Getting Started with Mail

Opening Your Inbox

To get your email messages:

Choosing How You View the Messenger Window

You can customize the way you view the Messenger window (the window you see when you choose Messenger from the Communicator menu). From the Messenger window, choose Show from the View menu to display or hide:

Additional window settings are available from the Window Settings Preferences Panel.

Choosing Between IMAP and POP3 Mail Servers

Netscape Messenger can work with two types of servers: IMAP and POP3. If your Internet Service provider supports both, these descriptions may help you choose which one to use:

Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP)

Advantages: Your messages and any changes to them stay on your server, saving local disk space. Also, you always have access to an updated mailbox, and you can get your mail from multiple locations. Performance on a modem is faster, since you initially download message headers only, and you can synchronize specific mail folders for offline use.

Disadvantages: Not all ISPs support IMAP.

Post Office Protocol (POP3)

Advantages: Your messages are downloaded to your local computer all at once, thereby making offline reading easier. You can specify whether to keep copies of the messages on the server. Most ISPs currently support POP3.

Disadvantages: You must synchronize your local inbox with your server's mailbox. This can result in downloading new messages over and over each time you connect. If you use more than one computer, messages might reside on one or the other, but not both. POP3 doesn't work as well as IMAP over a slow link connection. Also, you can't access all mail folders from multiple locations.

Note: You can have multiple IMAP servers or one POP3 server, but not both types.

You can check or change the server type through the Mail Server Property Panel .

Using the Mail & Newsgroups Setup Program

If you have just installed Messenger or have yet to set your preferences for sending and receiving mail, you will be prompted to use the Mail & Newsgroups setup program (Windows and Mac OS only) when you first open your Inbox.

The setup program asks you to provide settings for required preferences. If you do not know a setting, you must exit the program and consult your Internet service provider (ISP) or help desk. You can always change these settings later by choosing Preferences from the Edit menu and selecting the Mail & Newsgroup Preferences category.

To use the Mail & Newsgroups setup program:

  1. Be sure to type the following information exactly as it's given to you. Match uppercase and lowercase characters. Click Forward or Back to move through the panels. To cancel your changes click the window's close box.

  2. Click OK.

Reading Messages

New Mail Notification

The Inbox icon on the component bar notifies you when you have new messages. Netscape Messenger checks your server periodically using the settings in the Mail Servers Preferences panel. After Messenger finds new messages, the Inbox icon displays a green arrow. A yellow arrow indicates that Messenger has not checked for messages yet (generally when you first launch Communicator).

You can also set Messenger to play a sound when it receives new messages (Windows and Mac OS only).

Getting Messages

Messenger automatically downloads new messages to your Inbox if you've set it to check for messages at timed intervals, but you can retrieve them manually at any time.

To get new messages, do one of the following:

Sorting and Threading Messages

To sort messages by subject, sender, date, or priority:

To sort messages in ascending or descending order:

To sort messages in thread order:

To group messages by threading:

Saving and Printing Messages

You can save or print any message from a window in which you see it displayed, including messages composed in the HTML composition window. On Windows, you can print multiple messages at a time.

To save a message as a plain-text or HTML file:

You can also save a message as a template or a draft.

To print a displayed message:

To set up the page layout for printing:

To preview how the page will look:

Sending Messages

Composing Mail and Newsgroup Messages

To open a composition window to address, compose, and send a new message or reply:

Using the Message Composition Window

Use the message composition window to address, compose, and send email and newsgroup messages. First specify whether you want to compose messages in plain text or HTML in the Formatting Preferences Panel of the Mail & Newsgroups Preferences dialog box (choose Preferences from the Edit menu). The message composition window contains the following:

Addressing a Message

To address an email message:

  1. Type the name in the address field.

    2. If you have Pinpoint Addressing enabled (in the Addressing Preferences Panel), type the first few letters of the recipient's name and wait for Messenger to complete the address. Or you can type the name and immediately press Enter to have Messenger try to complete the address.

  2. If multiple addresses are found, press Enter, select the address you want, and click OK.

    3. Note: Use a comma to separate multiple addresses in the same field. Do not use a comma to separate first or last names.

  3. If necessary, click "To:" to choose a different recipient type.
    4. To Primary recipients of your message.
    CC Carbon copy, for secondary recipients.
    BCC Blind carbon copy, for secondary recipients not identified to the other recipients, including those in the cc list.
    Group Posting to a newsgroup.
    Reply To The email address to be used if the recipient uses the Reply-To button
    Followup To Redirecting a newsgroup posting, so that subsequent threads go directly to the redirected newsgroup instead of the original newsgroup.

Tip: You can quickly address a message by dragging and dropping (or copying and pasting) an email address into the address field.

About Pinpoint Addressing

Using Pinpoint Addressing (autocompletion), you can easily address mail from the message composition window without having to search for names or type complete names. Messenger automatically checks the address book/directory you've specified and completes the name if it finds a unique match. Messenger also prevents mistakes by showing all possible choices with additional information if it finds multiple matches.

To set up addressing options:

You can always turn Pinpoint Addressing off when you are in an address field by choosing Do Not Complete Address from the Edit menu of a message composition window.

Selecting Message Sending Options

To use any of several sending options for the current message:

  1. Click Options.

  2. Select any of the following options:

  3. Click Send when you are finished.

Replying to a Message

To reply to a message:

To automatically include the text of a message to which you are replying:

To automatically include the original message each time you reply:

Forwarding a Message

When you forward a message, you can specify how to place new text relative to the original text: inline, as an attachment, or quoted.

To forward a message:

To set the default for forwarding:

Saving and Re-using a Message Draft

To save an email message as a draft:

To retrieve a message draft:

Creating or Using a Message Template

Templates are useful for formatting messages that you send regularly, such as weekly status reports. You can save a message as a template from any window in which it is displayed, including a message composition window.

To save a message as a template:

To edit or use a message template:

  1. In the Messenger window, select the Templates folder.

  2. Double-click the template you want.

  3. Edit the message, then save it or send it.

Using the HTML Mail Question Dialog Box

The HTML Mail Question dialog box appears when you try to send a message to someone who does not want to receive HTML messages or when Messenger cannot determine whether your recipient can display HTML messages. If you are in doubt, send a plain-text message.

Click Recipients to set the HTML preference for each recipient in your message.

Using the Recipients Panel

Use the Recipients panel to specify whether a recipient prefers HTML messages. Click Add and Remove to switch recipients from one column to another.

Once you set a recipient's HTML preference, you won't see the HTML Mail Question dialog box again unless Messenger is uncertain about any of your recipients' HTML preferences.

Using Your Palm Pilot with Messenger (Windows Only)

You can now send mail from a Palm Pilot via Messenger, and synchronize calendar and address book entries between your Palm Pilot and Messenger.

For more information, see the Palm Pilot read-me files. They are contained in the Palm Pilot folder installed in the Communicator program window.

Using Attachments

Attaching a File, Web Page, or Personal Card

To attach a file to an outgoing email message:

  1. In the message composition window, click and hold Attach and then choose File.

  2. Select the file you want to attach and click Open.

    3. The file appears in the attachments list.

To attach a web page to an outgoing email message:

  1. In the composition window, click and hold Attach and choose Web Page.

  2. In the dialog box that appears, select the file you want to attach and click Open.

  3. Click OK. (On Mac OS or Unix, click Attach.)

    4. The icon and title of the web page you have attached appear in the attachments list.

To attach your personal card (also called a vCard) to an outgoing email message:

Viewing and Opening Attachments

To view image and web page attachments inline (displayed in the body of the message):

To view image and web page attachments as links:

Note: If you use IMAP mail servers, and you select "View Attachments as Links," all attachments remain on the server until you download or open the attachment (click the link).

To view attachments as icons:

To open an attachment's link or icon:

Image and web page attachments open in a Navigator window. When you open a file attachment, Messenger asks you to choose whether to open the attachment in its native application (such as a word-processing program) or save the attachment to your computer.

Saving Attachments

How you save a received email attachment depends on its type.

To save an inline image attachment:

  1. Right-click the image. (On Mac OS, press and hold the mouse button.)

  2. From the pop-up menu, choose Save Image As.

  3. Type a filename and choose a file type. Then specify where to save the file.

  4. Click Save.

To save an attachment that appears as a link:

  1. Right-click the attachment's link. (On Mac OS, click the attachment's link and press the mouse button.)

  2. From the pop-up menu, choose Save Link As.

  3. Type a filename and choose a file type. Then specify where to save the file.

  4. Click Save.

To save an attached web page:

  1. From the View menu, choose View Attachments As Links.

  2. Right-click the link. (On Mac OS, click the link and press the mouse button.)

  3. From the pop-up menu, choose Save Link As.

  4. Type a filename and choose a file type. Then specify where to save the file.

  5. Click Save.

Deleting Messages

How you delete messages depends on your mail server type: IMAP or POP3. Deleted POP3 messages are automatically moved to the Trash folder. IMAP users can set different options for deleting messages.

To delete IMAP messages from your Inbox or other folders (default):

To set deletion preferences for IMAP messages:

  1. Choose Preferences from the Edit menu, and then choose Mail Servers from the Mail & Newsgroups category.

  2. Click Edit and then the IMAP tab.

  3. Select the options you want and click OK.

Moving Messages to and from the Trash

If you use POP3 to deliver your mail, or if you set up IMAP to use the Trash folder, follow these steps to delete messages from your Inbox or other folders:

To delete messages permanently:

To recover messages from the Trash:

Using an Address Book

Creating an Address Book

Create an address book to store and maintain information about individuals and to create mailing lists. Messenger provides a default personal address book, but you can create additional ones.

To create a new address book:

  1. Click the Address Book icon, second from the right, on the component bar.

  2. In the Address Book window, choose New. Then open the File menu and choose Address Book.

  3. Type the name of the new address book, and click OK.

Adding a Name to Your Address Book

An address book entry, or card, stores names, postal addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, and other information, such as whether the recipient prefers plain-text or HTML-formatted messages. You can create cards for individuals, or create a personal card for yourself (also called a vCard) that you can attach to your outgoing mail messages.

To create a card for yourself:

  1. Open the Edit menu and choose Preferences.

  2. Open the Mail & Newsgroups category and then choose Identity.

  3. In the Identity Preferences Panel, click Edit Card.

    4. Use the items in the New Card dialog box to enter information about yourself.

To create an address book card for an individual:

  1. Click the Address Book icon on the component bar.

  2. Click New Card in the Address Book window.

  3. In the New Card dialog box, type information about the individual. Also include

  4. Click the Contact tab to enter additional information such as street address, phone number, and URL. Click the Notes tab to enter any comments.

  5. Click OK.

To view or edit an individual's card:

Tip: You can quickly add entries to your address book by clicking any email address in messages you receive. The New Card dialog box appears, and you can enter additional information.

Adding Notes to an Address Card

Use the Notes panel of the New Card dialog box to add any comments or notes for an addressee:

  1. In the Address Book window, double-click the name of the card.

  2. Make any changes you want.

  3. Click OK.

Adding Contact Information to An Address Card

Use the Contact panel of the New Card dialog box to add information about an addressee, such as the company name, title, postal address, phone numbers, and URL:

  1. In the Address Book window, double-click the name of the card.

  2. Make any changes you want.

  3. Click OK.

Adding Netscape Conference Information

Use the Conference panel of the New Card dialog box to enter or edit the Netscape Conference address and server information for an addressee:

  1. In the Address Book window, double-click the name of the card.

  2. Make any changes you want.

  3. Click OK.

Creating a Mailing List

If you regularly send messages to a group of recipients, you can quickly address a message by creating and naming a mailing list.

To create a mailing list and add it to your address book:

  1. In the Address Book window, click New List.

  2. Enter the following information in the Mailing List dialog box:

  3. Drag entries from the Address Book window into the list, or type in addresses.

  4. Click OK.

To remove a member from the list:

Searching an Address Book

To search for names and addresses in a personal address book:

  1. Click the Address Book icon on the component bar.

  2. Select one of the address books listed in the Name column.

  3. Start typing the name of the person you're looking for.

    4. If there's a match, the person's name is selected in the right column.

  4. Double-click the name to display the card for the person, or click New Msg to compose a message to the person.

Looking Up Addresses Through a Directory Service

You can look up the email address of someone who is not in your personal address books. Search for the address in any of the directory servers (also called LDAP servers or address lookup services) available through Messenger.

To search a directory server:

  1. Click the Address Book icon on the component bar.

  2. Select one of the directory servers listed in the Name column.

  3. Type the name of the person you're looking for. You don't need to press Enter.

  4. If you don't know how to spell the name or want to search using additional criteria, leave the name blank and click Search For.

  5. For a basic search, fill in one or more fields in the Basic Search dialog box and click Search. Click Advanced Search to narrow the search further.

To use the Advanced Search dialog box:

  1. Select "Match all items" or "Match one or more."

  2. Click the pop-up menu to select the match criteria.

  3. In the third field, type the information you are going to search for or exclude.

  4. Click More to add criteria. To remove criteria, click Fewer. Click Clear Search to display only the first entry.

  5. Click Search.

Selecting Addresses

Use the items on the Select Addresses dialog box to:

To search an address book or directory server:

  1. Select an address book or directory server listed in the Directory column.
  2. At "Show names containing" enter the name you're looking for. You do not need to press Enter.

    You see the search results in the bottom window.

  3. To perform a more detailed search on a directory server, click Search For.
  4. Click Stop to end the search.

To address a message to names listed in the search results window:

  1. Select the name and then click To, Cc, or Bcc.
  2. Click OK when you've finished selecting names.
  3. You see a message composition window with the selected names in the address field.

To display the address book card or property sheet for a selected name, click Properties.

Importing Address Books and Mail Messages

(Windows and Mac OS only) If you have an older address book from a previous version of Messenger or another program, you can add its entries to your personal address book. When you import another address book and add it to your own, Messenger does not overwrite entries in your address book. It simply adds the new entries.

You can also import address books and mail messages from Eudora and Outlook Express. All together, you can import three types of address book file formats: .csv, tab delimited, or .ldif.

To import messages or address book files:

  1. From the File menu, choose Import.

    2. The Messenger Import Utility appears.

  2. Follow the instructions in the utility to import mail folders and address book files.

Exporting an Address Book

To export an address book:

  1. Click the Address Book icon on the component bar.

  2. If you have more than one address book, select the one you want.

  3. From the File menu, choose Export.

  4. Type a filename for the address book and choose the file type: lidf, .csv, or tab delimited.

  5. Click Save.

Adding or Updating Directory Servers

You can add a directory server or modify the information for a selected server. You can then search the server for addresses.

To add a directory server:

  1. Choose New Directory from the File menu of the Address Book window. To display the Address Book window, click the Address Book icon on the component bar.

    2. You see the Directory Server Property dialog box (Directory Info on Mac OS).

  2. Use the items on the General panel of the Directory Server dialog box to add a new directory service or modify the information for a selected server.

  3. Click OK.

Selecting a Directory for Offline Use

You can download the entries in a directory server to your computer to access them when you work offline, but only if the directory is configured for replication. The directory entries are downloaded as part of the synchronization process, but you can also download them manually.

To select a directory for download:

  1. Choose New Directory from the File menu of the Address Book window. To display the Address Book window, click the Address Book icon on the component bar.

    2. You see the Directory Server Property dialog box (Directory Info on Mac OS).

  2. Click the Offline Settings tab.

  3. Check "Select this directory for download" to add this directory to the list of items to be downloaded when you synchronize.

  4. Click Update Now to duplicate the directory entries onto your computer immediately.

Organizing Your Mail

Creating a Folder

To create a message folder:

  1. Open the File menu and choose New, then Folder.

  2. Type the name of the folder.

    Note: Do not use the backslash character (\) when naming your folder unless you're creating a hierarchy (that is, unless the new folder will contain subfolders).

  3. Click the pop-up menu to choose a folder location and click OK.

Renaming a Folder

To rename an existing folder:

  1. Select the folder you want to rename.

  2. Choose Rename Folder from the File menu.

  3. Enter the new name.

Filing Messages

You can move messages from one folder to another by using either of these methods:

  1. Select the message, click File, and then choose the destination folder.

  2. Drag and drop messages into the desired folder.

    Note: If you drag and drop a message from an IMAP folder to a local folder on your hard drive, a copy of the message is moved.

To copy a message from one folder to another:

  1. Select the message and right-click to display the pop-up menu.

  2. Select Copy and then select the destination folder from the pop-up menu.

Setting Folder Properties

To view or change properties associated with a folder (such as number of messages and download settings) use the Folder Properties dialog box.

To open the Folder Properties dialog box:

  1. Select the folder and choose Folder Properties from the Edit menu (Get Info on Mac OS).

  2. Click the General tab to view information about the folder's contents.

  3. Click the Sharing tab to view information on sharing properties (IMAP only).

  4. Click the Download Options tab to select this folder for downloading (IMAP only).

Using the Folder Properties Sharing Panel

Use this dialog box to view sharing information for the selected folder.

Using the Folder Properties Download Options Panel

In the Folder Properties Download Options panel, check "Select this folder for download" to include it in the list of items that are synchronized for downloading.

Creating Message Filters

You can create and maintain message filters so that Messenger automatically matches criteria you set, including filing messages in a folder when they arrive.

To create a filter that handles incoming messages:

  1. In the Messenger window, choose Message Filters from the Edit menu.

  2. In the Message Filters dialog box, click New.

    3. You see the Filter Rules dialog box, where you enter information necessary to define the filter.

To edit a filter:

To delete a filter:

To turn a filter on or off:

To change the order in which filters are applied:

To log filter activity, which can help to debug filtering:

To display the filter log:

Specifying Settings for Message Filters

Use the Message Filters Rules dialog box to edit or define an action you want a filter to perform, and the type of messages to which you want to apply the action.

  1. Type a name for the filter.

  2. Select the "Match" option you want. Use the pop-up menus to choose filtering criteria and type a keyword to be used in the search.

  3. Click More to add criteria and Fewer to remove them. Then use the filtering action you want.

  4. Click New Folder to create a new mail folder.

  5. Type information about this filter in the Description field.

  6. Click Advanced to enter customized header information.

Searching Through Messages

You can search through messages in any mail folder or newsgroup using search criteria and keywords you enter. Once messages are found, you can open them, file them, or delete them.

To search mail folders or newsgroups for specific messages:

  1. In the Messenger window, open the Edit menu and choose Search Messages.

    2. You see the Search Messages dialog box.

  2. Click the pop-up menu and choose where you want to focus your search.

  3. Select the "Match" option you want. Use the pop-up menus to choose search criteria and type a keyword.

  4. Click More to add criteria and Fewer to remove them.

  5. Click Options to specify whether searches are performed locally or on a server, and whether to search customized headers.

  6. Click Search to begin, or Clear Search to erase your entries.

    7. You see the match results displayed in a list. You can open a message, file it, or delete it.

To go to a message:

To file a message:

To delete a message:

Note: Certain servers allow you to save search results on newsgroup messages as a virtual newsgroup. If your server supports this, the Save As button will be enabled when the search is finished.

Specifying Where to Search for Messages

Use the Options panel of the Search dialog box to specify whether searches are performed on subfolders, your local drive, or a server. If you are working offline, searches are performed only on the folders on your local drive.

Adding and Removing Message Headers

Use the Customize Headers dialog box to add, remove, or edit arbitrary headers supported by your system administration in addition to the ones Messenger provides for filtering messages.

Setting Mail and Newsgroup Preferences

Setting General Mail and Newsgroup Preferences

To set general preferences for mail and news (for example, text display and incoming mail notification):

To customize the display of plain quoted text:

  1. Click the Style pop-up menu and choose a font style.

  2. Click the Size pop-up menu and choose a font size.

  3. Click the Color button to select a text color.

To customize the display of plain-text messages:

To further customize message handling, check these options:

Setting Your Identity Preferences

To set your identity preferences, such as your user name, signature file, and personal address card:

  1. From the Edit menu, choose Preferences. Select Identity from the Mail & Newsgroups Preferences category.

  2. In the Identity Preferences panel, type your name, email, reply-to address, and organization.

  3. To attach a "signature" to your messages, type the absolute path at Signature File. Click Browse to locate your signature file.

  4. Check "Always attach my personal card to messages" to attach your address card (vCard) to all outgoing messages.

  5. Mac OS only: Check "Use Internet Configuration system" if you want Communicator to use preferences already specified in your Internet Configuration system for the identity (name, email, reply-to, organization), signature, and SMTP mail server and user name preferences.

  6. Click OK.

To create a personal card (vCard):

Setting Up Your Mail Servers

To send and receive email, you need to set up your mail servers, and specify whether you're using IMAP or POP3 servers. Note: You can have multiple IMAP servers or one POP3 server, but not both.

To specify or change the servers you use for mail:

  1. From the Edit menu, choose Preferences. Then select Mail Servers from the Mail & Newsgroup category.

  2. At Incoming Mail Server:

To set up an outgoing mail server:

  1. At Outgoing mail (SMTP) server: type the name of your SMTP server, or verify it is correct.

  2. At Outgoing mail server user name: enter your login name as provided by your system administrator or Internet service provider. Do not enter your entire email address.

  3. Choose how often to utilize SSL or TLS technology to access mail servers.

To specify a local mail directory:

Setting General Mail Server Properties

To set general mail server properties:

  1. From the Edit menu, choose Preferences. Open the Mail & Newsgroup category, and then select Mail Servers.

  2. Click Add to display the Mail Server Properties dialog box.

  3. At Server Name, type the name of the mail server.

  4. At Server Type, click the drop-down list and select either IMAP or POP3.

    Note: You can have multiple IMAP servers or one POP3 server, but not both.

  5. At User Name, type the name that identifies you to this server (usually one word).

  6. "Check Remember password" if you don't want to re-enter your password each time you start Messenger. You will be prompted for your password initially.

  7. Select the box at "Check for new mail every ___" and then specify the number of minutes between mail checks. If you do not select this box, new mail will not appear until you click Get Msg or the Inbox icon on the component bar.

  8. Click OK.

Setting POP3 Mail Server Properties

To set POP3 mail server properties:

  1. Open the Mail Server Properties Panel and click the POP tab.

  2. Check "Leave messages on server after retrieval" if you want to leave messages both on the mail server and your computer.

  3. Check "When deleting messages locally..." if you want to leave messages on the server.

  4. Click OK.

Setting IMAP Mail Server Properties

To set properties for an IMAP server:

  1. Open the Mail Server Properties Panel and click the IMAP tab.

  2. Check "Mark new folders for offline download" if you want each new folder you create to be automatically selected for downloading.

  3. Check "Use secure connection (SSL)" if your IMAP server is configured to send and receive encrypted mail. If you are unsure, contact the mail server administrator at your site.

  4. Choose a method for deleting messages:

  5. Check "Cleanup (Expunge) Inbox on Quit" to remove deleted messages from the Inbox when you exit Communicator. Select this if you choose to tag messages.

  6. Check "Empty Trash on Quit" to empty the Trash folder whenever you exit Communicator.

  7. Click OK.

Setting Advanced IMAP Server Properties

To specify advanced properties for an IMAP server:

  1. Open the Mail Server Properties Panel and click the Advanced tab.

  2. Enter the path of your personal directory.

  3. Specify whether you want to view all folders on this directories, or only folders you subscribe to.

  4. Specify whether the server supports folders that contain both subfolders and messages.

  5. Enter the personal and public (shared folder) namespaces for this directory.

  6. Leave the checkbox at "Allow server to override these namespaces" checked if your server supports the NAMESPACE extension.

  7. Click OK.

Note: In most cases, advanced IMAP server properties are supplied by the server automatically. If you are unclear about the settings for this dialog box, consult your system administrator before proceeding.

Identifying Your Newsgroup Servers

To set up your newsgroup servers:

  1. From the Edit menu, choose Preferences. Then select Newsgroup Servers from the Mail & Newsgroups Preferences category.

  2. To add a server, click Add.

  3. Click Set as Default to specify a server as the default.

  4. At Newsgroup folder, enter the path name of a local directory where your newsgroup server can download messages.

    5. PC Example: C:\Program Files\Netscape\Communicator\News

    Unix Example: /usr/people/mozilla/.news

    Note: On Mac OS, you do not need to provide the name of a news directory.

  5. Specify whether to limit the number of messages copied to your local machine when you open a newsgroup.

  6. Click OK.

Note: You can have multiple news servers.

Setting Addressing Preferences

To set preferences for addressing messages:

  1. From the Edit menu, choose Preferences. Then select Addressing from the Mail & Newsgroup Preferences category.

  2. In the dialog box, specify the following information:

  3. Click OK.

To add another directory to the list of available directories, use the Directory Server Property dialog box.

Setting Preferences for Outgoing Messages

To set outgoing message options:

  1. From the Edit menu, choose Preferences. Then select Messages from the Mail & Newsgroup Preferences category.

  2. Specify how you want messages forwarded: inline, quoted, or as an attachment.

  3. If you want to quote text automatically, specify where to place it (Windows and Mac OS only).

  4. Specify word-wrapping for incoming and outgoing messages.

  5. Choose whether to automatically check spelling (Windows and Mac OS only).

  6. Choose whether to send 8-bit character or quoted and printable MIME-compliant messages.

  7. Click OK.

Storing Messages and Sending Automatic Copies

To specify where to store messages and whether to send copies automatically:

  1. From the Edit menu, choose Preferences. Then select Copies and Folders from the Mail & Newsgroup Preferences category.

    2. You see the Copies and Folders Preferences dialog box.

  2. Select where to store copies of your outgoing mail and newsgroup messages. If you don't want to use the default Sent folder, click Choose Folder to specify the folder location.

  3. Select whether you want to send a blind carbon copy (bcc) to yourself or another addressee, and enter the address.

  4. If you don't want to use the default Draft and Template folders for draft and template messages, click Choose Folder to specify the folder location.

  5. Click OK.

Setting Message Formatting Preferences

You can choose between a plain-text or HTML composition window for creating mail messages, and you can specify whether recipients prefer to receive plain-text or HTML formatted messages.

  1. From the Edit menu, choose Preferences. Then select Formatting from the Mail & Newsgroup Preferences category.

  2. Choose whether you want to use HTML editor or the plain-text editor to compose your messages.

  3. When you add a person or address card to your address book, you can specify whether that addressee should always receive messages in HTML formatting. If this information is unknown, choose one of options to specify how messages should be delivered. You can always override these settings through the Options panel of the Composition window.

  4. Click OK.

Confirming That Your Message Was Received

Messenger supports two types of return receipts: delivery receipts and read receipts.

To request return receipts for messages, you must first set preferences indicating the type of receipt you want. At the time you write the message, you must indicate that you want a receipt.

To set preferences for receipts:

  1. From the Edit menu, choose Preferences. Then select Return Receipts from the Mail & Newsgroup Preferences category.

  2. Specify the type of receipt you want: Delivery receipt (DSN), Read receipt (MDN), or both.

  3. Specify whether to store receipt copies in your Inbox or Sent mail folder.

  4. Specify how you want Messenger to handle requests for MDN receipts sent to you: never or only from certain addressees. Click Customize to set options for handling those messages.

  5. Click OK.

To activate the receipt notification for a message:

  1. In the composition window, click Options.

  2. Check the Return Receipt checkbox.

Choosing Window Settings in Messenger

(Windows and Mac OS only) To specify how windows are used for messages, folders, and newsgroups:

  1. From the Edit menu, choose Preferences. Then select Window Settings from the Mail & Newsgroup Preferences category.

  2. Choose the type of three-pane layout to use for the Messenger window (the window you see when you choose Messenger from the Communicator menu).

  3. Choose whether to display messages, folders, and newsgroups in a new window or use the existing window when you click on them.

  4. Choose whether the Messenger or Message Center window opens when you choose Newsgroups from the Communicator menu or click its icon.

  5. Click OK.

Managing Your Disk Space Preferences

Downloading email can consume disk space. You can limit the disk space taken up by email.

  1. Choose Preferences from the Edit menu, open the Mail & Newsgroups category, and then select Disk Space.

  2. To avoid downloading very large messages, click "Do not download any message larger than" and type the maximum size.

  3. To keep message folders compact, click "Automatically compact folders when it will save over" and specify the amount of disk space. When it is possible to save this amount of disk space, message folders will be automatically compacted.

  4. Click OK.

To specify how long discussion messages are kept:

  1. Click one of three buttons under "When it's time to clean up messages" to specify when newsgroup messages should be deleted.

  2. Unless you chose "Keep all messages," type the number of days to keep messages or the number of newest messages to keep.

  3. To delete read messages immediately, click "Keep only unread messages."

  4. (Windows only) To save disk space by retaining only message subject lines, click "Remove message bodies only older than," and type the number of days to keep message bodies.

  5. Click OK.

You can also save disk space by making the disk cache smaller.

Upgrading IMAP from Communicator 4.0 to 4.5

The Subscribing to Folders dialog box appears because you are a previous Communicator 4.0 IMAP mail user who's upgrading to Communicator 4.5. Communicator 4.5 now lets users subscribe to their IMAP folders. You can choose to have Communicator subscribe to all your folders automatically, or you can choose the folders yourself.

If you subscribe to the folders yourself, you will see the Subscribe to Newsgroups/IMAP Folders dialog box, with a list of all your current folders.

April 27, 1999
Copyright © 1994-1998 Netscape Communications Corporation.