again to fix it?