f_global_messages contains messages that everybody sees in every forum, at the
top of each forum thread list. There is a FIXED limit of 32 global messages
(see note below about reusing old global message slots).
Unlike a normal message, global messages are not linked to an account id,
and they don't contain any text. They are simply clickable urls.
f_global_message columns are
gid: integer from 0-31 - MUST BE UNIQUE
subject: just like a thread subject
url: when you click on the subject, it will send you DIRECTLY here
name: just like a message "name" - the user "name" of who posted this.
date: will show up next to subject/name
state: Inactive global messages are only visible to admins
Normal users can:
"rm" (remove aka mark read)
"Restore global messages" (un-remove removed messages)
Administrators can:
see "inactive" global messages
"ug" (undelete global message aka mark active)
"dg" (delete global message aka mark inactive)
"ed" (edit global message)
You can access the admin page at http://your.site.com/admin/gmessage.phtml
From there, you can:
* Edit global messages (subject/url)
Note that the url can be *relative*, e.g.,
"http://site.com/other/msgs/1234" can be abbreviated
"/other/msgs/1234.phtml". This way, you can make links internal to your
forum, especially if several hostnames can be used to access the forum
(or both http and https).
* Take "ownership" of a global message (set name)
* Update the date of a global message (touch)
* Change the status (active/inactive) of a global message
* Reset all users "filter" bit for a global message, so the message is
"unhidden" aka un-"remove" or unmark as "read" for EVERY user.