Outlook Express Tips And Tricks

1.Here is how to delete a message in Outlook Express without opening the message

This is a common request, due to current fears of e-mail viruses and malicious attachments. Fortunately, it's a simple matter of changing the way you use Outlook Express. Most people like to keep the preview pane visible so they can quickly flip through messages without specifically opening each one. You'll need to give up the preview pane.

Choose Layout from the View menu and remove the check next to the Show preview pane. Now you can click a message header to delete it without opening the message in the preview pane.

You can flip through your messages quickly even without the preview pane. Before going through your messages, review the headers and delete any that you don't want to open. Now double-click the first header to open it. You can move through the messages in the current folder by pressing Ctrl-> and Ctrl-<, or you can move to the next unread message with Ctrl-U.

2.Archive all the Outlook Express mail messages that you don't want to lose

Here is a trick to archive all the Outlook Express mail messages that you don't want to lose.

First, create a new mail message. Put the archive name into the Subject line and then drag all the messages that you want in the archive from the OE Inbox (or whatever folder) to the new mail message. OE will add all the files as attachments and all you have to do now is choose File|Save As, find a folder for the file and click Save.

You can now open the archive message to read any one of the messages, or you can restore them to a folder by simply selecting the attachments and dragging to a folder.

3.Instead of sending the picture as an attachment

Instead of sending the picture as an attachment--in which case, the person has to open the photo separately--insert the photo directly into the message. (First make sure that your recipient can receive HTML messages.) To include a photo directly into a mail message:

1. Click the Compose Message icon on the toolbar. (If you don't see a toolbar of options just below the Subject line, choose Format + Rich Text [html] to make the toolbar appear.)

2. Type the body of your message.

3. Place the cursor wherever you want to insert the picture.

4. Click the Insert Picture button on the toolbar (it looks like a postcard with mountains on it).

5. Click the Browse button and navigate your way to the picture you want to use.

6. Select the picture and then click Open.

7. Click OK.

8. Click the Send button.

4.Use a different font, font size, or font color for your text

1. Click the Compose Message icon on the toolbar. (If you don't see a toolbar of options just below the Subject line, choose Format + Rich Text [html] to make the toolbar appear.)

2. Select a font and font size from the Font and Font Size drop-down lists. (Tip-in-a-tip: If you're not sure which buttons these are, hold your mouse pointer over each button to see its name.)

3. Click the Font Color button and select the color you want.

4. Type your message.

5. Click the Send button to fire your message off.

5.Here is how to add a separator (a dividing line) to a message

1. Click the Compose Message icon on the toolbar. (If you don't see a toolbar of options just below the Subject line, choose Format + Rich Text [html] to make the toolbar appear.)

2. Type the text of your message.

3. Place the cursor where you want the separator to appear and then click the Insert Horizontal Line button (it has--of all things--a horizontal line on it).

4. Click the Send button.

6.With html mail you can use special formatting options to separate important points in your message

Here's how to organize items into a numbered or bulleted list:

1. Click the Compose Message icon on the toolbar. (If you don't see a toolbar of options just below the Subject line, choose Format + Rich Text [html] to make the toolbar appear.)

2. Type the body of your message, including your list.

3. Select the items you want to transform to a numbered or bulleted list.

4. Click the Formatting Numbers button or the Formatting Bullets button. (Tip-in-a-tip: To undo the change, click the same button again or click the Undo button at the top of the New Message window.)

5. Click the Send button.

Alternatively (or additionally), you can click the Increase Indentation button to set the selected text off from the rest of your message.

7.Here Are Some Keyboard Shortcuts in Outlook Express

To get to the Inbox, press Ctrl-I.

To open a selected message, press Ctrl-O.

To create a new message, press Ctrl-N.

To print the selected message, press Ctrl-P.

To delete a selected message, press Ctrl-D or Delete.

To reply to a selected message, press Ctrl-R.

To forward a selected message, press Ctrl-F.

To open the Go To Folder dialog box, press Ctrl-Y.

To change your layout to display the folder list, press Ctrl-L.

To check your mail, press Ctrl-M.

8.Outlook Express can use Microsoft's NetMeeting software for collaborative Internet conference calls

All the people in the meeting can see what others are typing, as well as some of the program information. They can also hear the other's voices. When you first want to use this feature, you have to configure NetMeeting:

1. Open the Address Book.

2. Choose Tools + Internet Call (or in Outlook, choose Tools + Place a NetMeeting Call).

3. In the Microsoft NetMeeting dialog box, click Next to stick with the default meeting server (the remote computer that keeps track of who is online to join meetings).

4. Enter your own information--such as name and address (you only need to enter the very basics) and click Next.

5. Select a use category for your information on the directory--personal, business, or adults-only (personal is fine for most of us)--and click Next.

6. Specify your modem speed and click Next.

7. In the Audio Tuning Wizard dialog box, click Next to set up your sound hardware. You need earphones (or speakers) and a microphone plugged in. (Note: You have to re-tune this if someone else wants to use your PC for a NetMeeting.)

8. Click finish and NetMeeting launches.

9.Here is How to Show Pictures in the Message

To tell Outlook Express to display attached pictures in your messages, run the program and choose Tools, Options. When the Options dialog box opens, click the Read tab. Select the check box labeled "Automatically show picture attachments in messages" and then click OK to close the dialog box and apply your new selection. From this point on, all attached pictures appear in the body of a message.

10.Animated Mail With Outlook Express and FrontPage Express

If you use Outlook Express and have FrontPage Express loaded, there's nothing to stop you from creating animated stationery. Locate (or make) an animated GIF that you'd like to use. Now run FrontPage Express and choose Insert, Image. When the Image dialog box opens, click Browse and then locate and double-click the animated GIF that you want to use. You can now do whatever you want in the way of a background or other images. When you're happy with the page, choose File, Save As. This will open the Save As dialog box. Click As File and give the file a name. Now go to Program Files\\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Stationery and click Save. To see how your new animated stationery looks, run Outlook Express and choose Compose, New Message Using, More Stationery. In the Open dialog box, click the file you just saved and then click Open.

11.Saving Only the Attachment From an Email or Newsgroup

When an email or newsgroup postings arrive with an attachment--a file traveling along with the main message--you can choose to save those attachments to your hard drive.

1. Click on the paperclip icon that comes with the email or posting.

2. From the pop-up menu, choose Save Attachments.

3. In the Save dialog box, choose a location on disk for saving the attachment.

4. Click on OK.

12.Keep Outlook Express's spell checker up and running

Ever receive an e-mail loaded with typos? Somehow, a mistake-riddled e-mail just doesn't make the best impression. To be sure that you make a good impression, even when you don't have time to look a message over, keep Outlook Express's spell checker up and running

Choose Tools + Options.

Click the Spelling tab.

Select Always Check Spelling Before Sending.

Click OK.

When you click Send, the spell checker kicks in and stops at the first misspelling (if any). Select one of the offered suggestions or type a correction on the Change To line and then click Change. Or click Ignore to skip over a "misspelling."

13.Use the Inbox Assistant to keep those unwanted messages from ever making it into your Inbox

Do you receive a lot of junk mail from a certain address? Does a certain someone continually pester you with e-mail? Use the Inbox Assistant to keep these messages from ever making it into your Inbox. This "bouncer" deletes any messages you receive from a certain address before they're downloaded from the server.

Choose Tools > Inbox Assistant.

In the Inbox Assistant dialog box, click the Add button to open the Properties dialog box.

In the From text box, type the offending address. At the very bottom of the dialog box, select Delete Off Server.

Click OK. The new rule appears in the Description box.

Click OK again to close the Inbox Assistant. You can turn this rule off temporarily by deselecting its check box. To remove it altogether, select it and click the Remove button.

14.If you do a lot of traveling, why not export your Address Book to a text file

This way, you can carry the Address Book information on a single floppy disk and not have to worry about being able to read it--everyone has Notepad.. Here's how to do it:

Put a blank formatted floppy disk into Drive A. Now, open the Address Book (select Go > Address Book) and choose File > Export > Address Book. When the Export dialog box opens, select Text File (Comma Separated Values). Click Export and then name the file (A:\address.txt will do). Click Next and select the fields you want to export. After you've made all of your selections, click Finish. Back at the original dialog box, click Close to save your changes and close the dialog box. And don't forget to take that floppy disk with you on your next trip.

How to print out a hard copy of phone numbers from address book:

1. Click the Address Book button (or press Ctrl + Shift + B).

2. Choose File + Print.

3. Under Print range, select All.

4. Under Print Style, select Phone List.

5. Click OK.

The result is an alphabetized list of all your contacts, complete with home and business numbers (including faxes, pagers, and cellular numbers).

15.Back Up Your Address Book in Outlook Expres

The Address Book isn't in the same location on all computers--its location depends on where you chose to put it the first time you ran Microsoft Mail. The default location for the file is \\Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book. But many people click on some other folder during installation. To locate the Address Book, start > find > files or folders. Now search Drive C and its subfolders for *.wab. Once you've located the file, put a blank formatted floppy disk into Drive A and then right click the Address Book's icon (in Find). Now, choose Send To > 3-1/2 Floppy A. This will copy the file to a floppy in Drive A. You have just backed up your Address Book.

16.Adding a name to your Address book

This is simple! All you have to do is double-click the message you received from someone to open it and then right click on the sender's address (From). Now choose Add to Address Book. Once the address is added, you may want to edit the name. To do this, choose File, Address Book, select the name, and choose File, Properties. Edit the name and click OK.

17.More Address Book Tips

When you open the Address Book, you see a list of the names you've entered. Most documentation says to click a name you're interested in and then click the Properties button in the toolbar. But, all you have to do to open the Properties dialog box is double-click the name.

Also, if you want to see some details about a group in the Address Book, just move the mouse pointer over the group's icon and wait a few seconds. A tool tip will open showing you the names of the people entered in the group

18.You can set Outlook Express to check your e-mail for you at the interval of your choice.

Choose Tools + Options to open the Options dialog box.

On the General tab, select Check for New Messages Every __ Minutes. Use the up or down arrow (or simply type in the numbers) to adjust the number of minutes.

Click OK.

As long as Outlook Express is running, it automatically checks your mail for you and sends anything in your Outbox, so make sure anything you put in there is ready to go out.

If you prefer to check your mail manually, deselect this option and then use the Send and Receive button or the Tools + Send and Receive command when you're ready.

19.Have Outlook Express start when the computer starts

Run Outlook Express and choose Tools, Options. When the Options dialog box opens, click the General tab. Now select the check box labeled "Check for new messages every" and set the time to whatever you need--15 minutes, 30 minutes, and so forth.

Click the Dial Up tab now and select the check box labeled "Hang up when finished sending, receiving, or downloading". Now click OK to close the dialog box and continue.

To set up your Outlook Express to run automatically, right-click Start and choose Open. Double-click Programs, then double-click StartUp. Now use the right mouse button to drag the Outlook Express icon to StartUp. When the menu opens, choose Copy Here.

Next, right-click the Outlook Express in StartUp and choose Properties. When the Properties dialog box opens, click the Shortcut tab. Next, click the arrow at the right side of the Run list box and select Minimized. Click OK to close the dialog box and apply your changes.

The next time you start your computer, Outlook Express opens minimized and checks your mail at the selected time interval.

After you read your mail, click the Minimize button in the upper right corner of the Outlook Express window (its icon is a dash). Keep in mind that if you close Outlook Express, it can't check your mail.

20.Forwarding A Group Of Messages

Switch to the folder containing the messages you'd like to forward.

Hold down Ctrl as you click each message.

Right click any message in the selection and select Forward.

A New Message window appears with the messages attached (you can see them across the bottom of the window). Now just complete the message and send it off.