# Problems moving SENT private messages



## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

I'm cleaning up my PM Inbox and created some folders and have no problem moving messages from the Inbox to the new folders, but it seems I can't move messages from my Sent folder into any of the custom folders I've created. 

Unlike with the Inbox, there is no option in the Sent folder to select multiple messages and then move in bulk, instead I only find an option to move a message if I open an individual message from the Sent folder. However, when I choose "Move" and then select the folder from the list and submit the action, I'm taken to that folder but the message has not been moved - it's still in the Sent folder.

Any ideas or workarounds?

Thanks.


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

I just delete all my PM's. Have you tried that?


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

spartanstew said:


> I just delete all my PM's. Have you tried that?


Only one the ones that I'm interested in deleting. 

I'm interested in saving PMs in custom folders but even though the SENT folder includes options for moving PMs, the forum software is only permitting moves for messages in the INBOX.


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

Anyone? Bueller?


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

You might be the only one saving them Drew. I still can't figure out why you'd want to. It's like recording all your phone calls and burning them to a CD.


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

I might be the only one, but since the forum software includes links to do it, I'd love to actually be able to DO it. I'm slowly cleaning my Inbox and Sent folders, and there are specific messages I've sent to others that I want to keep and I want to move them out of the way as I continue to clean my sent folder.

I'm really hoping to hear from Chris or anyone else who's ever tried this ... or just have someone tell me they tried it and it worked, so it's something I'm overlooking in the existing options.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

I think that's a bug in the forum software, and it's been there for at least two years. I work around it by BCC'ing myself in any messages I wish to keep. That puts a copy in my inbox.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Hmmm. I save to my drive all my private messages from the inbox and from the sent box using the Dowload as TEXT option then delete them from the boxes:








It's a little awkward to find something in the files in the very few times I wanted to check something, but "doable".


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

And it's worth pointing out that phrelin's method functions 100%. In past versions of vBulletin it would crash in certain cases, like too many messages selected.


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## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

Sorry for the delay in my response.

The bulk method to move sent PM's was removed by VB a number of years ago. Nobody really knows why. 

There is a bug in our software to move individual sent PM's but I'm going to be honest, it probably won't get fixed. Our current database is over 7 years old and there are quirks that we have never been able to figure out. The only way to fix them would be to start all over again from scratch and that's just not going to happen. With most of the small issues there are work arounds like the ones mentioned above. 

I personally just download all my PM's as text and delete everything from my PM box. That way I have an archive of everything. I have every PM I ever received and sent dating back to March of 2002 (when we deployed our VB database).


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

Thanks for the responses guys. I don't think I had considered (or seen) the download option, but that is definitely worth doing and should serve me well.

Also thanks to Stuart for suggesting I BCC myself - I think I'll be doing that in the future.


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