Add a synopsis of each PM in the Message List Version 2.0

I got the idea for this hack, while trying to prune my Inbox from old (and useless) PMs. As it usually happens, I didn't remember from the title, what each PM was about, so I kept going back and forth between the Message List and the messages themselves.

I thought that if I could have a small part of the PM shown in the list, it would help my work enormously. So, I took some time to do it. I call that initial part of the PM which is shown in the Messages List, a "synopsis".

Easy hack, one or two file edits and anything from one template edit.

Please remember to click Install, if you like this.

Version 1.01 : Following another member's suggestion, I removed the possible bbcode from the synopsis of the messages, shown in the Message List.

Version 2.0 : In this version, I added the option of allowing the forum users to select if they want to see a synopsis of their PMs in the Messages List or not, and to define how long their synopsis should be. A new column is added in your user table for this functionality.

PLEASE NOTE: There are several alternative ways to show your synopsis, after mentionning two or three of them, I decided to remove them from the installation instructions and mention only the simpler one, which requires only one template modification, in the simplest form. This was done in order to avoid confusion between the users who decide to install this hack. The way the synopsis is presented is a template issue, so it should be easy to come up with any alternatives you want.

Rgds

[FightRice.com]

Thats pretty nifty, I'll install this first thing tomorrow

[obsidian]

Works great....I have the same issue sorting through pm's from time to time.

[sv1cec]

Thanks guys, glad if you like it. Nothing serious, just a small one to help your users and yourselves out.

Rgds

[AN-net]

a suggestion would be is to remove the bbcode then trim. use strip_bbcode().

[sv1cec]

Good idea, time for version 1.1.

One question, why should I trim?

[COBRAws]

thumbs up m8, and taking off BBCode is what I was gonna say :P

[AN-net]

Originally Posted by sv1cec

Good idea, time for version 1.1.

One question, why should I trim?

i meant before u use substr() but before substr you should use trim and then put the ...

[swarangal.com]

i did wot ever mentioned in the text no luck nothing shows up in my pm same old style am i missin something here?

[Lionel]

Really nice, thanks. Since I had Traffix flag pm hack installed, all I had to do is to add <div class='smallfont'>
$synopsis
</div>
in the messagelistbit template under the title and userbit <td>. And I linked the more in php to pm