BP Better Messages is a BuddyPress plugin that turns BP Messaging into a threaded instant messaging type communication tool. You can disable the requirement for a subject line and also enable name search and file attachments.
Installation is a case of installing and activating the plugin from Dashboard>>Plugins>>Add New.
Once installed there are new options to configure in Dashboard>>Settings>>BP Better Messages. Here you get to choose between the free AJAX based version or the Pro WebSocket based version:
The WebSockets version offloads a lot of messaging activity to dedicated servers and so improves site performance, this is a pro feature and is enabled through the purchase of a licence.
There are several tabs in the Settings page – General, Chat, Attachments and License. The Chat tab allows user search to be enabled and the subject line to be removed:
The Attachments Tab allows for attachments to be enabled and for the supported size and type of attachments to be set:
Once activated, The users BuddyBar menu item for messages changes to Threads:
Now messages will be threads of instant message items, if both users are online, then the message page will be updated instantly – no need for the notification – load new page cycle so a considerable improvement over classic BP Messaging:
I give this plugin 9 out of 10. I think on the messaging front BP Better Messages is in general a big improvement and for some sites it will work very well. My only issue with it is that ultimately installing this means you are losing many features of BP classic Messaging, and this may not be appropriate for a number of sites.
I've been setting up and managing BuddyPress social networks for a few years. I moved from Ning and other platforms and have come to BuddyPress looking to make sites with similar features to them.
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