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Using Outlook Express 5 for E-mail on a PC |
Remote Mailbox vs. Local Folders: The Outlook Express screen provides views of locally filed mail and folders on the hard drive in the upper left part of the window. The lower left of the window displays the remote mailbox and folders on the VMS/VAX or OSF UNIX (grace) and lists of contacts. The upper right window provides a directory of messages for the highlighted folder on the left. The lower right window provide a view of the message highlighted in the directory above in the upper right window.
The remote mailbox on the
lower left (below Drafts folder) is determined by the setup information provided
to Outlook Express. You will see a view of the VMS/VAX mail system if you use
the VMSIMAP settings. If you use the OSFIMAP settings, you will view your OSF
UNIX mailbox on grace. (See
Setting Up Outlook Express for details.)
The remote e-mail is stored on an RIT system for access from home or work. It will remain in synch from computer to computer. This happens due to tracking on the remote system of what is read and filed. Your view of locally filed messages, draft notes and contact address books will vary if you move from computer to computer because these files are stored locally on your hard drive. Do not file mail locally or set-up contacts on computers that are not your own. (i.e. public lab computers).
Note on errors and synchronizing accounts: If you receive any error messages about inability to check folders, you will need to synchronize accounts.Click on the osfimap or vmsimap label in the left upper panel. Click the Synchronize Accounts button that appears. Try accessing the mail folder again.
Exercise 3: Replying to Messages
Exercise 4: Forwarding Messages
Extra Tools for Composing and Replying to Messages:
Unsent messages/Drafts: If you complete a message but do not send it, it will remain in your Drafts local folder for you to finish. To access it again. Highlight the drafts folder and double click the message in the directory. Finish it and send.
Importing Text: Click New Mail. Click in the body of the message. Select Insert > Text from File if you have a text file to incorporate into an e-mail message.
Copy and Paste: You can also copy and paste into the message window from a non-text document such as a Word file.
Signature Files: A signature file is a file attached with professional contact information. Select Tools > Options > Signatures Tab > New button. Type appropriate contact information into the text box . Check off the X "Add Signatures to all outgoing messages" if you like.
OR
Attach the signature file to a message by choosing Insert > Signature in the Message Window. (appears when you click the New Mail button.)
Stationery: A drop down menu next to the New Mail button includes several choices of stationery.(i.e. Ivy) It puts pictures behind your message like a web page. It is only viewable by IMAP or POP e-mail programs such as Outlook Express, and Netscape Messenger. It also increases the size of your e-mail message. Text based e-mail programs will see the text of the message and then have an attachment added for the formatting that will not be meaningful to them.
Attaching Files: Click the New Mail button. Click Attach File button to select a file from your hard drive to attach to a message. If the recipient is using an IMAP e-mail client the attachment will be clickable for opening or saving. (The recipient must have the program the file was created in to view it.) If the recipient is using a text based e-mail client, they will have to extract or save the file and ftp it to view it.
Printing Messages: Highlight a message from the directory. Click the Print button or choose File > Print.
(Note: This option is only recommended for home or office computers and may be locked out in labs because it is stored locally.)
- Double click a message.
- In the menu that appears as part of the message window, select Tools > Add Sender to Address Book.
Exercise 7: Creating new contacts or new groups in the Address Book
- Choose Tools > Address Book button from the Outlook Express window.
- Click New > New Contact or New Group to create individual addresses or personal distribution lists.
- Fill in appropriate contact information in the fields and create nicknames if you like.
- When sending messages, in the To: line type in the nickname or list name to send to that person or group.
- You can now use the nickname to address messages to this person. You can also create lists in a similar manner.
Exercise 8: Finding RIT e-mail addresses to add to the Address Book
- Click the Find People button in Address Book
- Pick ldap.rit.edu or RIT Directory off the drop-down menu. (Note: RIT Directory was set up in Setting up Outlook Express: RIT Directory LDAP service)
- Type in the name of the RIT student, staff or faculty member you are looking for.
- Click Find Now button.
- A list of all people with that last name will appear.
- Highlight the one you are looking for.
- Click the Add to Address Book button.
Outlook Express Address Book for Office and Home?: To put your address book on your home machine without retyping addresses, you can export the address book at work and import it into Outlook Express at home.
To Export:
To Import Address Book on another computer:
- Select File > Export > Address Book
- Name it addressbk.wab. Save it to a floppy.
- Select File > Import > Text File in Outlook Express
- Browse to the file on your floppy.
- Select the addressbk.wab file and Click Open.
Exercise 10: Creating and Deleting Folders
Note: Hierarchical folders (folders inside of folders) are not recommended for your remote IMAP mailbox. Tools> Messages rules that allow you to filter mail are not supported for IMAP or http in Outlook Express.
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