PMs

[CrossingOver]

OK, this just buggs me - any user can FLOOD board with different avatars (upload to server), attachments (upload to server) and member pics (upload to server), but s/he's allowed to have 50 PMs TOTAL??? WTF? Really, that's weird. All user's PMs combined will 'weight' less than three-four mp3 or 10-15 pictures, then what's the point of limiting of a PM box? I'm used to have hundrets of them on the other boards, so it's kinda weird... Drew? Can you disable that feature in vB ? I know that it is possible with UBBs.

[~Johno~]

:p I have 100

[Death in a Bottle]

Well, that's good for you, Johno. No one gives a shit.

[Heather Lovelace]

Haha.... That made me laugh.

[CrossingOver]

^^http://www.freepgs.com/mishar/misc/funny.gif

OK, I've just suggested. If nobody thinks it's would be better to have unlimited PM boxes so be it as it is.

[Crestfallen]

It is possible to have unlimited PM, but I don't think I will allow that since it takes up too many ressources.

Avatars are uploaded to the database, and are limited in file size. So a user cannot 'flood' with avatars since whenever they upload a new one, the last one is overwritten

Same goes with member pictures. 1 per user, overwritten when re-uploaded

Attachments are not currently capped, but I could cap a per-user number of attachment if this becomes a problem. Usually I trim down attachments myself (I can search for all attachements from a user, or for the user with most attachments or biggest attachments etc.)

Private messages are a problem since each private message occupies up to 3 rows in the database. One for the private message, one since people usually save it in their send box, and an extra row for the tracking system. The more rows you have in a database, the slower it will go

So per user that adds to...

Avatars: 1 row
Member pictures: 1 row
Attachments: 2 rows (1 for the attachement data, the other for the thumbnail) times the number of attachement
Private Messages: 3 rows times 50 (150 rows already!)

There is a nice feature in vB that lets you download your private messages in 3 formats: CVS, Text, or XML.. so there is no real need to have more than 50 PM. If you really want your PMs, download them. :)

But if that's not a good solution for you, and if you want more PM space you might want to consider this: http://www.avrilstar.com/donations.php :)

[CrossingOver]

That's interesting. I've never thought PMs could be so 'demanding'. But OK, I'd probably DL and delete them and save more space for the next ones.

[CrossingOver]

One more non-related thing, just don't want to start a new thread - do you have 'hidden members' here Drew? It's funny to have ie 10 members online, and only 6 of them listed in a box. Agents Smiths, no :)?

[Crestfallen]

Typically the problem doesn't come from people like you who actually use the system.. it comes from members that post for about 3 months and have plenty of private messages and then leave and never come back. Those useless private messages would forever stay in the database. Setting a 'no-limit' for PMs is asking for trouble in those cases :)

Edit: Yes there are hidden members. I've allowed the invisible feature so users can hide themselves from the 'Whos online' box, while still being counted. Its found here: http://www.avrilstar.com/forums/profile.php?do=editoptions

(Admins get to see who's hidding though ;))

[CrossingOver]

Indeed, what a great feature ;)

I know who's hidding, and she knows is too :cool:

[Death in a Bottle]

What is the purpose of the Hidden Members feature?

And... Is there a way you can like... Automatically delete PMs from the database after a certain amount of time to get rid of the problem with the people who never come back.

[Crestfallen]

It's a privacy thing I guess. Members who are here often don't want to people to know they're always there.

With this new vB, I can get rid of PMs by emptying a users PM storage yes. But I still think 50 per user is quite enough.

[Nightwind Hawk]

Geesh, you don't need that much PM space. Cyber on MSN or AIM...

[CrossingOver]

I don't? Thanks for clearing that out for me :).