Outlook filters.txt file

  • Thread starter Thread starter Flo
  • Start date Start date
F

Flo

I understand that Outlook does not really use the
filters.txt file in filtering out junk email - the file is
for informational purposes only so editing it won't make a
difference. My question is - is there any way to really
change/update the criteria that Outlook uses for sorting
out junk email?
 
Flo,

The junk email filter cannot be modified in Outlook. You can add/subtract
email addresses for the junk senders list but you cannot modify the criteria
for the junk filter.

Hope this helps.
 
Not the answer I wanted, but it does help - at least I can
stop trying to figure out a way around the criteria.
Thanks so much for your help!

Flo
-----Original Message-----
Flo,

The junk email filter cannot be modified in Outlook. You can add/subtract
email addresses for the junk senders list but you cannot modify the criteria
for the junk filter.

Hope this helps.

--
Greg Mansius [MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

I understand that Outlook does not really use the
filters.txt file in filtering out junk email - the file is
for informational purposes only so editing it won't make a
difference. My question is - is there any way to really
change/update the criteria that Outlook uses for sorting
out junk email?
Click to expand...


.
Click to expand...
 
Flo,

The junk email filter cannot be modified in Outlook. You can add/subtract
email addresses for the junk senders list but you cannot modify the criteria
for the junk filter.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

What a stupid, wasted feature!

After reading about the FILTER.TXT file, I spent a long time looking
for it and then trying to modify it to suit my requirements.

It has NEVER stopped any real spam. And there is a desired email
newsletter that I receive every three months. Outlook designates as
spam every time, and I cannot get it to stop.

Steven M
 
Steven,

If you want to customize the filter in this way, please try the following:

1. Turn off the Junk e-mail feature completely.
2. Create a new rule using the following criteria:

Apply this rule after the message arrives
suspected to be junk e-mail or from Junk Senders
move it to the Junk E-mail folder
except if <add appropriate exception here to exclude the newsletter>

Hope this helps.
 
After reading about the FILTER.TXT file, I spent a long time looking
1. Turn off the Junk e-mail feature completely.
2. Create a new rule using the following criteria:

Apply this rule after the message arrives
suspected to be junk e-mail or from Junk Senders
move it to the Junk E-mail folder
except if <add appropriate exception here to exclude the newsletter>
Click to expand...

Greg, thanks for the tip. Unfortunately, the Junk E-mail Rule is
already turned off, a long time ago. Outlook *still* diverts the
newsletter as spam. The latest one was less than a week ago.

I can live with it, it's the only thing that Outlook ever identifies
as spam. Fortunately I don't get very much spam, so I don't have to
depend on it for that. And if that changes, I'll change something
else first.

It's just frustrating that there are so many things wrong about the
way Outlook handles suspected junk mail.

MS implemented a very poor approach to spam in this program. The
error was compounded by the lack of information provided to the user,
and by the almost non-existent user controls.

If a software company is going to get into filtering, then they should
do it right. If not, then "do no harm". The spam features in Outlook
2000 fail that test.

(a) They doesn't stop any real spam. I used to get 10-15 a day until
I switched email providers two years ago. I now get 1-2 that slip
through my ISP's filters. Outlook never stopped any, then or now.

(b) It diverts this single piece of legitimate email as spam. It's
the only email that has *ever* been marked as spam. Turning off the
junk mail rule doesn't help.

I once tried adding another rule, to be executed before the Junk
Sender rule, and that didn't work.

(c) It doesn't say why it treats the message as spam. I have never
added any senders to the Junk Mail list and it's empty. Is there
another secret junk senders list?

It's probably something in the list of spam keywords. And MS admits
that the Junk and Adult Content filters are "not 100% accurate".
That's for sure, they're 0% accurate in correctly identifying spam
(100% false negatives) I receive email from hundreds of senders and
this is the only one, so I suppose that it has less than 1 percent
false positives.

(d) So why doesn't the software let us edit the list of keywords? Or
better yet, turn off this feature altogether?

Okay, I'll get off my soapbox. I will point out that even with this
problem, I have been using Outlook 2000 for over three years. Spam is
not really that big a deal, and if I really needed some features
provided by other software, I would have switched already.
 
On my system, the filters.txt file is located in: C:\Program Files\Microsoft
Office\Office. I am still using Office 2000 stuff. The Rules Wizard does
not seem to be able to handle a blank or empty subject box. It does seem to
respond to wild card characters * and ?. The filters.txt file works. You
need to go to Tools>Organize to open the funny hidden window that will allow
you to configure the junk mail handler. No where have I found a reference
to Filters.txt file syntax, but (and a big one it is), studying the provided
file leads me to believe a line ' Subject contains " ' (no space after the
quote) should trigger a message with an empty Subject box for processing as
junk.

A lot of the spam I received is the result of dictionary attacks through the
CC box. If I could make outlook respond to the presents of my address in
that line. Do any of you readers know how?

Online help for outlook is almost useless. MS should be dunked repeatedly
in a septic tank for the lack of information in these to topics.

Alan G
 
I'm using Outlook 2002 and it has no improvements over 2000 as far as spam filters go. Messages from most of my friends, including my mother, are repeatedly marked as spam. I have NO addresses listed in the spam filter - which is turned off, have never been able to find the illusive filters.txt file and am completely frustrated with this un-feature. It's nearly enough to spur me to trying eudora or its counterpart very soon.
 
Launa said:
I'm using Outlook 2002 and it has no improvements over 2000 as far as
spam filters go. Messages from most of my friends, including my
mother, are repeatedly marked as spam.
Click to expand...

How are they marked?
I have NO addresses listed in
the spam filter
Click to expand...

The SPAM filter doesn't work upon addresses. It works upon the contents of
the message.
- which is turned off, have never been able to find
the illusive filters.txt file
Click to expand...

There is no such file. The SPAM filter strings are in a binary format and
they cannot be changed.
 
- which is turned off, have never been able to find
There is no such file. The SPAM filter strings are in a binary format and
they cannot be changed.
Click to expand...

There is such a file, but it's useless....
http://www.slipstick.com/rules/junkmail.htm#builtin

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Author, Google and Other Search Engines (Visual QuickStart Guide)



Join OneNote Tips mailing list: http://www.onenote-tips.net/

Vote for your favorite Outlook and Exchange utilities in the
Slipstick Ratings Raffle at http://www.slipstick.com/contest/
 
Hui Greg
I am well versed with creating rules. I have created many rules but then the junk filter has stopped working. Please explain to me how to create such a rule that you mentioned. maybe it can help:
-- Apply this rule after the message arrives
-- suspected to be junk e-mail or from Junk Senders
-- move it to the Junk E-mail folder
-- except if <add appropriate exception here to exclude the newsletter>

How do i create such a rule???
there is no place for this step/clause of the rule
" suspected to be junk e-mail or from Junk Senders "

Please help.

Bharat.



greg mansius said:
Steven,

If you want to customize the filter in this way, please try the following:

1. Turn off the Junk e-mail feature completely.
2. Create a new rule using the following criteria:

Apply this rule after the message arrives
suspected to be junk e-mail or from Junk Senders
move it to the Junk E-mail folder
except if <add appropriate exception here to exclude the newsletter>

Hope this helps.

--
Greg Mansius [MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.


Steven M (remove cola to reply) said:
What a stupid, wasted feature!

After reading about the FILTER.TXT file, I spent a long time looking
for it and then trying to modify it to suit my requirements.

It has NEVER stopped any real spam. And there is a desired email
newsletter that I receive every three months. Outlook designates as
spam every time, and I cannot get it to stop.

Steven M
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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