Discussions - Reading and Sending Messages


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Reading a message | Top

By default, messages are presented by threads. Threaded messages are a series of replies to the same subject. The header row of each message thread displays the following information:

  • Status: displays the number of unread messages in the thread over the total number of messages in the thread
  • Subject: displays the subject of the first message in the thread and the magnifying glass icon. You can view the message thread by clicking the magnifying glass icon.
Tips:
  • To view both read and unread messages, click Show All.
  • To view messages in chronological order, click Unthreaded.
  • To display any messages that were just sent, click Update Listing.
  1. From Discussions, click the topic containing the messages you want to read, or to view all of the messages, click All. The Discussion messages screen appears.
  2. In the header row, expand the thread by clicking the arrow next to it. All unread messages in the thread appear. A paper clip icon appears if the message has attachments.
  3. Click the message that you want to read. The message opens in a new browser window.
    • If the message includes a file attachment, you can view the attached file by clicking the paper clip icon. The Attachments screen appears. Note: It is recommended that you install updated anti-virus software before viewing or downloading attachments.
      • To display the file attachment, click the hyperlinked file name. The file opens in the view frame.
      • To download the file attachment
        1. Select the file and then click Download. Your browser's file download dialogue box appears.
        2. Select to save the file to disk, and then click OK.
        3. Select the location where the file will be saved, and then click Save. The file is downloaded to your computer. Note: When saving your file, if an extra file extension is added to the filename, such as *.wct or *.attach, remove it before saving the file.
        4. Click Close. The Attachments screen closes and you are returned to the message.
  4. When you have finished reading the message, you can
    • close the message. Click Close. The Discussion Messages screen appears.
    • reply to the message.
    • download the message.

Marking all messages as read | Top

Note: Threaded messages, whether collapsed or expanded, will be marked as read.

  1. From Discussions, click the topic containing the messages that you want to mark. The Discussion Messages screen appears.
  2. Display the messages that you want to mark. By default, only unread messages are listed; to view all messages, click Show All.
  3. Click Mark All As Read. The message There are no unread messages in this folder appears..

Marking selected messages as read | Top

  1. From Discussions, click the topic containing the messages that you want to mark. The Discussion Messages screen appears.
  2. Display the messages that you want to mark. By default, only unread messages are listed; to view all messages, click Show All.
  3. Select the messages that you want to mark as read. To mark all messages in a thread as read, in the header row, select the check box next to the magnifying glass icon.
  4. From the Apply to selected message(s) below drop-down list, select Mark as read and click Go. The selected messages are marked as read.

Marking selected messages as unread | Top

  1. From Discussions, click the topic containing the messages that you want to mark. The Discussion Messages screen appears.
  2. Display the messages that you want to mark. By default, only unread messages are listed; to view all messages, click Show All.
  3. Select the messages that you want to mark as unread. To mark all messages in a thread as unread, in the header row, select the check box next to the magnifying glass icon. To select all of the messages displayed, click Select All.
  4. From the Apply to selected message(s) below drop-down list, select Mark as unread and click Go. The selected messages are marked as unread.

Sending messages with or without attachments | Top

  1. From Discussions, click the topic to which you wish to post a message. The Discussion Messages screen appears.
  2. Click Compose Discussion Message. The Compose Discussion Message screen appears in a new browser window.
  3. From the Topic drop-down list, verify that the correct discussion topic is selected.
  4. In the Subject text box, enter the subject for your message.
  5. In the Message text box, enter your message.
  6. If you want to attach a file
    1. In the Attachments text box, enter the path and filename of your attachment. If you do not know the path or filename, click Browse. Your computer's file browser appears.
      1. Select the file you wish to attach, and click Open. The path and filename of your attachment is entered in the Attachments text box.
    2. Click Attach File. The filename appears as a hyperlink, and the file is attached to your message.
  7. Click Send. Your message is posted to the discussion topic.

Sending messages containing equations | Top

See About Equation Editor and Viewer for an overview of this tool. Note: The Equation Editor screens display differently for Macintosh users. For more information, see overview of tool for Macintosh.

  1. From Discussions, click the topic to which you wish to post a message. The Discussion Messages screen appears.
  2. Click Compose Discussion Message. The Compose Discussion Message screen appears in a new browser window.
  3. From the Topic drop-down list, verify that the correct discussion topic is selected.
  4. In the Subject text box, enter the subject for your message.
  5. In the Message text box, enter your message.
  6. To attach a equation to your message
    1. From the Equation list box, choose Create new equation.
    2. Click Equation editor. The Equation Editor screen appears.
    3. Create an equation using the icons in the toolbar together with keyboard numeric elements. Click the ? icon to view Help specific to creating an equation. Important: Do not enter spaces between elements in your equation, as spaces appear as boxes when displayed in the Viewer.
    4. Under Settings in the Title text box, enter a title for the equation. A default title is provided by the Equation Editor.
    5. Under Settings, from the Font Size list box, choose a font size for the equation.
    6. To return to the Compose Discussion Message screen without saving the equation, click Cancel, or to attach the equation to your message, click Insert. The Compose Discussion Message screen will reappear with a reference to the equation in the Message text box, specifying the Equation id and title. The equation will also now appear in the Equation drop-down box, so you may select it for editing. See Editing an equation inserted into a message if required.
  7. Click Preview to view the message or click Post to post the message without previewing.
  8. Click Post. Your message is posted to the discussion topic.

Editing an equation inserted into a message

Equations are never actually edited. Each time you access an equation and save changes made to it, a new equation is created, and the Editor assigns a new Equation id number to the equation.

Note: The Equation Editor screens display differently for Macintosh users. For more information, see overview of tool for Macintosh.

Orientation note: The Equation Editor is available through the Compose Discussion Message screen, immediately below the Message text box. This is the starting point of the steps that follow.

  1. On the Compose Discussion Message screen, from the Equation list box, select the Equation id number matching the Equation id in the Message text box of the equation you wish to edit.
  2. Click Equation Editor. The Equation Editor screen appears with the equation in the editing area.
  3. Edit the equation. Important: Do not enter spaces between elements in your equation, as spaces appear as boxes when displayed in the Viewer.
  4. Enter a new title for the equation if desired. Note: You cannot change the id number assigned by the Equation Editor.
  5. Click Cancel to discard the changes, or Insert to include the equation with your message. The Compose Discussion Message screen reappears, displaying the id and title of the original and the edited equation in the Message text box. Important: Remove the original equation if desired. If you choose not to, your message will contain two equations, the original and the edited.
  6. Click Preview to view the message or click Post to post the message without previewing.
  7. Click Post. Your message is posted to the discussion topic.

Replying to a message | Top

  1. From Discussions, click the topic containing the message to which you want to reply. The Discussion Messages screen appears.
  2. Click the message to which you want to reply. The message appears.
  3. Choose the format for your reply
    • To reply to all members of the topic without including the original message, click Reply.
    • To reply only to the person who posted the message, click Reply Privately. Note: When you reply privately, your reply is sent by Mail to the person who posted the message, rather than being sent as part of the discussion forum. The recipient of your reply should check their Mail for your response.
    • To include the original message in your reply to all topic members, click Quote.
  4. The Compose Message screen appears. The original message appears at the bottom of the screen.
  5. In the Subject text box, enter the subject of your message.
  6. In the Message text box, enter your message.
  7. If you want to attach a file
    1. In the Attachments text box, enter the path and filename of your attachment. If you do not know the path or filename, click Browse. Your computer's file browser appears.
      1. Select the file you wish to attach, and click Open. The path and filename of your attachment is entered in the Attachments text box.
    2. Click Attach File. The filename appears as a hyperlink, and the file is attached to your message.
  8. Click Send. Your reply is posted to the discussion topic.

Replying to a message containing an Equation| Top

In a reply, you many want to include an equation that was part of the message to which you are replying. You may also want to edit the equation and then include it as part of your reply. To do either, you must reply privately to the message or quote the message. Only then do you have access to the original equation that was included with a message.

Note: The Equation Editor screens display differently for Macintosh users. For more information, see overview of tool for Macintosh.

  1. From Discussions, click the topic containing the message to which you want to reply. The Discussion Messages screen appears.
  2. Click the message to which you want to reply. The message appears.
    • If you want to send a message to a single individual, and include an Equation that was part of the message to which you are replying, click Reply Privately. The Compose Mail Message screen appears, with the Equation id and title of the original equation in the Message text box. The original message appears at the bottom of the screen. Note: When you reply privately, your reply is sent by Mail to the person who posted the message, rather than being sent as part of the discussion forum. The recipient of your reply should check their Mail for your response.
      1. In the Subject text box, enter the subject of your message.
      2. In the Message text box, enter your message.
      • If you want to edit the equation
        • From the Equation list box, select the Equation id number matching the Equation id in the Message text box of the equation you wish to include in your reply.
        • Click Equation Editor. The Equation Editor screen appears with the equation in the editing area.
        • Edit the equation using the the icons in the toolbar together with keyboard numeric elements. Click the ? icon to view Help specific to creating an equation. Important: Do not enter spaces between elements in your equation, as spaces appear as boxes when displayed in the Viewer.
        • Enter a new title for the equation if desired. Note: You cannot change the id number assigned by the Equation Editor.
        • Click Cancel to discard the changes, or Insert to include the equation with your message. The Compose Mail Message screen reappears, displaying the id and title of the original and the edited equation in the Message text box. Important: Remove the original equation if desired. If you choose not to, your message will contain two equations, the original and the edited.
        • Click Preview to view the message and equation, or click Send to send the message as Mail.

      •  

    • If you want to post a message to all, and include an Equation that was part of the message to which you are replying, click Quote. The Reply to and Quote Message screen appears, with the Equation id and title of the original equation in the Message text box. The original message appears at the bottom of the screen.

      Note: The Equation Editor screens display differently for Macintosh users. For more information, see overview of tool for Macintosh.

      1. In the Subject text box, enter the subject of your message.
      2. In the Message text box, enter your message.
      3. If you want to edit the equation
        • From the Equation list box, select the Equation id number matching the Equation id in the Message text box of the equation you wish to include in your reply.
        • Click Equation Editor. The Equation Editor screen appears with the equation in the editing area.
        • Edit the equation using the the icons in the toolbar together with keyboard numeric elements. Click the ? icon to view Help specific to creating an equation. Important: Do not enter spaces between elements in your equation, as spaces appear as boxes when displayed in the Viewer.
        • Enter a new title for the equation if desired. Note: You cannot change the id number assigned by the Equation Editor.
        • Click Cancel to discard the changes, or Insert to include the equation with your message. The Reply to and Quote Message screen reappears, displaying the id and title of the original and the edited equation in the Message text box. Important: Remove the original equation if desired. If you choose not to, your message will contain two equations, the original and the edited
      4. Click Preview to view the message or click Post to post the message without previewing. Your message is posted to the discussion topic.

Downloading a message | Top

  1. From Discussions, click the topic containing the message you want to download. The Discussion Messages screen appears.
  2. Click the message that you want to download. The message appears.
  3. Click Download. Your browser's file download dialogue box appears.
  4. Select to save the file to disk, and then click OK.
  5. Select the location where the file will be saved, and then click Save. Note: When saving your file, if an extra file extension is added to the filename, such as *.wct or *Attach, remove it before saving the file.
  6. The file is downloaded to your computer.

Compiling and downloading messages | Top

This feature allows you to select messages, compile them into one file, and download the file to your computer.

  1. From Discussions, click the topic containing the messages you want to compile and download. The Discussion Messages screen appears.
  2. Select the messages to compile.
    1. Display the messages to select from
      • to display all messages, click Show All.
      • to display only unread messages, click Show Unread.
    2. Select the order in which the messages will be presented
      • for chronological order, click Unthreaded.
      • for threaded, click Threaded. Note: Threaded messages are a series of replies to the same subject. To expand a thread, click the hyperlinked triangle.
    3. Select the check box next to each of the messages you want to compile. To compile all messages in a thread, in the header row, select the check box next to the magnifying glass icon. To select all of the messages displayed, click Select all.
  3. From the Apply to selected message(s) below drop-down list, select Compile.
  4. Click Go. The Compiled Messages screen appears displaying your compiled messages.
  5. To download your compiled messages, click Download. Your browser's file download dialogue box appears.
  6. Select to save the file to disk, and then click OK.
  7. Select the location where the file will be saved, and then click Save. Note: When saving your file, if an extra file extension is added to the filename, such as *.wct or *Attach, remove it before saving the file.
  8. The file is downloaded to your computer.
  9. When the download is complete, click Close. The Discussion Messages screen appears.

Searching messages | Top

You may search messages by

  • full name of the message author
  • user name of the message author
  • thread subject
  • unique message number
  • date that the message was sent
  • content of the mail message

After you have searched your messages, you may compile and download them.

To search messages

  1. From Discussions, click Search. The Search Topics screen appears in a new browser window.
  2. Select your search parameters:
    1. From the Search drop-down list, select the messages to search.
    2. From the Topic drop-down list, select the topic to search.
    3. From the Criteria drop-down list, select the filter to apply to your search
      • None = no filter
      • Name = full name of the message author
      • User ID = user name of the message author
      • Subject = the thread subject
      • Message No = the unique message number associated with each message
      • Date = the date that the message was sent
      • Message = any of the words in the text of the mail message
    4. From the Comparison drop-down list, select how the information entered in the Value text box will be compared with the search Criteria
      • Contains = retrieves messages containing the letters or numbers entered in the Value text box
      • Equals = retrieves messages that match exactly the letters or numbers entered in the Value text box
      • Before = in combination with the Date or Number filter, retrieves all messages before the date or number entered in the Value text box. In combination with a text filter (Name, Subject, Message) retrieves all messages containing letters that occur alphabetically before the word entered in the Value text box.
      • After = in combination with the Date or Number filter, retrieves all messages after the date or number entered in the Value text box. In combination with a text filter (Name, Subject, Message), retrieves all messages containing letters that occur alphabetically after the word entered in the Value text box.
      • Starts with = in combination with a text filter (Name, Subject, Message) retrieves messages with words that begin with the letter entered in the Value text box.
      • Ends with = in combination with a text filter (Name, Subject, Message) retrieves words that end with the letter entered in the Value text box.
    5. In the Value text box, enter the words or numbers you want to search. If you have selected the Date filter, type the date in the format mm,dd,yyyy. Include the commas.
  3. Click Search. The Discussion Messages screen appears listing all messages that satisfy your search requirements.

Changing Topic Settings | Top

Topic Settings allows you to control how many threads per page to display on your screen. Selections made in Topic Settings will apply only to your own screen.

  1. From Discussions, click Topic Settings. The Topic Settings screen appears.
  2. Under Number of threads to display per page, select the number of threads you wish to view at once.
    • To set a limit for the number of threads to display per page, enter the limit number in the Set number of threads to text box.
    • To view all the threads in a topic at once, select Display all messages at once.
  3. Click Go. Topic Settings is updated.
  4. To return to the Discussions table, click Discussions.

Viewing members of a private topic | Top

Note: Depending on administrator settings, you may not be able to view the members of your private topics.

  1. From the Discussions screen, under the Status column, click the private link for the topic whose members you want to view. The Private Topic screen appears.
  2. To return to the Discussion screen, click the Discussions link.

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