"Rivendell" - Technical help

"Rivendell" members encounter program-specific problems at three points:

1. in sending plain-text messages to the server;
2. in creating a folder or directory for list-mails;
3. in creating a filter which puts list-mails automatically into the folder.
Plain-text is necessary when you want to join or leave the list. The folder-and-filter system is necessary for managing in-coming mails, so you can enjoy Rivendell when you want it without it being a pain in the neck when you're too busy. The difficulty is that every mail program does these things differently. These instructions tell you how to solve these problems in some of the most commonly-used programs. (Since I don't know all of these programs, this page is a co-operative effort. Please feel free to suggest improvements, or add data on programs not yet listed!)

Before we go on to discuss individual programs, a general remark on filters might be helpful.  Different programs have various ways of handling these, and you may have to experiment a little to get it to work.  You might be best to identify all mails with "Rivendell" in the "Reply-to" header, or with "Maiser" in the "From" header (though that would pick up mails from other lists you are subscribed to as well), or it might be more helpful to have the program look for mails with "English Studies Mailing-List" in the "To" header.  A little trial and error may be necessary, but it should work.

MICROSOFT OUTLOOK 2002, GERMAN VERSION

1. Plain-text messages

When you are writing a mail with Outlook you should be able to see a call-down menu at the top of the screen which gives you the options "HTML", "Rich-Text" or "Nur-Text".  Plain-text is "Nur-Text".
2. Creating a folder
Open the dialogue field "Organisieren" by clicking on the icon at the top of the page (the icon looks like a broken yellow Rubik's cube) and choose "Neuer Ordner...".  Alternatively, open the "Ordnerliste", click with the right mouse button, and choose "Neuer Ordner...".  Enter "Rivendell" as the name of the folder and save.
3. Creating a filter
Open the dialogue field "Organisieren" (see 2 above) and choose "Regel-Assistent...".  Click on "Neu..." and answer the questions as they are given.  When you are finished, the "Regelbeschreibung" should read: "Nach Erhalt einer Nachricht mit Rivendell in der Empfängeradresse diese in den Ordner Rivendell verschieben."
PEGASUS 3.1

1. Plain-text messages

All mails produced by Pegasus are in plain-text anyway. Incidentally, when it comes to unsubscribing, Pagasus users have it easy. At the top of each Rivendell mail they will find the following line as hypertext: "Double-click this line for list subscription options". This will set up an "unsubscribe"-mail automatically.
2. Creating a folder
If it is not already open, open the "Folders" window by clicking on "File" in the menu at the top of the screen and choosing "Mail folders...". At the top of this window you will see an icon with a plus sign (+) and the word "New...". Click here, enter the name "Rivendell" and save as a "message folder" (not as a "filing tray").
3. Creating a filter
Open the "Tools" menu at the top of the screen and choose "Mail filtering rules". Choose "Edit new mail filtering rules" and then "Rules applied when folder is opened". Click on "Add" and fill in the form. Put in the text "Rivendell", activate the check-boxes for the headers "to", "from" and "reply to", and choose "move" in the function menu. You will now be offered the "Folders" window. Click on the "Rivendell" folder, click on "open" at the top of the "Folders" window, and click on "OK" in the filter dialogue box.
NETSCAPE COMMUNICATOR 4.7

1. Plain-text messages

Open the "Bearbeiten" menu at the top of the screen and choose "Einstellungen".  Go to "Mail & Diskussionsforen - Formatierung"  and switch to "Nachrichten im Texteditor verfassen".
2. Creating a folder
In the folder window, click with the right mouse button and then choose "Neuer Unterordner..."  Alternatively, go straight to creating the filter, and you'll be given the option of creating a new folder at that stage.
3. Creating a filter
Open the "Bearbeiten" menu at the top of the screen and choose "Nachrichtenfilter...".  Change the settings to: "'An' der Nachricht 'enthält' 'Rivendell', so vorgehen: 'in Ordner verschieben'"


GMX

1. Plain-text messages

No problem here, plain-text is in any case the default for GMX mails.
2. Creating a folder
Go to "Optionen", then "Ordnerverwaltung".  At the bottom of the page you can create a new folder and name it, e.g. "Rivendell".
3. Creating a filter
Go to "Optionen" again and click on "Filterregeln". The link at the top leads you to a page where you can activate the new folder "Rivendell" for filters. Now go to "Filterregeln" and click on "Neue Filterregel definieren". Here you can create a filter by giving it a name and defining the "Bedingung" as "Absender enthält rivendell". Then, under "Aktionen", activate "ablegen in Rivendell"
HOTMAIL

1. Plain-text messages

When you are writing a mail with Hotmail you should be able to see a call-down menu on the left (below "Attachments"). Choose "Plain text On" for plain-text messages.  Some Hotmail users have had problems with the hyperlinks
2. Creating a folder
On signing in, choose "Home", then "View all Folders", then "Create New".
3. Creating a filter
Choose "Options", then "Mail Handling", then "Custom filters", then "Create new".  Unfortunately, the filter criteria don't only offer "Reply to", but you can try filtering mails with "English Studies Mailing-List" in the "To Name".


For more information, contact me on: g@dunphy.de

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Last update: 14 May 2003.