Is it only Admins that can see ALL PMs?

[ozstoco1]

I don't want to start a mud fight with this topic - just want an answer.

Being an Admin, I get notification of all PMs on my forum - I want to know - do my Global Mods get the same private info as well pls?

If so - where can I mitigate this?

Thanks and Regards,
Dave

[Arantor]

Um, you shouldn't be getting any notification of any PM other than ones you receive yourself...

[Colin]

Ozstoco1,

No one can see others PMs other than those reported which are available to administrators.

[mashby]

Any mods installed? Done any manual coding? What you are describing isn't part of the out-of-the-box install, nor do I think any mod would do this (that I am aware of so maybe you can ignore that question...maybe). Maybe I'll ask it this way, are you running a non-modded SMF site?

[PierreP_whited00r_com]

...I get notification of all PMs on my forum - I want to know...

Sounds like the NSA.

PM is short for Personal messages. From that SMF Online Manual page:

...By default, there is no way an administrator or anyone else can read your personal messages...

[Shambles]

I don't want to start a mud fight with this topic ...

That in itself suggests you have a non-standard alerting system in place which, by admission, seems to disclose the contents of private messages not targeted at your own inbox.

Got a link to your forum, so I can avoid it?

[TheDragon]

I was just about to make the same topic
(PM getting emailed to Admin)

My global moderator and I are getting email copies of PM
with this in the Subject Line:
Re: New Personal Message: (No subject)

this has just started
well . . . our fourm is new
and maybe members just starting using PM
I did some tessting
I sent some (3) PM
only 1 was sent to the admin email address
but even so . . . why

my mods are:
SMFPacks Facepunch Pro
2.   Default_Membergroup   
3.   6 Custom buttons / tabs with Sub Menus
4.   View Only Boards   1.2c   
5.   Topic Descriptions   1.2   
6.   Alternate User Posting   
7.   Post Unapproval   
8.   Custom Board Sort   

standard theme
just a few        tiny edits to CSS

we do not want to see member PM
how can we stop it ?

[Arantor]

How many ways can we explain this? SMF DOES NOT SEND COPIES OF PMS TO USERS OTHER THAN THEIR RECIPIENTS.

Now, if the emails bounce because your users put the wrong email address in, or the users reply to them in their email client rather than using the proper methods, there's not a lot you can do.

[Colin]

I was just about to make the same topic
(PM getting emailed to Admin)

My global moderator and I are getting email copies of PM
with this in the Subject Line:
Re: New Personal Message: (No subject)

this has just started
well . . . our fourm is new
and maybe members just starting using PM
I did some tessting
I sent some (3) PM
only 1 was sent to the admin email address
but even so . . . why

my mods are:
SMFPacks Facepunch Pro
2.   Default_Membergroup   
3.   6 Custom buttons / tabs with Sub Menus
4.   View Only Boards   1.2c   
5.   Topic Descriptions   1.2   
6.   Alternate User Posting   
7.   Post Unapproval   
8.   Custom Board Sort   

standard theme
just a few        tiny edits to CSS

we do not want to see member PM
how can we stop it ?

Are you sure the PMs are not addressed to you? If so then yes you will get notifications.

[Kindred]

actually, I think that Arantor might have hit the nail on the head ----   if a user responds to a PM notification via email (despite the text which says "don't do that") then the email gets sent to the forum email address (depending on settings)

this, of course has nothing at all to do with SMF or with seeing PMs - and everything to do with users who don't pay attention.

[GL700Wing]

if a user responds to a PM notification via email (despite the text which says "don't do that") then the email gets sent to the forum email address

This tip/trick stops the text of the PM being sent in the email notification message - the recipient must login to the forum to read their PMs: http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=508577.0

Since implementing this I haven't received any replies to PMs that are between other members as there is no PM text in the email notification message - only a link to the PM.

[TheDragon]

Are you sure the PMs are not addressed to you? If so then yes you will get notifications.

yes - because they are not in my messages section

[TheDragon]

actually, I think that Arantor might have hit the nail on the head ----   if a user responds to a PM notification via email (despite the text which says "don't do that") then the email gets sent to the forum email address (depending on settings)

this, of course has nothing at all to do with SMF or with seeing PMs - and everything to do with users who don't pay attention.

going on travel for 10 days
will test this when I return
even though some of the test PM I sent
still got sent to my email
(and I did NOT - do so by replying to an email)
I think it was when I sent a test PM to the global moderator
and now I am guessing that because I also 'own' his email address
(he is the client and asked me to have his email cc to me in case he misses something)
and PM get sent via email also . . .
ergo got cc back to me

will test the above referenced link edit above when I return

Thanks guys !

[PierreP_whited00r_com]

How many ways can we explain this? SMF DOES NOT SEND COPIES OF PMS TO USERS OTHER THAN THEIR RECIPIENTS.

...or the users reply to them in their email client rather than using the proper methods, there's not a lot you can do.

1- Could the New Personal Message notification be sent from a No-reply@.... email address?

2- Could the the New Personal Message notification template be changed to make the Please do not reply to this email. more obvious?

IMPORTANT: Remember, this is just a notification. Please do not reply to this email.

IMPORTANT: This is just a notification. Do not reply to this email but use the link below if you wish to reply to the personal message you received.

[Kindred]

Dragon...   I don't believe you.   ...    or more to the point, if you ARE receiving PMs which were addressed to others, then some of your custom modifications have changed/broken the SMF standard system... because there is NO WAY that this happens on SMF out of the box.

[NanoSector]

1- Could the New Personal Message notification be sent from a No-reply@.... email address?

SMF sends mail with whatever mail address was provided as webmaster address. IIRC you can change that in Admin > Configuration > Server Settings.
(I believe, upon installation when you were asked for an e-mail address, SMF uses that mail address as webmaster address)

2- Could the the New Personal Message notification template be changed to make the Please do not reply to this email. more obvious?

Yes. Take a look at this mod: http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=2926

[PierreP_whited00r_com]

...2- Could the the New Personal Message notification template be changed to make the Please do not reply to this email. more obvious?

Yes. Take a look at this mod: http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=2926

Thanks! That Email Template Editor Mod looks really cool.

[TheDragon]

Dragon...   I don't believe you.   ...    or more to the point, if you ARE receiving PMs which were addressed to others, then some of your custom modifications have changed/broken the SMF standard system... because there is NO WAY that this happens on SMF out of the box.

from a review of all the above
seams as getting PM from members who NOT read instruction not to reply
gave a blast alert to members
and my use the mods suggested above
this not MY topic = but = resolved for me

Thanks all !

[Colin]

Thanks for the note Dragon!

[ozstoco1]

How many ways can we explain this? SMF DOES NOT SEND COPIES OF PMS TO USERS OTHER THAN THEIR RECIPIENTS.

Now, if the emails bounce because your users put the wrong email address in, or the users reply to them in their email client rather than using the proper methods, there's not a lot you can do.

This may be the answer for me too. I am a relative 'numpty' at the behind the scenes operation of the forum - so I can assure you I have not put in place any covert monitoring code or patch or package.

I will look a lot closer at the next 'seemingly' personal message' that lands in my msgs list.

Thanks all.

Cheers, Dave

[a10]

Should be a possibility to switch off the inclusion of the PM content in the notification email.

Highly needed here, whatever means I use to try to inform members, some still just hit reply when getting the notification, and would probably still do so even if the "Please do not reply to this email" &" Reply to this Personal Message here" was 1 meter big and flashing red!

[Chalky]

There's code posted in the Tips & Tricks board for that 

[Arantor]

I need to overhaul the PM notifications code anyway with the changes in 2.1, I feel sure I should be able to roll this in too.

[br360]

I need to overhaul the PM notifications code anyway with the changes in 2.1, I feel sure I should be able to roll this in too.

Any possibility of having the "Notify by email every time you receive a personal message:" set to no by default in 2.1? That way if people really want a copy of their pm's sent to their email address, they can go into their profile and check yes?

I ask because I would guess that there are quite a few sites out there that may be on shared hosting; and with a certain amount of email notifications allowed per day. Once that daily limit is hit, new members that register won't get a notice that they have been approved/or get the activation link (and that notice actually never gets sent out after the 24 hour cycle starts again; unlike pm notifications that will be sent out all at once when the cycle starts over)

Also if someone happens to forget their password and tries to get a password reminder sent to them, they can't get it either. Just curious how many members actually care, utilize, or maybe even notice that they get all their pm notifications sent to them through email as well.

[Arantor]

Any possibility of having the "Notify by email every time you receive a personal message:" set to no by default in 2.1?

The thing to realise is that in 2.1 the mail queue is not only enabled by default but it's permanently on, meaning that this sort of thing should actually be less of a problem because it's always going into a queue where SMF is handling throttling.

On the other hand, I'd also argue that PMs are more visible in 2.1 than they are in 2.0, but that doesn't help if you don't log into the site for whatever reason.

[Storman™]

I have mine setup on a do_not_reply@....  email address. Basically in conjunction with the "Alternate Email" mod which separates the webmaster and notifications email address:

http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=3062

I also have the notification "do_not_reply" email address setup with an autoresponder that responds when a numpty replies to a notification email. They basically get an auto email back telling em what they have done (and that they are a numpty....  ). I've also amended the text in the notification emails so that it's much clearer what they are plus they have much clearer text (in bold etc) asking the recipient not to reply. Seems to work ok and once people understand what they've done they don't seem to do it again.

A lot seem to happen where the user sees the notification email on an iphone. For some reason they do not seem to "see" where the email has come from so they reply accordngly. (Don't use an iphone myself so no idea what they see.)