Rules -- Avoiding Wizard

[Guest]

I'm using Outlook 2000 on Win XP Home. I'm a beginner. I'd like to
create some rules for incoming email. I find the Rules Wizard is
sometimes less than helpful. For example, I don't see an option for
"OR" -- a rule with a word in the sender's name, address, OR subject
line.

Is there a way to bypass the Wizard and create rules on my own?
Ideally, I'd like to have a single dialog with several drop-down boxes
and blank text-entry fields, and an OK button at the bottom.

All suggestions are welcome.


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(e-mail address removed)

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

You must use the Wizard or the Organize panel. For the OR "rule" you
describe, you'd create three separate rules, one for each condition.

 

[Tony Gravagno]

You must use the Wizard or the Organize panel. For the OR "rule" you
describe, you'd create three separate rules, one for each condition.

That's funny. Sue, you mentioned to me in the OutlookCode forum that
my 125+ rules seemed a bit excessive. When one "or" rule can get
broken into 3 separate rules, it doesn't take too many of those to get
over 100. I'm happy to say that I see very little spam but I do
constantly need to check for false positives.

Anyway, here's another technique for complex rules. This works on
Outlook 2003, not sure about 2000 that our fishy friend has. Create a
simple rule. On a true condition, set a flag. Be sure to not use the
"and stop processing rules" option with these rules. Create other
tests that set the same flag. Create a final rule that says "on any
flag" clear the flag, move the mail (or whatever), and stop processing
rules. If you want an AND condition, set a specific color flag, then
in subsequent rules, check for that flag and your condition - the
result is a logical AND. Be sure to account for failed AND conditions
by clearing specific color flags before you get to your "on any flag"
condition.

Why do this flag thing and not just create multiple rules that all do
the same function on a different condition? Using that technique, if
you want to change, for example, the folder that you move stuff to,
you have to do it in every rule. Using the technique above, you only
have to change one rule for all of your conditions to be affected.

Another option is to buy add-ins for Outlook that do more intelligent
filtering. The Rules Wizard is awful, and it's amazing that Microsoft
keeps tweaking what's there rather than enhancing it in response to
the major usability issues reported all the time. I wrote my own
add-in but then I found Outlook doesn't accurately fire events (sigh).
So if you can code, you'll either need to work your way around this,
or just go buy someone else's tools.

Good luck.
Tony