Inconsistent results from rules...

[Guest]

Sometimes on Outlook 2003, it appears as if my rules don't apply to all
messages. (for example, I have a rule that moves e-mail from a specific users
to a specific folder - but I routinely find messages still in my Inbox.)

I was curious if it was related to the action "stop processing more rules".
Does this action only apply to the current message or if specified in a rule
does it stop processing of rules for any remaining messages in the Inbox
folder.

The rules are all server side rules; the sender addresses are uniquely used
for sending monitors and status messages to me; most simply move the message
from the Inbox to another folder on the Exchange 2003 server.

 

[CMM]

"Stop Processing" should apply only to the current message.
There are sorts of glitches and plain bugs in the Outlook rules engine. Are
you running in Cached Exchange Mode and over a VPN?

 

[Guest]

I am running in Cached Exchange Mode and sometimes (but not often) over a VPN.

This however does completely answer one-half of my question.

Thanks,
Don

 

[CMM]

Yup. I have noticed some very odd... but very reproducable.. bugs with this
scenerio. If you start Outlook, while *not* connected to Exchange Server
(such as if you start it when Windows starts), client side rules that should
run (for instance on your POP accounts) don't run. I'm sure (though not
positive) that this might affect things server-side (though I'm flummoxed to
see how).

Even if you connect to Exchange (turn on the VPN), rules still refuse to
run. Or sometimes they do... and then stop working when you disconnect.

However, if you start Outlook while VPN is on, your rules will run as
expected (that is, properly) even if you disconnect from the VPN later.

It's retarded. And, has not been addressed! You're going to have to do
Microsoft's QA testing job for them (their QA has SUCKED SEVERELY in the
last 3 years) and pinpoint EXACTLY the scenerio and send them a bug report
(not that they will address it.... there's a mess of downright infuriating
bugs in Outlook 2003 (most dealing with Cached Exchange Mode and also POP)
that they're not bothering with.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Sometimes on Outlook 2003, it appears as if my rules don't apply to
all messages. (for example, I have a rule that moves e-mail from a
specific users to a specific folder - but I routinely find messages
still in my Inbox.)

I was curious if it was related to the action "stop processing more
rules". Does this action only apply to the current message or if
specified in a rule does it stop processing of rules for any
remaining messages in the Inbox folder.

It very well could be related to that action. It tells Outlook that no more
rules should be applied to the message, not that the rest of the messages
shouldn't be processed by that rule. If, for example a rule matches the
conditions on a message and the action moves the message to a folder.
Outlook places a copy in the folder, but leaves one in the Inbox in case
another rule also matches it. With "stop processing", Outlook knows that no
more rules can match and so Outlook finalizes the action and, after moving
the message, deletes the copy in Inbox.