Overview
There are two basic options to filter email: server-side filtering, in which email is filtered on the mail server; and client-side filtering, where messages are filtered by the email client. Server-side filtering offers these advantages:
- There's no need to configure filters on each email client used.
- Server-side filters function even when you are not logged into your mailbox.
If you use Mathematical Sciences Webmail or email clients configured with the IMAP protocol, you can use all the features of server-side filtering. If you use only email clients configured with the POP protocol, you can still use server-side filtering, but you will not be able to create filters that move mail into server-side folders.
Server-side Filtering
Mathematical Sciences Webmail is used to configure server-side filters, as follows:
-
After logging into
Mathematical Sciences
Webmail, click on "Filters" in the menu at the top of the page.
To create a new rule, click on "New Rule"; to edit an existing rule, click on it.
In the box next to "Rule Name:", enter the name for the rule.
Under "For an incoming message that matches:", if you want the rule to apply to all of the conditions, click on the radio button for "All of the
following"; if you want the rule to apply to any of the conditions, click on
the radio button for "Any of the following". (If the rule will have just one
condition, it doesn't matter which radio button is marked.)
Pull down the header box (the "Select a field" box, if this is a new
rule) and select the mail appropriate mail header.
Pull down the next box and choose the appropriate condition.
Enter the string to look for in the rightmost box.
If you want the rule to apply no matter whether the letters are upper- or
lowercase, check the box by "Case Sensitive".
To delete the condition, click on the trash can icon to the right.
To add another condition, pull down the "Select a field" box under the
bold-faced and or or.
Under "Do this:", select the appropriate action.
If you want the rule to mark the message, check the appropriate box under
"Mark message as:".
If you want to stop filtering with other rules if this rule applies, then
check the box by "Stop checking if this rule matches?"
To save the rule, click on the "Save" button; to cancel, click on "Return
to Filters List".
-
Your Webmail filters will run even when you are logged out of Webmail.
Your Webmail filters will work no matter what email client you use.
The Whitelist, Vacation, Blacklist and Forward filters are built into
Webmail.
The Whitelist filter does not apply to spam scoring.
You can enable a vacation autoresponder by editing the Vacation rule in
Webmail, or by using the vacation feature in the
Mathematical Sciences Mail
Utilities.
If you enable a vacation autoresponder both in the Mail Utilities and in
Webmail, only the Mail Utilities autoresponder will work.
You can enable forwarding by editing the Forward rule in Webmail, or by
using the forwarding feature in the Mathematical Sciences Mail Utilities.
If you enable forwarding both in the Mail Utilities and in Webmail, only
the Mail Utilities forwarding will work.
If you create server-side filters that move messages into IMAP folders,
you may want to configure your IMAP email client to check those folders for new
mail.
Client-side Filtering
The Computer Support Group provides some information for configuring client-side filtering for several email clients.
Alpine
-
In Alpine, at the "MAIN MENU", type 's', for "SETUP".
In the "SETUP" menu, type 'r', for "Rules".
At the "Type of rule setup :" prompt, type 'f', for "Filter".
In the "SETUP FILTERING RULES", type 'a', for "Add".
In "ADD A FILTERING RULE", press Enter.
Backspace over "Filter Rule", and then type in the name you want to give
your rule, and press Enter.
Press the down-arrow key until the header you want to filter on is
highlighted.
Press Enter.
Type in the string you wish to filter on and press Enter.
Press the down-arrow key, so that the highlight moves down past "ACTIONS
BEGIN HERE", into the "Filter Action" area, until the action you want the rule
to do is highlighted.
Press Enter.
If you've chosen the "Move" action, type the name of the folder that you
want spam moved to, and then press Enter.
Type 'e' to exit "ADD A FILTERING RULE".
Type 'y' to save your changes.
In "SETUP FILTERING RULES", type 'e' to exit.
Type 'y' to commit your changes.
Apple Mail
-
Click on "Mail" in the menu bar.
In the "Mail" menu, click on "Preferences...".
In the window that pops up, click on the "Rules" icon.
Click on the "Add Rule" button.
In the box to the right of "Description:", enter a name for the rule.
Click on the pull-down box labeled "From" and click on the appropriate
header.
Click on the pull-down box labeled "Contains" and click on the
specification you want.
In the next box to the right, enter the string that you want the filter
to look for.
Under "Perform the following actions:", choose the action you want.
If you choose the "Move" action, pull down the "No mailbox selected" menu
and click on the mailbox you want your spam to be moved to.
Click on the "OK" button.
Close the preferences window.
Eudora
-
Click on "Tools" in the menu bar.
In the menu, select "Filters"
In the "Filters" window, click on the "New" button at the lower left-
hand corner.
In the "Match" area, in the "Header:" selection box, choose whatever
header you'd like to filter on.
In the selection box under "Header:", select the appropriate modifier.
In the empty input box to the right of "starts with", type the string
that will trigger the filter.
In the "Action" area, in the topmost selection box, choose "Transfer To".
Click on the box that says "In", to the right of "Transfer To", and
select the folder that you want spam moved to.
Click on the "X" in the upper right-hand corner of the "Filters" window
to close it.
Click on "Yes" in the "Save changes to Filters?" box that pops up.
Outlook
-
Click on "Tools" in the menu bar.
In the menu, select "Rules and Alerts..."
In the "Rules and Alerts" window, click on the "New Rule..." button.
In the "Rules Wizard" window, click on "Start from a blank rule".
Follow the steps in the wizard to create your rule.
Click on the "Finish" button.
Click on the "OK" button.
Outlook Express
-
Click on "Tools" in the menu bar.
In the menu, select "Message Rules".
In the submenu, select "Mail...".
In the "New Mail Rule" window, under "1. Select the Conditions for your
rule:", check the box by the appropriate condictions.
Under "2. Select the Actions for your rule:", check the box by the
action you want.
Under "3. Rule Description (click on an underlined value to edit it):",
click on whatever is appropriate.
Click on the "Add" button.
Click on the "OK" button.
Under "3. Rule Description (click on an underlined value to edit it):",
click on the appropriate selection.
Click on the "OK" button.
Under "4. Name of this rule:", give your rule a name.
Click on the "OK" button.
Click on the "OK" button.
pine
-
In pine, at the "MAIN MENU", type 's', for "SETUP".
In the "SETUP" menu, type 'r', for "Rules".
At the "Type of rule setup :" prompt, type 'f', for "Filter".
In the "SETUP FILTERING RULES", type 'a', for "Add".
In "ADD A FILTERING RULE", press Enter.
Backspace over "Filter Rule", and then type in the name you want to give
your rule, and press Enter.
Press the down-arrow key until the header you want to filter on is
highlighted.
Press Enter.
Type in the string you wish to filter on and press Enter.
Press the down-arrow key, so that the highlight moves down past "ACTIONS
BEGIN HERE", into the "Filter Action" area, until the action you want the rule
to do is highlighted.
Press Enter.
If you've chosen the "Move" action, type the name of the folder that you
want spam moved to, and then press Enter.
Type 'e' to exit "ADD A FILTERING RULE".
Type 'y' to save your changes.
In "SETUP FILTERING RULES", type 'e' to exit.
Type 'y' to commit your changes.
Thunderbird
-
Click on "Tools" in the menu bar.
In the menu, select "Message Filters..."
In the "Message Filters" window, click on the "New" button.
In the "Filter Rules" window, under "For incoming messages that:",
define the messages you'd like to filter with this rule.
Under "Perform these actions:", specify what you would like the rule to
do to messages that match the rule.
In the "Filter Rules" window, click the "OK" button.
Close the "Message Filters" window.
