The Battle Against Formatted Email

[Sjohn]

I need help with Outlook ... Does anyone know how to configure it to automatically delete any HTML-formatted emails and autorespond with a "Please Resend That In Plaintext You Complete and Utter Dork" note?

I tried doing this by setting up a Rule based on body contents (using some ubiquitous code that's in every HTML email) but that didn't seem to work ... I think it's ignoring the code portions of incoming mail! Eeek.

[Sjohn]

Woo! I've gotten plenty of email responses to my query (I sent it to my mailing list as well as posting it here) ... almost a perfect 50/50 split between "I don't think it can be done, and for what it's worth I can't get it to work on [names of several other mail programs], either" and "I have no idea, but if you find a way, let me know!"

There have been a few suggestions to try, too, but nothing has borne fruit yet.

Suffice it to say, it's looking bleak. But if I find out anything else worthwhile, I'll summarize and let everybody in on it Ah, well.

[Paul]

I don't think you can set up a barrier against incoming HTML mail.

Have you had a look at the Microsoft knowledge base? There might be something in there which may help you.

Alternatively, you can always email Microsoft Product Support and ask them (getting an answer may be interesting, though... )

------------------
Diagonally parked in a Parallel Dimension...

[Surak]

Utter Dork

Hmm....
Dork?
Am I remembering the word that right?
Hey guys!
What are the meanings of "Dork"?

[Paul]

And another thing...I'm pretty certain that autoresponses have to be set up at the email server end...ie, your ISP. They can probably also block incoming HTML email - but you can bet they'll also want a damned good reason as to why they should...

Surak: Dork means "geek", "loser", "idiot", "wet-head", "numb-nut", "dim-wit"...I think you get the idea.

------------------
Diagonally parked in a Parallel Dimension...

[This message has been edited by Paul (edited 02-01-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Paul (edited 02-01-2001).]

[Imagus]

Originally posted by Paul:
Surak: Dork means "geek", "loser", "idiot", "wet-head", "numb-nut", "dim-wit"...I think you get the idea.
[/B]

It's also part of the name of IMHO a particularly cool gamer's comic "Dork Tower" - check it out at http://www.kovalic.com/dork. For those of you in the know, I think I know an Igor...


------------------
Slartibart-Jon

[Cpt. Lundgren]

The Outlook express is most likely a lost cause. But if you are using Outlook, there is still a possibility. I know that you set up the autoresponse from Outlook, but it could be, as Paul mentioned, that the information is stored on the mailserver. And the only mailserver that Outlook would be able to configure in that fashion would be an Exchange server (not likely that you have that kind of connection anyway).

But a question to figure this part out. Have you been able to set up a response filter for a normal word? For example a name? I don't currently have access to to an Outlook client, so I cant't test it myself.

------------------
"A penny for my thought. A dollar for my silence."

[Surak]

Ok,I remembered it almost right.Anyway, I get the idea.

[Sjohn]

But a question to figure this part out. Have you been able to set up a response filter for a normal word?

Yes, it handles auto-responses just fine for keywords in body text. The problem is that it refuses to consider keywords outside the body of the message (ie - the HTML coding).

And AMEN to the glory of Dork Tower

[Cpt. Lundgren]

Why does this sounds like Microsoft. In the pure sense of email, the HTML encoding is in the body. But it might be that they have a filter to remove all of the HTML tags, before sending it to the rule filter that you can set up. There is actually a few cases when this make sense.

I might install it and test it myself in the next few days. If I got the time that is...

------------------
"A penny for my thought. A dollar for my silence."