On or near 10/4/02 10:18 AM, Dan Frakes at [EMAIL PROTECTED] observed: > On 10/4/02 7:26 AM, "Allen Watson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> Just a thought: If you want a script for moving messages marked as Junk into >> your Junk folder, one you can run from the Script menu or with a shortcut, >> this will certainly do it. However, you can accomplish the exact same thing >> with a rule that runs against incoming messages. Since the Junk Mail Filter >> runs before rules, all junk it has found will be marked as junk by this >> time, so you could set a rule that runs first. The rule's criterion would >> be, "is junk", and the actions would be to set status to read and to move >> the message to the Junk folder. > > Allen, I think the reason he wanted such a script is that there are lots of > messages that the Entourage Junk Mail Filter doesn't catch. The script he > posted (which is one that I use, as well) allows him to select a bunch of > messages in the InBox and move them to a "SPAM" folder. > Yeah, but as I said earlier:
If you have additional rules that mark messages as junk, as I do, you could put the "Move junk to junk" rule after those rules. It's easy to set up rule with added spam criteria. Several folks have posted a number of suggestions for such rules. Generally, it's possible to set up rules that catch <almost> all spam and mark it as junk before you ever see it. (I'll append a set of suggestions below.) Then, the rule that selects all junk, marks it read, and moves it to the Junk folder, follows those rules, so you rarely see spam in the In box. > I do this to save up SPAM and then later run a "Report SPAM" script that > forwards them all to the federal and state anti-SPAM addresses. > For the few spam messages that slip into the In Box, you can still use "Apply Rules" to apply the "Move Junk" rule to them; just mark them as Junk first. You can do that by a script, but if you have a script for that you may as well have the script mark it read and move it as well. But "Junk" is really nothing more than a category, which Entourage gives special treatment. Try this: Select a message (or several) you want to treat as junk. Type "Cmd-," (command comma); the "assign categories" window opens. Type "j". The "junk" category will (probably) be selected; if not, typing more letters will select it. Type space; the category is checked. Type Return; the window closes. Look at the message's icon at left; you'll see the special "junk" icon. Control-click to get contextual menu; select Apply Rules, and then select your "Junk Mail" rule that marks it read and moves it. Now, that may sound like a lot. But typing,"Cmd-,", "j","space","return" can be done in a smooth motion without waiting. The contextual menu isn't bad unless you have dozens of rules. Even then, applying a rule is way faster than running a script, especially if you have multiple messages. Here's some suggestions for rules to filter junk, culled from other people's mail and some of my own: 1. Add all your important email contacts to your address book if you haven�t already. Or for large lists of customers for example, add their email addresses to a group as to not bog down your address book. You can also set this up to happen automatically (for future legitimate contacts) when you receive a new order for example. [The JMF will never mark mail as junk if its sender is in the Address Book.] 2. Set up a rule (or multiple rules) that automatically files incoming mail from your address book and/or group/s into your in box or any folder you want and set an action to change the status to "not junk mail." [Place this rule <after> any other rules but <before> the "Spam Mail" rule, see below.] 3. Set up a new mail folder called "Junk Mail" and place it anywhere you like, (best if it's easily assessable.) 4. Set up a new rule called �Spam Mail� for example, and put it at the very bottom of your rule list. Create a starter criteria list from sample spam you�ve received, ie. �act now,� free offer,� �gambling,� �make money�, etc. Keep the criteria list set to �if any criteria are met.� Set up an action to change the status to �Junk Mail� and file into the folder named �Junk Mail� you just set up. 5. Test your new rules out on some current messages and make adjustments as necessary. 6. Every time you receive a spam message [one that the rules missed so it landed in your In Box], identify a key word or phrase that undeniably makes it stand out as spam [if you can]. Then open your spam rule and add it to the criteria list. I find it's best to use short phrases that are in the subject heading or body, versus by the from address, which can so easily be changed by spammers. And make sure to select phrases or words in your criteria list that are not common to every day messages you may receive. Messages from people in your address book or group/s will not be caught by the spam filter even if they use phrases that are in the spam filter, if you set up the initial �address book/group� rule/s above, and put your junk mail rule at the very bottom of your rule list. Every message that is filtered from other rules you have set up will also not be subject to the spam filter because they will have been processed before they reach the spam rule at the bottom. After doing this procedure for a few weeks now, I�ve been able to successfully filter out 95% or so of all spam to my in box. Any spam mail that does slip through the cracks, I look for a unique element that identifies it as spam ... and then add that to the criteria list of my junk mail rule. Note: You only need to set up one junk mail rule to do this, and you can add virtually unlimited criteria. The one thing that happens though after setting up a dozen or two criteria - it will take a little longer to open up the rule when you want to add new criteria. [You can break it into a few separate rules if you want.] That�s not a big deal though, when you consider all the spam you will be filter automatically. And soon you will not have to this very often as you �tighten up� your spam filtering system by consistently adding new spam criteria when new junk mail arrives. Tip: If you create a category (and color) for your �customer group� for example you will also know right away when you have an important message that needs to be addressed, if any �junk mail� should miss your spam rule and land in your inbox. 6. Lastly, Check your junk mail folder every so often (depending on what your mail habits are), and manually scan it for any good messages that may have been �mistakenly� filtered and drag them to your inbox. Then delete the rest of the email in your junk folder [or report it]. For the "good" mail that got flagged as junk, you may need to set up some additional rule that handles it before it reaches the Spam Mail rule. Perhaps a mailing list manager rule, or perhaps you need to add the contact to your address book, or set up a rule that handles this person's mail. ============ I have nearly the identical setup you describe; the only difference is that I have broken the �junk mail� rule into several rules of a similar kind (�Junk Subjects�, �Junk phrases�, �Junk domains�). Here are some of my suggestions: Junk Subjects (contained in subject field): � � (That is, four sequential blanks. Nearly no legit mail has that; many spammers put a series of blanks with a code number at the end.) �mortgage� Junk Phrases (contained in message body): �discount prices� �work from home� �hardcore� �xxx� various obscenities such as �f--k� �over 18� �earn money� �free!� �stock tip� �future mailings� �financial freedom� �$$� �one-time mailing� �joke-a-day� Junk domains: Joke.com free4all.com I have been amazed at how much of the spam this filters out! -- Microsoft MVP for Entourage/OE/Word (MVPs are volunteers) Allen Watson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Entourage FAQ site: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/> AppleScripts for Outlook Express and Entourage: <http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/Scripts/> Entourage Help Pages: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/> -- To unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> archives: <http://www.mail-archive.com/entourage-talk%40lists.letterrip.com/> old-archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/entourage-talk%40lists.boingo.com/>
