Questions about Outlook Express and email programs in general

Y

ygr7

I recently started using Outlook Express (which is included with
Windows XP Pro) and there are several things that don't work the way I
need them to.

1. The Folder List (upper left area) has a list of folders (Inbox,
Sent Items, etc.) with a number inside parentheses to the right of the
folder name, presumably to show the number of items inside that
folder. However, the number doesn't always appear; most of the time,
there's no number. How do I get the number to always show?

2. The List Pane (upper right area) lists the names and subject of
each item contained in the folder selected from the Folder List.
However, the "From" column only shows the name that appears to the
left of the email address in the original "From:" header. How can I
get the full email address to be shown in the List Pane?

3. The Preview Pane (lower right area) shows the text of the email,
but doesn't include the headers. If I want to save the entire email
into a text file, how can I get the Preview pane to include the
headers (including, of course, the full email adress)?

4. When sending email, if I need to include my own special headers,
how can I do this?

In the event that these problems are unresolvable (i.e., if Outlook
Express was intentionally designed not to give you the functionality
you need) or if I have to go through all sorts of extra steps each
time to achieve what I need, there must be other email programs that
can be used instead that have better functionality.

Does Netscape, for example, display the full headers?

Which email programs do you use and recommend?
 
R

Ronnie Vernon MVP

I recently started using Outlook Express (which is included with
Windows XP Pro) and there are several things that don't work the way I
need them to.

1. The Folder List (upper left area) has a list of folders (Inbox,
Sent Items, etc.) with a number inside parentheses to the right of the
folder name, presumably to show the number of items inside that
folder. However, the number doesn't always appear; most of the time,
there's no number. How do I get the number to always show?

2. The List Pane (upper right area) lists the names and subject of
each item contained in the folder selected from the Folder List.
However, the "From" column only shows the name that appears to the
left of the email address in the original "From:" header. How can I
get the full email address to be shown in the List Pane?

3. The Preview Pane (lower right area) shows the text of the email,
but doesn't include the headers. If I want to save the entire email
into a text file, how can I get the Preview pane to include the
headers (including, of course, the full email adress)?

4. When sending email, if I need to include my own special headers,
how can I do this?

In the event that these problems are unresolvable (i.e., if Outlook
Express was intentionally designed not to give you the functionality
you need) or if I have to go through all sorts of extra steps each
time to achieve what I need, there must be other email programs that
can be used instead that have better functionality.

Does Netscape, for example, display the full headers?

Which email programs do you use and recommend?

#1. The number will only reflect the number of messages which are marked as
Unread in the folder.

#2. I don't believe this is an option in OE.

#3. Before or after the email is saved you can right click the email and
select Properties/Details or Message Source to see the header information.

#4. There are literally dozens of email clients available that you can buy.
Look around.

--
Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

Please reply to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.
 
C

Chris Lemon

However, the number doesn't always appear; most of the time,
there's no number. How do I get the number to always show?

That number shows you the number of UNREAD messages, not the number of TOTAL
messages. If there's no number, you've read everything in there.
How can I
get the full email address to be shown in the List Pane?

You don't. That's how it displays names.
3. The Preview Pane (lower right area) shows the text of the email,
but doesn't include the headers. If I want to save the entire email
into a text file, how can I get the Preview pane to include the
headers (including, of course, the full email adress)?

You don't. Right-click on the items in the List, select Properties, click
the Details tab, then the Message Source button. You can then copy and paste
what you like.
4. When sending email, if I need to include my own special headers,
how can I do this?

You don't.
In the event that these problems are unresolvable (i.e., if Outlook
Express was intentionally designed not to give you the functionality
you need)

That's more or less the case. You wanna jump through all kinds of hoops, you
probably want Outlook. Lot of people don't like OE because it doesn't do
everything but the dishes.
Which email programs do you use and recommend?

Based on the amount of customization you seem to require, I'd guess Eudora
is probably more your cup of tea. Personally, I use OE and like it fine.
 
B

bat

y> 4. When sending email, if I need to include my own special headers,
y> how can I do this?

Download Fidolook SL, free add-on for OE. It allows that, and much more.
www.fidolook.com
 
J

jitney

I recently started using Outlook Express (which is included with
Windows XP Pro) and there are several things that don't work the way I
need them to.(snip)

-One of the many reasons that the name "Microsoft" should be changed to
"Mediocritysoft".-Jitney
 
J

Jeeters

3. The Preview Pane (lower right area) shows the text of the email,
You don't. Right-click on the items in the List, select Properties, click
the Details tab, then the Message Source button. You can then copy and paste
what you like.

fyi, you can get a 'basic' header displayed ("From:", "Subject:") by going
to the View menu, then Layout, then clicking on "Show Preview pane header"
at the bottom of the Layout options window. Has no effect on saving,
though.
 
J

John R Weiss

I recently started using Outlook Express (which is included with
Windows XP Pro) and there are several things that don't work the way I
need them to.

1. The Folder List (upper left area) has a list of folders (Inbox,
Sent Items, etc.) with a number inside parentheses to the right of the
folder name, presumably to show the number of items inside that
folder. However, the number doesn't always appear; most of the time,
there's no number. How do I get the number to always show?

The number of messages and unread messages show in the status bar at the bottom.
Enable it via the View | Layout | Status Bar menu item.

2. The List Pane (upper right area) lists the names and subject of
each item contained in the folder selected from the Folder List.
However, the "From" column only shows the name that appears to the
left of the email address in the original "From:" header. How can I
get the full email address to be shown in the List Pane?

It shows the entry put into the message by the originator, as you do in the Name
block of your Accounts menu. If that entry is blank, it shows the e-mail
address. You cannot control it, other than enable/disable display of the
column.

3. The Preview Pane (lower right area) shows the text of the email,
but doesn't include the headers. If I want to save the entire email
into a text file, how can I get the Preview pane to include the
headers (including, of course, the full email adress)?

The preview pane will not show full headers. To see the full message source
including headers, right-click on the message line, then Properties | Details |
Message Source... Use Ctrl-A, Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V to select, copy, and paste.

4. When sending email, if I need to include my own special headers,
how can I do this?

Put anything you want in the Name line in the Accounts Properties. Otherwise,
put it at the top of the message.
 

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