what constitutes "from" in a search?

M

matt neuburg

When I do a search at the top of the main window, set to "From" and
"contains", I often do not get results when I know they are there. For
example, if I search for "obdev", I do not find the email from
[email protected]. I do find "launchbar", but I think this is because
the *name* attached to this message is "Launchbar Support". This seems
nutty to me: what's real and true about where a message comes from is
the email address. Is there a way I can make "from" searches include the
email address? Does the current behavior seem to anyone else like a bug?
m.
 
P

Paul Berkowitz

When I do a search at the top of the main window, set to "From" and
"contains", I often do not get results when I know they are there. For
example, if I search for "obdev", I do not find the email from
[email protected]. I do find "launchbar", but I think this is because
the *name* attached to this message is "Launchbar Support". This seems
nutty to me: what's real and true about where a message comes from is
the email address. Is there a way I can make "from" searches include the
email address? Does the current behavior seem to anyone else like a bug?
Click to expand...

It's not a bug, Matt. It's documented. I think, somewhere.

The QuickFilter box, unlike an Advanced Find, searches only the
already-indexed columns of the message list it's on. It does not go back to
the source of every message (as Advanced Find does). That, in fact, is what
makes it Quick.

The From column has width limitations, and displays only the Display Name
(unless there is no display name, in which case it does display the email
address). So your surmise is correct: the QuickFilter finds only the Display
Name (unless there is no display name), not the email address. If you want
to search for email address, use Advanced Find (opt-cmd-F) which in 2004 is
actually pretty fast, but nowhere near as fast as the QuickFilter.

I suppose the only way that QuickFilter could search for the email address
would be if the From column displayed both display name and email address.
That really would be pretty long but could just get truncated with .... It
might look a bit messy, but it would make this QuickFilter search _much_
more useful. I think this would be good feature request.

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

Please "Reply To Newsgroup" to reply to this message. Emails will be
ignored.

PLEASE always state which version of Microsoft Office you are using -
**2004**, X or 2001. It's often impossible to answer your questions
otherwise.
 
C

Craig Deutsch

Matt, using the same criteria, my Entourage returns a subset of messages
that is based on the email address in the FROM field, i.e., it's correct.

Perhaps your database is somehow corrupted? Have you done a verify/repair?

Also, have you tested your issue using the (more complete) Edit > Advanced
Find function?

Craig
 
P

Paul Berkowitz

Matt is not talking about cmd-F Find, Craig. He's talking about entering
text in the little QuickFilter text box at the top right corner of the main
browser window when a mail folder or news group is displayed in the Messages
list.

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

Please "Reply To Newsgroup" to reply to this message. Emails will be
ignored.

PLEASE always state which version of Microsoft Office you are using -
**2004**, X or 2001. It's often impossible to answer your questions
otherwise.
 
M

matt neuburg

Paul Berkowitz said:
It's not a bug, Matt. It's documented. I think, somewhere.

The QuickFilter box, unlike an Advanced Find, searches only the
already-indexed columns of the message list it's on. It does not go back to
the source of every message (as Advanced Find does). That, in fact, is what
makes it Quick.

The From column has width limitations, and displays only the Display Name
(unless there is no display name, in which case it does display the email
address). So your surmise is correct: the QuickFilter finds only the Display
Name (unless there is no display name), not the email address. If you want
to search for email address, use Advanced Find (opt-cmd-F) which in 2004 is
actually pretty fast, but nowhere near as fast as the QuickFilter.

I suppose the only way that QuickFilter could search for the email address
would be if the From column displayed both display name and email address.
That really would be pretty long but could just get truncated with .... It
might look a bit messy, but it would make this QuickFilter search _much_
more useful. I think this would be good feature request.
Click to expand...

You're certainly right: what I get when I do "From" -> "contains" ->
"obdev" is different when I do it in the Advanced Find dialog from what
I get when I do the very same thing in QuickFilter at the top of the
main window. The fact that I can get two different results with all the
settings the same seems to me like, from a user interface point of view
at least, it *is* a bug. :) But as you say, from the point of view of
intended behavior, it's not a bug. Thx! m.
 
P

Paul Berkowitz

You're certainly right: what I get when I do "From" -> "contains" ->
"obdev" is different when I do it in the Advanced Find dialog from what
I get when I do the very same thing in QuickFilter at the top of the
main window. The fact that I can get two different results with all the
settings the same seems to me like, from a user interface point of view
at least, it *is* a bug. :) But as you say, from the point of view of
intended behavior, it's not a bug. Thx! m.
Click to expand...

Just to make it that little bit more confusing, entering text in the "Name
contains" popup setting of the QuickFilter while in the Address Book
actually finds contacts with that text as part of the default email address
as well as those with it as part of the Name! Of course, the Address Book
already has the email address indexed as a separate column, typically has
far fewer items than a stuffed mail Inbox, and there is no equivalent of
message Source anyway - the whole thing is much easier and quicker for
Entourage. But it still is unexpected and rather confusing that there's so
little consistency.

I would be in favor of including 'Full Name <[email protected]>' in the From
column (or From line in the new 3-column view) even though almost every one
will truncate with "..." and look somewhat messy. That would probably be
faster. if anything, since the from line of the message source would be
copied exactly with no parsing at all, and then the QuickFilter would find
email addresses as well as display names. It would also make it consistent
with "Name" filter in the Address Book at the same time.

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

Please "Reply To Newsgroup" to reply to this message. Emails will be
ignored.

PLEASE always state which version of Microsoft Office you are using -
**2004**, X or 2001. It's often impossible to answer your questions
otherwise.
 
M

matt neuburg

Paul Berkowitz said:
Just to make it that little bit more confusing, entering text in the "Name
contains" popup setting of the QuickFilter while in the Address Book
actually finds contacts with that text as part of the default email address
as well as those with it as part of the Name! Of course, the Address Book
already has the email address indexed as a separate column, typically has
far fewer items than a stuffed mail Inbox, and there is no equivalent of
message Source anyway - the whole thing is much easier and quicker for
Entourage. But it still is unexpected and rather confusing that there's so
little consistency.

I would be in favor of including 'Full Name <[email protected]>' in the From
column (or From line in the new 3-column view) even though almost every one
will truncate with "..." and look somewhat messy. That would probably be
faster. if anything, since the from line of the message source would be
copied exactly with no parsing at all, and then the QuickFilter would find
email addresses as well as display names. It would also make it consistent
with "Name" filter in the Address Book at the same time.
Click to expand...

Well, Paul, I trust we can assume you'll use your influence at the MacBU
to get them to Do The Right Thing here... :) m.
 
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