PMs/VMs scheduled for global wipe

  • Thread starter Greg Bernhardt
  • Start date
In summary: to be her PM ? No idea about VMs.PMs take up about 150MB at the moment. Is that per user, or for all the users put together? If 150 MB is the total for all the users, that seems to be a fairly trivial amount, which can easily be backed up somewhere.That's a good question and the unfortunate answer is yes. PMs, like messages, take up storage space on the server. However, the amount of storage space they take up is relative to the number of users who have them. So, if there are only a few users with PMs, the storage space taken up by their PMs will be negligible. However, if there are a lot
  • #1
Greg Bernhardt
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To reclaim some database space and for general good housekeeping, we are scheduling a global wipe of Private and Visitor Messages. This will occur two weeks from now on Oct 6th. This thread will be bumped several times for reminders.

If you'd like to backup your Private Messages follow this:

To download all of your private messages, first go to your private messages page. At the bottom right of the page, look for Download all Private Messages and click on one of the options (XML | CSV | Text). This will download all PM's, not just those in the active folder -- but you should confirm for yourself that all PM folders were included in the download.
 
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  • #2
… click on one of the options (XML | CSV | Text).

what are XML and CSV ? :confused:
 
  • #4
XML (Extensible Markup Language): A rather verbose but highly portable scheme for representing all kinds of data. Lots of tools can read XML data. Microsoft Office is now XML-based, so you might (no guarantee) be able to download as XML and load the documents in Word or Excel.

CSV (Comma-Separated Values): Like the name says. Keyword,value,keyword,value, ... You might be able to pull a CSV download of your PMs and VMs into Excel -- put commas in the message text will make this somewhat problematic.
 
  • #5
The CSV files do open properly in Excel. I just did a little test, the message text of a PM occupies a single cell in Excel, even if it contains commas. You'll have to expand the row height, or select Autofit Row Height, to see the entire message text. Expanding the column width containing the message texts is also helpful.
 
  • #6
My sweet little visitor messages :frown:
 
  • #7
micromass said:
My sweet little visitor messages :frown:

I'm sure they will fill back up with praise :)
 
  • #8
micromass said:
My sweet little visitor messages :frown:
You can save them by copying and pasting. Just drag your cursor down the row and highlight, control +C, and paste in word or notepad, if you paste in word, you get the avatars, it looks a bit screwy, but they're saved.

Perhaps someone has a better idea.
 
  • #9
I say Evo'c constantly full inbox caused this whole mess in the first place, I say we start with hers only and see if the problem improves, lol :biggrin:

Rhody...
 
  • #10
I'm kind of curious how much space these are taking up? Especially since most users are limited to 150 messages (I assume mentors and admins have higher limits, maybe contributors too).
 
  • #11
rhody said:
I say Evo'c constantly full inbox caused this whole mess in the first place, I say we start with hers only and see if the problem improves, lol :biggrin:

Rhody...
I don't think the fact that my PM inbox holds 50,000 pm's is relevant. :rolleyes:
 
  • #12
NeoDevin said:
I'm kind of curious how much space these are taking up? Especially since most users are limited to 150 messages (I assume mentors and admins have higher limits, maybe contributors too).

Yes other usergroups have different limits. PMs take up about 150MB at the moment.
 
  • #13
Evo said:
I don't think the fact that my PM inbox holds 50,000 pm's is relevant. :rolleyes:

Evo,

Relax, you know I was kidding right ? :blushing:, The only reason I get mildly annoyed is there are times when your in box blows up. Then I have to resort to other means to get in touch with you.

Rhody...
 
  • #14
rhody said:
Evo,

Relax, you know I was kidding right ? :blushing:,

So was she, she doesn't have a 50k PM allowance :wink:
 
  • #15
Will this affect unread messages as well? If someone sends me a message on the 5th, and I don't make it on for a couple days, will it get wiped, never to be read?
 
  • #16
NeoDevin said:
Will this affect unread messages as well? If someone sends me a message on the 5th, and I don't make it on for a couple days, will it get wiped, never to be read?

That's a good question and the unfortunate answer is yes.
 
  • #17
If you have instant notifications about PMs on, you are send not only information about a PM, but also its content. So while it will be wiped from the server, you will be able to read it.

No idea about VMs.
 
  • #18
Greg Bernhardt said:
PMs take up about 150MB at the moment.
Is that per user, or for all the users put together? If 150 MB is the total for all the users, that seems to be a fairly trivial amount, which can easily be backed up somewhere.
 
  • #19
Greg Bernhardt said:
So was she, she doesn't have a 50k PM allowance :wink:
She said 50,000 messages, not 50K of disk space, there is a difference is there not ?

Rhody...
 
  • #20
Greg Bernhardt said:
So was she, she doesn't have a 50k PM allowance :wink:
Then what is she paying you for?
 
  • #21
Will this affect performance as well i.e will this make PF a tad bit faster? Because I don't think disk space is an issue here.
 
  • #23
Fredrik said:
Then what is she paying you for?
The privilege to, uhm, hmmmmm, well it made sense at the time, but that pendulum Greg kept waving in my face kind of made things go all hazy. :biggrin:
 
  • #24
I've downloaded my PMs and VMs and deleted the messages myself. I have turned on the e-mail PMs feature, but I didn't see any e-mail VM option. Now I am in the process of downloading and deleting all of my posts. This may take a while and I fear I may not make the Oct. 6 deadline.
 
  • #25
Jimmy Snyder said:
I've downloaded my PMs and VMs and deleted the messages myself. I have turned on the e-mail PMs feature, but I didn't see any e-mail VM option. Now I am in the process of downloading and deleting all of my posts. This may take a while and I fear I may not make the Oct. 6 deadline.
Your posts? How would you delete them? Do you mean blog posts or something like that? Anyway, if you have already downloaded your private messages and your visitor messages, then there's no need to do anything else.

Maybe you meant visitor messages that you've left for other people? I suppose those could be a problem, if they aren't downloaded along with the ones you've received, and you've made a lot of them.
 
  • #26
mishrashubham said:
Will this affect performance as well i.e will this make PF a tad bit faster? Because I don't think disk space is an issue here.

In case no one noticed...
 
  • #28
Jimmy Snyder said:
I've downloaded my PMs and VMs and deleted the messages myself. I have turned on the e-mail PMs feature, but I didn't see any e-mail VM option. Now I am in the process of downloading and deleting all of my posts. This may take a while and I fear I may not make the Oct. 6 deadline.
Thanks for your full cooperation, Jimmy. When you're done, don't forget to delete your PF account too. :biggrin:

Fredrik said:
Your posts? How would you delete them?
Fredrik, meet Jimmy, the unofficial funniest member of our forum. :smile:
 
  • #30
Greg Bernhardt said:
No it won't PF faster.

Good thing! If I could PF faster, you'd all be in trouble.
 
  • #32
Greg Bernhardt said:
reminder bump

Ouch!
 
  • #34
Greg Bernhardt said:
Last reminder. Wipe will be in several hours.
:cry:
 
  • #35
Evo said:
:cry:

PM all your tears to yourself, and Greg will wipe them away. :smile:
 

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