Rules not clearing the message flag

[d d]

Hi,

I'm using Outlook 2003 (11.8010.8036) SP2 on XPsp2. It's
often getting updates so I'm pretty sure it's fully updated. I use it
to get my mails via POP from my employer's exchange server.

My problem is that I get some auto-generated emails and want
to move them into a special folder via a rule.

I've successfully created a rule to do this. It moves them into the
folder and marks them as read, but the message flag (the envelope
in the systray) remains present. I can't manage to make that clear
no matter what I do in the rule. It means I have to go into the folder
and open the emails (that are already marked read) to make the
envelope go away.

It's not a huge problem obviously, but it means I can't rely on that
systray envelope to know that I've got some "real" emails that need
reading.

Here's how the rule looks (it's the only rule I have):

Apply this rule after the message arrives from <emailaddress> and
on this machine only
clear the Message Flag
and move it to the automated foolder
and mark it as read
except if the subject or body contains re:
stop processing more rules.

~dd

 

[Brian Tillman]

I'm using Outlook 2003 (11.8010.8036) SP2 on XPsp2. It's
often getting updates so I'm pretty sure it's fully updated. I use it
to get my mails via POP from my employer's exchange server.

I'm curious why you're using POP. You get none of the Exchange advantages
that way.

My problem is that I get some auto-generated emails and want
to move them into a special folder via a rule.

I've successfully created a rule to do this. It moves them into the
folder and marks them as read, but the message flag (the envelope
in the systray) remains present. I can't manage to make that clear
no matter what I do in the rule. It means I have to go into the folder
and open the emails (that are already marked read) to make the
envelope go away.

Well, in Outlook 2003 SP2, rules that move messages SHOULD be moving them
prior to Outlook posting the notification area icon. That change was
introduced in SP2, I thought. Prior to that, the action to display the new
mail icon occurred prior to the rules being processed. It could be that
there are conditions where the older behavior still occurs. You do not have
to read any of the moved messages. Open any message in your inbox to close
the unread mail icon.

I don't think the "clear the Message Flag" action refers to the unread mail
icon. I believe it refers to the follow-up flags you can add to a message.

 

[d d]

I'm curious why you're using POP. You get none of the Exchange
advantages that way.

I'm working at home and I think I'd need to be VPN'ed into my works
network to get mail via IMAP. I'm not sure about that though. I've
been getting on perfectly fine with POP. Whatever those advantages
are, I don't know about them and I'm not missing them I get my
meeting requests just fine, OK nobody at work can use my calendar
to schedule them but I'm always available anyway I also don't get
to use the global address book, but I manage with my own contacts
list

Well, in Outlook 2003 SP2, rules that move messages SHOULD be moving
them prior to Outlook posting the notification area icon. That change was
introduced in SP2, I thought. Prior to that, the action to display the
new mail icon occurred prior to the rules being processed. It could be
that there are conditions where the older behavior still occurs. You do
not have to read any of the moved messages. Open any message in your
inbox to close the unread mail icon.

Well, like I said, it's not a huge problem. I just thought there might be
a really obvious thing I'm not doing in my rules.

I don't think the "clear the Message Flag" action refers to the unread
mail icon. I believe it refers to the follow-up flags you can add to a
message.

What I really need is a "clear systray notification envelope" Or the
ability
to add a custom action that does that. I'm not sure if custom actions have
the power to do such things. I'm not going to put a lot of effort into
finding
out though - this is as much effort as this very minor niggle deserves

Thanks !!

~dd