Messaging System - Quick Start Guide¶

🎯 How to Access Messages¶

For Students & Teachers¶

The messaging system is accessible in 3 easy ways:

Look for the Messages menu item with mail icon 📧
Located in the left sidebar menu
Shows unread badge when you have new messages

2. Dashboard Quick Stats (Top Row)¶

Click the Messages card in the dashboard stats row
Shows your unread count at a glance
Quick one-click access to inbox

3. Quick Actions Panel (Dashboard Right Side)¶

Messages button (blue, most prominent)
Shows unread badge
Direct link to your inbox

📬 Getting Started¶

Step 1: Access Your Inbox¶

Click any Messages link from navigation, dashboard, or quick actions
You'll see your Inbox with all conversations

Step 2: Start a New Conversation¶

Option A - From Inbox: 1. Click "New Message" button (top right of inbox) 2. Select a recipient from the list 3. Start chatting!

Option B - Direct Message: 1. Navigate to /messages/conversation/{userId} (for specific user) 2. System will auto-create conversation if needed

Step 3: View Messages¶

Click any conversation in your inbox
Chat interface opens with full message history
Messages automatically marked as read when viewed

Step 4: Send Messages¶

Type your message in the text box at bottom
Optionally attach files (images, PDFs, MusicXML)
Click send button or press Enter

🎨 Visual Indicators¶

Unread Messages Badge¶

Red circle with number appears on:
Sidebar Messages menu item
Dashboard Messages card
Quick Actions Messages button
Auto-updates every 30 seconds

Conversation List¶

Bold text = Unread conversation
Blue background = Unread messages
Timestamp shows last message time

Read Receipts¶

Double check mark (✓✓) = Message read by recipient
Appears next to your sent messages

🔑 Who Can Message Whom?¶

Students Can Message:¶

✅ Their teacher
✅ Members of their organization
✅ Classmates in same organization

Teachers Can Message:¶

✅ Their students
✅ Members of their organization
✅ Other teachers in same organization

Organization Admins Can Message:¶

✅ Anyone in their organization
✅ All teachers and students in org

❌ Cannot message: - Random users outside your network - Yourself

💬 Using the Messaging Interface¶

Chat Window Layout¶

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  [Conversations]  │  [Chat with User]   │
│                   │                      │
│  Sidebar with     │  Message History     │
│  all your         │  (scrollable)        │
│  conversations    │                      │
│                   │  ──────────────────  │
│  (clickable)      │  [Type message...]   │
│                   │  [📎] [Send]         │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

Features in Chat:¶

Auto-scrolling to latest message
Attachment preview for images
User avatars next to messages
Timestamps for each message
Typing area resizes automatically

📎 Sending Attachments¶

Supported File Types:¶

Images: JPG, PNG, GIF
Documents: PDF
Music: MusicXML, XML files

How to Attach:¶

Click 📎 paperclip icon
Select file (max 5MB)
File name shows below input
Send as normal

Image Preview:¶

Images show inline in chat
Click to open full size
Documents show as download link

⚡ Premium Features¶

Free Users (10 messages/day):¶

Limited to 10 messages per day
Counter resets at midnight
Warning shown when limit reached
Can still receive unlimited messages

Premium Users (Unlimited):¶

Unlimited messaging
No daily limits
No restrictions
Full access to all features

Upgrade prompt appears when free users reach limit.

🔔 Notifications¶

Real-time Updates:¶

Unread count refreshes every 30 seconds
Badge updates automatically
No page refresh needed

Browser Notifications (Optional):¶

System may request notification permission
Get desktop alerts for new messages
Can be enabled in browser settings

🛠️ Technical Details¶

Auto-refresh:¶

Messages don't auto-reload in conversation
Page refresh shows new messages
Polling checks for unread count only

For Real-time (Future):¶

Currently uses 30-second polling
Can be upgraded to WebSockets/Mercure
See documentation for upgrade path

📱 Mobile Responsive¶

Mobile View:¶

Sidebar auto-hides on mobile
Chat takes full width
Back button to return to inbox
Touch-friendly interface

🆘 Troubleshooting¶

"You can't message this user"¶

Cause: No relationship between you and recipient
Solution: - Students: Add teacher first (teacher code) - Teachers: Student must connect to you - Join same organization

"Daily message limit reached"¶

Cause: Free account sent 10 messages today
Solution: - Wait until tomorrow (resets at midnight) - Upgrade to Premium for unlimited messaging

Unread badge not updating¶

Solution: - Wait 30 seconds for auto-refresh - Hard refresh page (Ctrl+F5) - Check browser console for errors

Attachment won't upload¶

Check: - File size under 5MB - File type is supported - Internet connection stable

🎓 Best Practices¶

For Teachers:¶

Check messages daily for student questions
Respond to assignment-related messages promptly
Use messages for quick feedback
Consider office hours for complex discussions

For Students:¶

Ask clear, specific questions
Include assignment/piece references
Check for teacher response before re-asking
Be respectful in all communications

📊 Privacy & Security¶

Message Privacy:¶

✅ Only conversation participants can read messages
✅ Messages stored securely in database
✅ Attachments stored in protected directory
✅ No message content in URLs

Data Retention:¶

Messages kept indefinitely
Users can delete their own sent messages
Deleted messages removed immediately

🚀 Quick Tips¶

Use Enter to send - No need to click button
Check unread badge - Glance at sidebar for new messages
Attach files directly - No need to upload separately
Mark as read automatically - Just view the conversation
Dashboard shortcut - Fastest way to messages from home

📞 Need Help?¶

Check the full documentation: /docs/MESSAGING_SYSTEM.md
Contact support: info@practito.com
Report bugs through the platform

Last Updated: February 12, 2025
Version: 1.0.0