Networking with other users

Contacts - Introduction

Contacts can allow you to build an ILIAS internal contact list to compile a buddy list. Then you can contact ILIAS users immediately and without any search effort via email or chat if necessary. Furthermore, existing contacts and people with whom contact requests are pending can be displayed in the so-called "Who is online?" display.

Note: To send a user a contact request, navigate to the user's profile view, for example, via the member gallery of a course.

Using the function in the Contacts section, users can:

  • confirm or ignore these contact requests (i.e., reject a request).
  • cancel existing contacts.
  • create and manage distribution lists.

Note: Please note, however, that contact can only be made with a user (or, conversely, with yourself) if the addressee of the contact request has published his or her profile. In addition, contact requests must also be permitted by the addressed user. This does not apply to the contacting user.

Contact Request

You want to add someone to your contact list.

Prerequisite: The user to whom you are making the contact request has

  • both his profile visible to other users),
  • and also allowed contact requests by other users
  1. Navigate to the profile view of the user you want to make a contact request to. For example, open the member gallery of a course you are a member of.
  2. Click on the Request contact button.
  3. ILIAS sends the contact request to the user by mail. The Request contact button is now displayed with the text Contact requested.
  4. The user in question will be informed about your request.

Note: For an overview of your contact requests, open Communication > Contacts:

  • The Relationships with other users table displays all existing and pending contact requests.
  • Pending contact request has a button Contact requested.

End contact or withdraw contact request

You have changed your mind: You want to cancel a contact request or end an already closed contact.

Prerequisite: You have made a contact request.

  1. Open Communication > Contacts.
  2. In the Relationships with other users table, find the contact you want.
  3. In the Actions for this person, select Withdraw request or Cancel contact.
  4. The contact request has been withdrawn, or the contact has been canceled. ILIAS no longer displays the contact in the table Relationships with other users.

Have I received a contact request?

If a user has sent you a contact request, you will automatically be notified by e-mail. However, you can also check yourself at any time to see if you have received a contact request.

You want to find out if you have been sent a contact request.

  1. Open Communication > Contacts.
  2. Click the Show filter link om the right above the Relationships to other users table.
  3. ILIAS displays the filter to browse the contacts.
  4. In the Filter Status, select Requested and click Apply Filter.
  5. ILIAS shows you the corresponding entries for contact requests that have not yet been edited.
  6. You can edit the contact requests accordingly.

Note: If activated, the open contact requests will also be listed for you in the "Who is Online?" view. Also, a pop-up window may appear, notifying you of an open contact request if the feature is enabled.

Accept contact request

You want to confirm a contact request.

Prerequisite: Another user has already sent you a contact request.

  1. Open Communication > Contacts.
  2. Open the Actions menu for a contact.
  3. Select the action Confirm contact.
  4. ILIAS updates the contact, and the actions menu now says Networked.

Note: You can now be informed whether the contact is currently logged in via the "Who is online?" display if the function is activated. You will also be listed as the contact in their display. Note that contacts not logged in will also be listed in the "Who is online?" display. The logged-in users are indicated by a green ball next to their usernames.

Reject contact request

You want to reject a contact request.

Prerequisite: Another user has already sent you a contact request.

  1. Open Communication > Contacts.
  2. Open the Actions menu for a contact.
  3. Select the action Ignore contact.
  4. ILIAS updated the table, and the entry has been removed.

Send mail to contacts.

You want to send a mail to some or all of your contacts.

  1. Open Communication > Contacts.
  2. Activate the checkboxes next to the desired recipients.
  3. Click Mail above or below the table.
  4. ILIAS shows the form to create the mail. The user names of the previously selected recipients are entered in the To text entry field.

Note: If a recipient does not have a username entered in your address book, the email address will be used instead.

You want to display your contacts in a gallery.

  1. Open Communication > Contacts.
  2. Click on the link Gallery.
  3. ILIAS opens the gallery of your contacts.

Create and manage your own mail distribution lists

Create a new distribution list

You can group the contacts from your contact list into distribution lists. This way, you can create a mail distribution list and send mails across courses to a certain number of ILIAS users.

You want to create a mail distribution list.

  1. Open Communication > Contacts and click the tab My distribution lists.
  2. Click on the Create button.
  3. ILIAS displays the form for creating a distribution list.
  4. Assign a title and add a description if necessary.
  5. Click on Save.
  6. ILIAS saves the distribution list and opens the empty list of members of the newly created distribution list.
  7. Now open the instructions for adding new members to the distribution list.

Adding users to the distribution list

You want to add a person to one of your distribution lists.

  1. Open Communication > Contacts and click the My Distribution Lists tab.
  2. Open the Actions menu of the distribution list and select the Members entry.
  3. ILIAS opens the list of members.
  4. Click on Add.
  5. ILIAS shows a drop-down menu, Entry from Contacts, where all users you are networked with are entered. You can only add people to the distribution list that you have already saved in your contact list.
  6. Select a contact.
  7. Click on Assign.
  8. ILIAS adds the user to the distribution list and returns to the Members table of the distribution list.

Send mail to the distribution list

You want to send a mail to a distribution list.

  1. Open Communication > Contacts and click the My Distribution Lists tab.
  2. Open the Actions menu of the distribution list and select the Mail to entry.
  3. ILIAS shows the form to create the mail. The distribution list has already been taken as the recipient's address.

Note: To send mail to multiple distribution lists simultaneously, first activate the respective checkboxes. Then select Mail in the drop-down menu above the list and click on Execute.

Delete distribution list

You want to delete a distribution list.

  1. Open Communication > Contacts and click the My Distribution Lists tab.
  2. Open the Actions menu of the distribution list and select the Delete entry.
  3. ILIAS will ask if you really want to delete the distribution list.
  4. Click on the Confirm button.
  5. ILIAS deletes the distribution list and returns to the previous view.

Note: To delete multiple distribution lists simultaneously, first activate the respective checkboxes. Then select Delete from the drop-down menu above the list and click Execute.

List users of a distribution list

You want to display the members of a distribution list.

  1. Open Communication > Contacts and click the My Distribution Lists tab.
  2. Open the Actions menu of the distribution list and select the Members entry.
  3. ILIAS lists the members of the distribution list.

Contacting members of courses

List course members

You want to display the members of a course in a list.

  1. Open Communication > Contacts and click the My Courses tab.
  2. Open the Actions menu of the course and select List Members.
  3. ILIAS reloads the page and outputs a list of members.

Note: To list the members of multiple courses, select the respective checkboxes. Then click List members in the drop-down menu above the list.

Compose mail to course members.

You want to send a mail to the members of a course.

  1. Open Communication > Contacts and click the My Courses tab.
  2. Open the Actions menu of the course and select List Members. ILIAS will output the list of course members.
    - If you do not see all the course members on one page, click the Rows link on the right above the table and increase the number of rows to 800.
    - If the course has more than 800 members, set the value of Hit/Page to No Limit under Header " Settings.
  3. Use the checkboxes to select the members who should receive the mail.
  4. Click on the button Mail to members.
  5. ILIAS opens the form to create a mail.
  6. The previously selected members are entered as recipients of the mail.

Sending a contact request to course members

You want to add the members of a course to your contacts.

  1. Open Communication > Contacts and click the My Courses tab.
  2. Open the Actions menu of the course and select List Members.
  3. ILIAS displays a list of the members. To list members of multiple courses, select the respective checkboxes. Then click List Members in the drop-down menu above the list.
  4. Locate the course member you want to add to your contacts. In the Actions column, click the Actions menu and select Request Contact.
  5. ILIAS will give you feedback and confirm "A contact request has been sent to the user."

Note: Now, you have to wait for the confirmation of the contact request from the requested course member.

Contacting Members of Groups

List group members

You want to display the members of a group in a list.

  1. Open Communication > Contacts and click the My Groups tab.
  2. Open the Actions menu of the group and select List Members.
  3. ILIAS reloads the page and outputs a list of members.

Note: Select the respective checkboxes to list the members of multiple groups. Then click List members in the drop-down menu above the list.

Compose mail to group members.

You want to send a mail to the members of a group.

  1. Open Communication > Contacts and click the My Groups tab.
  2. Open the Actions menu of the group and select List Members.
  3. ILIAS will output the list of members. To display all group members on one page, set the value of Hit/Page to No Limit under Header " Settings.
  4. Use the checkboxes to select the members who should receive the mail.
  5. Open the drop-down menu above the list and select the Mail to members entry.
  6. Click on the Execute button.
  7. ILIAS opens the form for creating a mail. The previously selected members are entered as recipients of the mail.

Sending group members a contact request

You want to add the members of a course to your contacts.

  1. Open Communication > Contacts and click the My Groups tab.
  2. Open the Actions menu of the course and select List Members.
  3. ILIAS reloads the page and outputs a list of members. To list members of multiple courses, select the respective checkboxes. Then click List Members in the drop-down menu above the list.
  4. Locate the course member you want to add to your contacts. In the Actions column, click the Actions menu and select Request Contact.
  5. ILIAS will give you feedback and confirm "A contact request has been sent to the user."

Note: Now, you have to wait for the confirmation of the contact request from the requested course member.