Trying to use "Rules"

T

Terri P. Gallu

In an effort in improve ³e-mail overload² I finally succumbed to the lure of
³Rules². I feel like I followed all the instructions offered from the
website, but none of them seem to have any effect on anything. The only
difference that I have noticed is that my incoming e-mails are no longer
assigned to categories as they were prior to my fooling around with Rules.
Everything comes in as None.

Any ideas about where I went wrong? I¹m convinced Rules has potential, but
not at the rate I¹m going.

Thanks,
Terri
 
M

Mickey Stevens

Make sure you set up your rules under the correct tab. "Mail (POP)" rules
only run on messages received from an account set up as POP, and the same
applies to IMAP, Hotmail, and Exchange rules.

By default, new rules have the criterion "All Messages" with the actions
"Set Category None" and "Change status Not Junk E-mail". Is it possible
that you have one of these default rules near the top of your list? That
would explain why none of the other rules seem to be functioning and why all
of the messages are stripped of their categories. Check your rules, and
delete that action if you find it in any of them. Also, be careful with the
"Do not apply other rules to messages that meet these criteria" checkbox.
Leaving it checked or unchecked accidentally can result in unintended
behavior.

Perhaps if you post more information about your rule structure we can help
you further.
 
T

Terri

Terri P. Gallu said:
In an effort in improve 3e-mail overload2 I finally succumbed to the lure of
3Rules2. I feel like I followed all the instructions offered from the
website, but none of them seem to have any effect on anything. The only
difference that I have noticed is that my incoming e-mails are no longer
assigned to categories as they were prior to my fooling around with Rules.
Everything comes in as None.

Any ideas about where I went wrong? I1m convinced Rules has potential, but
not at the rate I1m going.

Thanks,
Terri

Here's what I did--Both mail accounts are POP. I thought I would start small by setting categories for incoming mail. I chose that if FROM contained THE ADDRESS then Set category ACTION (example) and in this case Change status FLAGGED. Do not apply was not checked and Enabled was checked.
Click to expand...

Nothing happened. I set up about 12 addresses in this way and didn't
get anything to happen. The name you assign the rule shouldn't have
any bearing, should it? Is this a stupid way to do this? It seems
pretty cumbersome, especially since I can't get it to work. I'm using
it on newsletter type items that come in large volumes..not for people
that I communicate with regularly. That's why the addresses are not in
my contact file. Is that a better way to assign categories. Sorry, I'm
rambling, but I don't know anyone else who uses this program.
 
K

knews

Terri

Did you enable in both the dialog box of the rule setting and the menu box
of the rules. There are 2 places you need to activate.

Rules are great, I have several including a Junk Mail filter and folder.

k

 
P

Paul Berkowitz

Nothing happened. I set up about 12 addresses in this way and didn't
get anything to happen. The name you assign the rule shouldn't have
any bearing, should it? Is this a stupid way to do this? It seems
pretty cumbersome, especially since I can't get it to work. I'm using
it on newsletter type items that come in large volumes..not for people
that I communicate with regularly. That's why the addresses are not in
my contact file. Is that a better way to assign categories. Sorry, I'm
rambling, but I don't know anyone else who uses this program.
Click to expand...

By "Newsletter type items" do you mean "mailing lists"? For those, you must
use Tools/Mailing List Manager, not Rules.

The reason is that Rules are based on who the message is FROM. Mailing list
messages are still FROM the original sender, so entering the mailing list's
address in a regular rule does nothing. Mailing list messages are actually
TO the mailing list (as well as to you personally - you're both recipients).
The MLM checks both TO and FROM (covering both kinds of mailing lists : some
smaller-circulation "newsletters" are indeed just that, not set up as a real
mailing list, so MLM will get those too.)

You can probably remove those rules. Make Mailing List Manager rules
instead, and don't neglect to click YES to entering the list as a contact in
your Address Book too. That way mail will from the lists never be considered
junk.

--
Paul Berkowitz
MVP Entourage
Entourage FAQ Page: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/faq/index.html>
AppleScripts for Entourage: <http://macscripter.net/scriptbuilders/>

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