"Invisible" Entourage 2008 rules

[barbster]

Hello --

I am a new Mac user (although have been using and working with computers for about 40 years). I bought a Macbook Pro but had to return it because it had a defective heat sink. So I have spent the last couple of days reinstalling SW etc. (I tried using Migration Assistant - what a joke!)

I copied my work Entourage identity from my old computer onto my new one. It seems to be working fine - too well, actually! It looks like all my rules are being followed, but they don't show up on the Rules lists. So I can't edit them, enable or disable them, etc. I know they are working because mail is getting moved to folders based on criteria I set up earlier.

Is there any way to get the rules to show up on the list? Or should I just delete the Rules file and start over? (These aren't mailing list rules, which I just discovered, but regular rules.)

The account is on an Exchange server, if that's relevant.

Thanks -- Barbara

 

[occamsrazor]

See this thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/748556/

The rules are on the server, not in Entourage, and you can't edit them from Entourage. It sucks.
Are you sure the rules were created from your old version of Entourage? You say you're a new Mac user, are you sure the rules weren't created by Outlook on PC?.

 

[barbster]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I looked for the rules on the server (using the webmail client) but didn't find them. According to the thread you linked to, Entourage creates only client-side rules anyway, not server rules.

I'm sure they're new, because they move msgs into folders I just created in Entourage. None of my old rules from Outlook seem to be enabled, just the Entourage ones.

More ideas?

thx --b

 

[nadyne]

There are no invisible rules in Entourage.

It sounds like you originally created rules in Outlook, and now they're being run automatically on Exchange. Since Entourage will show all of your Exchange folders, everything's still operating normally.

If you want to edit or disable your Exchange server-side rules, you'll need to go back to Outlook to do it. You can also use Outlook Web Access in Internet Explorer (not on your Mac) to do it.

Regards,
Nadyne.

 

[MisterMe]

...

Is there any way to get the rules to show up on the list? Or should I just delete the Rules file and start over? ...

The account is on an Exchange server, if that's relevant.

Thanks -- Barbara

It might be helpful to explain the nature of your rules. Let me tell you about my experience with Entourage 2004 and my firm's Exchange server. I made the mistake of enabling Entourage 2004's junk mail filter. Compared to Mail's junk mail filter, the Entourage 2004 filter is both stupid and suffers the delusion that it is infallible. It concealed flagged messages from the recipient. When I checked my account via Outlook Web Access, I discovered several critical messages that had been concealed from me. Entourage 2004 had erroneously flagged them as spam. I tried to disable the spam filter. It appeared to be disabled, but Entourage 2004 continued to hide critical messages. Entourage's stupid delusional spam filter was now also immortal.

I "solved the problem" by deleting my Exchange account settings in Entourage 2004 and then recreating them. This time, I did not enable any filtering or established any rules. When I upgraded to Office 2008 including Entourage 2008, I continued to use Entourage in its simplest configuration. Once burned, twice shy.

Create a new account in Entourage without rules to see if this fixes your problem.

 

[barbster]

OK after re-reading the linked thread, I think I finally get it! Thanks.

It does look like the only way to see or edit the rules is using IE on a PC. I will indeed send feedback about what appears to be a major drawback of Entourage.

Thanks -- Barbara