Setting Up Message Filters with Thunderbird - Lois & Clark Fanfic Message Boards

Anyone out there know how to do this? I've never been able to make it work and had given up, but my main mailbox is getting so crowded these days I really need to filter some blocks of messages out of it to save confusion.

The way I've been trying to do it is using 'Tools/Message filters'. As far as I know I've done everything I should - 'if sender is X, move to Y folder in Local folders'. I've checked and rechecked and can't see anything in the setup of each filter that's wrong.

But every single time the messages land in the Inbox and bypass the filter folder.

Am I using the wrong method? Anyone who has made Thunderbird filter messages like to give me step by step instructions?

Thanks!

LabRat

Are you using a POP3 account, or IMAP? IMAP can be tougher to filter, since all you're doing is viewing a server-side message layout....

Also, do you have the Filter Log on? That might give some useful info.

It's a POP3 account. I didn't have the log enabled, but I've done so now. Hopefully it might give me some answers as to why nothing is being filtered.

Thanks!

LabRat

LabRat,

According to

kb.mozillazine.org/Filters_%28Thunderbird%29

(

sorry, cannot insert hyperlink: contains parentheses; copy and paste address above),

Quote

Important: filters must be set up on a per-account basis, and they likewise operate on a per-account basis. There is not currently any option to create "global filters" that will operate on all your accounts. If you are using the Global Inbox with multiple POP mail accounts, you can create filters for Local Folders but these filters will not be applied automatically to incoming mail. You must run the filters for Local Folders manually. You can, however, create filters for any specific account that uses the Global Inbox, and these account-specific filters will operate automatically on incoming mail.

Maybe the link will give you the information you need to set up the filters correctly. There are many tutorials on that page. Take a look.

See ya,

malu

Thanks, Malu.

Well, I figured it out. Still got no idea what the problem was, but I cancelled all the filters I'd set up and set them up the other way - using 'create filter from message' instead.

I note that these filters were automatically set up in 'blueyonder' rather than 'local folders' as the previous ones had been.

Not sure if that was it, but I can report that the messages are now filtering into the correct boxes.

So, none the wiser really, but just happy it works!

LabRat

Actually, LabRat, the following paragraph says again that filters for Local Folders have to be run manually, and they explain after that how to run filters manually.

In any case, I hope you can figure out the problem.

malu

P.S.: One more thing on that page:

Quote

Automatically filtering for the Global Inbox (Local Folders) is in the works for Thunderbird version 1.5.

LOL. You slipped in while I was changing my post, Malu, having decided there was no point in what I had previously as I'd fixed it.

Yes, I noticed that. But when I clicked on 'run filters' nothing happened. Zip. Just sat there doing nothing.

So, again, no idea what was wrong, but doing it by the different route seems to have worked, despite my having no clue what I was up to.

Thanks again for the help.

LabRat

EDIT: Just editing to add a

after watching some email automatically filter into the right box. Woohoo!