Wiping Old Messages?

[mHawkins]

Hello guys,

I've started using a great plugin for mass private messages, as it's much better for our members, and less bothersome than bulk email. However, the problem is, when you send out a mass private message, that means you're sending thousands, due to the number of members we have. The problem with that is that it takes up space (typically 5mb per 500 messages). This racks up quickly, and as we only have 5GB of usable space for storage, I was wondering if there were functions for the following to do across the entire site?:

Is there a way to wipe private messages that are a certain "age"? 

Is there a way to set an expiration date for messages to be removed?

[Faqole]

15 minutes ago, mHawkins said:

Hello guys,

I've started using a great plugin for mass private messages, as it's much better for our members, and less bothersome than bulk email. However, the problem is, when you send out a mass private message, that means you're sending thousands, due to the number of members we have. The problem with that is that it takes up space (typically 5mb per 500 messages). This racks up quickly, and as we only have 5GB of usable space for storage, I was wondering if there were functions for the following to do across the entire site?:

Is there a way to wipe private messages that are a certain "age"? 

Is there a way to set an expiration date for messages to be removed?

There are no usch options in the Ipb afaik. To be able to do what you want it will require custom developement. 

[Joel R]

1 hour ago, mHawkins said:

Hello guys,

I've started using a great plugin for mass private messages, as it's much better for our members, and less bothersome than bulk email. However, the problem is, when you send out a mass private message, that means you're sending thousands, due to the number of members we have. The problem with that is that it takes up space (typically 5mb per 500 messages). This racks up quickly, and as we only have 5GB of usable space for storage, I was wondering if there were functions for the following to do across the entire site?:

Is there a way to wipe private messages that are a certain "age"? 

Is there a way to set an expiration date for messages to be removed?

Hi @mHawkins

As @Faqole mentioned, there is no built-in functionality to accomplish this task unless you run MySQL queries.  However, I've promoted this topic for consideration by @fosters as a third-party Marketplace plugin and I wanted to ask some follow-up questions:

• This would be an ACP function for admins, correct?  (Versus a moderator tool on the front-end)
• Delete messages that are a certain 'age' -- You are asking for a rolling basis, correct?  For example, delete all messages X days old, X months old, X years old relative to today's date.  Or do you want to delete all messages prior to a certain date?  For example, delete all messages before X day.  
• Are you looking to delete all messages?  Or are you looking to only delete messages from a certain user (eg. only from admin)? 

[mHawkins]

Just now, Joel R said:

Hi @mHawkins

As @Faqole mentioned, there is no built-in functionality to accomplish this task unless you run MySQL queries.  However, I've promoted this topic for consideration by @fosters as a third-party Marketplace plugin and I wanted to ask some follow-up questions:

• This would be an ACP function for admins, correct?  (Versus a moderator tool on the front-end)
• Delete messages that are a certain 'age' -- You are asking for a rolling basis, correct?  For example, delete all messages X days old, X months old, X years old relative to today's date.  Or do you want to delete all messages prior to a certain date?  For example, delete all messages before X day.  
• Are you looking to delete all messages?  Or are you looking to only delete messages from a certain user (eg. only from admin)? 

I'll answer your questions in order, as you were so kind to format them for the eyes!

1. Yes, it would preferably be an ACP function for Admins only.
2. Rolling basis, correct - So perhaps, after one month from the date of the message being "inactive", (or created, either works), it would be deleted from the database. Preferably, this would be a variable that the Admin could set within the ACP. A "Delete All" function would be nice in the long run as well, to delete all messages should the storage become suddenly clogged.
3. All messages from all users, after a set time.

It's a shame that this isn't a default function of the ACP. I use the IPS Cloud Hosting, which does not grant access to the actual database where these messages are stored, so I can't even manually delete. It essentially means I have to upgrade my hosting at some point down the line, regardless of the Active number of members I have online (typically hovers around ~35).

 

Thanks for asking, and I hope something comes of it. Try to let me know if it does!

 

I'd probably be willing to pay $20 for a plugin such as this.