====== Messages ======

{{tools:messages.png|}} The messages tool is where you can publish operational messages. The messages will be visable on the home page of NAV.

The messages tool has four tabs, where the three first display messages (and let you edit them), the last tab is for adding new messages:

   * Active: Shows a list of all active messages. An active message is a message that currently is displayed onm the NAV home page 
   * Planned: Shows a list of all planned messages. A planned message has not yet reached its "publish from" timestamp.
   * Historic: Shows a list of all historic messages. A historic message is a message that is expired, i.e. the "publish to" timestamp is passed. 
   * Create new: This is the place for adding a new message.




===== Creating a new message =====

The form shows the following field, mandatory fields indicated by star (*)

^ Title* | Give your message a title. Visible on the home page |
^ Description* | Describe your message. Visible on the home page | 
^ Technical description | Give further details if you like. Not visible on the home page. |
^ Publish from* | Time the message is first published. Default value is now.|
^ Publish to* | Time the message will expire. Default value is one week from now. |
^ Select maintenance tasks for this message | Optional. You may couple this message to one or more maintenance tasks. |

===== The home page view =====

If the new message has "publish from" set to now it will be visible on the the home page. Technical description
will not be shown on the home page, you need to click on the meassage to get this detail. It is only
available for logged in NAV users (depends on your authorization rights).

===== Edit a message =====

As a NAV user (with rights) you may edit a message. All data can be changed in edit mode. 
You may also expire a message immediately by using the "expire now" button. An expired message will not
be visable on the home page. You cannot undo the expire.




===== Followup =====

For a given case there may be a development that should be posted. To keep thread a follow up can be created.
Enter edit mode of the original message and click on follow up.

The original message will no longer be visible, only the follow up. In view mode you can follow the thread by
clicking in the "replaces message" field.