SQL Query to view Private Messages

[ARLreborn]

Hi,

Is there such a query to view a certain users messages?

I saw one for vB 3.X

SELECT message FROM pmtext WHERE fromuserid = XXX;

But these tables don't exist in vB5... Any advice?

[ForceHSS]

I know this (https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=298444) plugin will allow you to see pms for vb4 but its not made for vb5. You could look at the xml and see what the query is and see if you could use it on vb5 but as vb5 is different in so many ways i dont see it working. On another note why you need to see private pms

[In Omnibus]

The database table in vBulletin 5 is named "privatemessage" and it is possible to view the tables with SQL commands but as stated above, why would you invade members' privacy? Private Message both explicitly and implicitly states the message is private. If you're that concerned about a member turn off their ability to use the private messaging system.

[ARLreborn]

See private pm's - a user is taking members away from the forum... Have no proof, we only want to check his messages as we respect privacy... But when it's been reported in one PM, we want to see if it's occurring elsewhere.

Will look @ the vb4 ones and come back to you :) Thanks for the input

--------------- Added 1407073009 at 1407073009 ---------------

Tried this:
SELECT about FROM privatemessage WHERE userid = **;


No joy. UserID isn;t included in the columns - any ideas?

--------------- Added 1407073218 at 1407073218 ---------------

Further more, we don't want to see other member's PM's, just one users. It's more to get proof of lurring people away.

That is purely it, I can't stress that enough :)

[Dead Eddie]

SELECT * FROM node WHERE node.contenttypeid = 27 AND node.userid = 1;

27 looks like the default content type ID for a vb 5 install. If you get weird results, you can double check the number in the contenttype table.

[Scanu]

If you need it only for one user then why not looking directly on the private messages table on phpmyadmin?

[AusPhotography]

why would you invade members' privacy? Private Message both explicitly and implicitly states the message is private.

1. We changed the phrase Private to Personal where needed to stop wrong thinking

2. Our rules say we can look, we don't hide it (we look, very rarely)
(Rule 15) http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/misc.php?do=vsarules

3. To think that someone won't look is dumb
-- once anything is on the web someone you don't expect will see it.
vB has a admin tool that lets admin's see PMs

Why look?
We have had some cases of disputes between members and needed to see the correspondence.
There are other legit reasons for an admin to look, and some admins might look without reason.
The reality is most of us are too busy to bother, just saying that it can and will happen.

Kym

[Dead Eddie]

If you need it only for one user then why not looking directly on the private messages table on phpmyadmin?

Because, there's nothing in the private messages table that would be helpful for what the OP is looking for?

[Max Taxable]

See private pm's - a user is taking members away from the forum... Have no proof, we only want to check his messages as we respect privacy... But when it's been reported in one PM, we want to see if it's occurring elsewhere.You have a flagged (reported) such PM, and that's not enough proof?

When I suspect poaching I handle it with any one of several staff decoy accounts. A poacher typically won't PM a staff member since most boards have those accounts identified, but will PM active members it sees, or in reply to a PM from another member that isn't a staffer.

Use of decoy accounts catches poachers in the act, every time it is tried.

[Scanu]

Because, there's nothing in the private messages table that would be helpful for what the OP is looking for?
Then I'm not sure i completely understand what he wants

[ForceHSS]

Use this (https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=308715) plugin it will let you login to his account and check the pms he has sent but not sure if it will work for vb5 you could talk to the coder to see if they will make it for vb5

[Dead Eddie]

Then I'm not sure i completely understand what he wants

He wants to read the contents of the private messages.

That's the node table in vb5. Not the Private Message table. The PM table just contains meta data about the type of message.

[ARLreborn]

Hi guys,

I actually found what I wanted to find in the table "Text".

I wasnt out to invade anyone elses messages. I just wanted confirmation of a certain post being sent around to various members... Downloaded the "test" db - Ctrl + F in Notepad ++ and bingo, found the exact same message someone else reported to about 130 different people.

Thanks for the help all.

I'd like to just mention one thing - we do NOT invade peoples messages without reason, all I wanted to see was a certain message and I found it.

Solved!

@Dead Eddie, thanks for that code, not sure it works - as I havent tried it, but I'd like to personally thank you for replying without questioning. (I wont be using this code as I have found what I needed to - but much appreciate your time, sir!)

@AusPhotography - Thank you too :)

@ the haters - I only had one PM reported, the staff member swore it was only one person he sent it too. But alas - we found multiple entries in 'text' db. He knew which accounts were our test accounts unfortunately.

Have a great day folks!

[Max Taxable]

Haters? People who try to help are haters?

You didn't tell us it was a staff member. You said it was a user.

I offered my procedure for you in the event that you're ambivalent about reading private messages. Alot of people are and there's nothing wrong with that. In the future, may I suggest you have some decoy accounts only you know. That's how I do all of mine.

Decoy account and test account are two different things.