Introduction to Outlook Express
v. 5
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Outlook Express is one of several programs that can make email easier
to use. Outlook Express is the email program that comes with Microsoft
Internet Explorer. With Outlook Express you can view, send, and
receive email on your PC in a Windows environment.
Opening Outlook Express for the First Time in the PC Labs:
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- Log into your PC Lab Account.
- Double click on the Outlook Express icon on the
desktop
- To view the folder list to the left: View —› Layout —›
Basic block, check Folder List
- To view the preview pane: View —› Layout —›
Preview pane block,
check Show preview pane
- Click OK.
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- In the listing of folders, click on the folder, gemini.tntech.edu
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- You will see a dialog box asking if you wish to view a list of available
folders.
- Click Yes.
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- Next, type your username and password for your gemini account.
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Remember that if you are using different passwords for your gemini and PC lab
accounts, you must give your gemini password here.
- You will see your current mail folders on Gemini downloading.
- You can now send and read messages.
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Continuing to Use Outlook Express in the PC Labs
After you have set up Outlook Express the first time:
- Log into your PC Lab Account.
- Double-click on the Outlook Express icon.
- Provide your Gemini password.
- Click OK.
Space Limitations
Remember that your space is limited, both on Gemini and on your PC Lab
Account, so delete old messages often.
To save an important message to a floppy
disk or zip disk.
- Insert the floppy or zip disk.
- Click on a message header to select it.
- From the menu, select File —› Save As
- Browse to locate the floppy or zip drive
- Under Save as type: select a file type that suits you.
You may simply need the content of the message and want to save the message
as a text file (.txt) or you may want to preserve formatting and save it
as an Outlook Express mail file (.eml) or as an HTML file which
you can open to read in any browser. |
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To open Outlook Express:
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- Double click on the Outlook Express icon on your screen,
- or select Start —› Programs
—› Internet (Explorer) —›
Outlook
Express
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A window, similar to the one shown below, will appear.
Note: If you have
previously logged on, it will ask you for your gemini or ttumis password.
- To view the folder list to the left, under the menu select: View —› Layout
—› Basic block, then check the Folder List box.
- To view the preview pane: View —› Layout —› Preview pane block,
then check the Show
preview pane box.
- Click OK.
The Toolbar provides quick access to the email functions you will use most frequently,
such as Compose, Reply, Forward, Delete and others.
To send an email message:
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- Click New Mail on the toolbar. A New Message box will
appear as shown here.
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- Click in the To: box and type the full internet email
address of the receipient(s) of your message, for example:
abc6789@tntech.edu or yourfriend@tntech.edu
- Separate multiple addresses by a comma or a semicolon.
- Do not put “IN%” around your address as you would when using VMS Mail.
- To cancel without sending the message, close by clicking on the close button (x) in the
upper right corner.
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- Click in the Cc: box and type an email address if you want to send a
“carbon copy” to someone.
- Click in the Bcc: box and type an e-mail address, if you wish to send a
“blind carbon copy.” The person receiving your message will
not be able to tell that you have also sent it to the person sent a
"blind carbon copy." These are both optional.
- Click next to Subject: to enter a relevant topic for your message. This
is optional, but it can be helpful to the person receiving your message.
- Compose your message in the large white open area of the dialog box.
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- When you have finished composing your message, click the Send button at
the top left side to deliver the message.
- The New Message box will close and you will return to the main Outlook
Express window.
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It is important to realize that not all individuals are reading email with
the same programs or with the same capabilities. As mentioned above, you may
send your message as plain text or as rich text (HTML).
To set the format for all your outgoing email:
| From the menu, select Tools —› Options —›
Send tab, select Plain Text |
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Alternatively, while composing, you can select the format for a particular
message:
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- Select New Mail.
- From the menu, select Format —› Plain Text
Note this applies only to this particular message.
Remember that if you do want your message to include text formatting, such as
bold or specific fonts, then select Format —› Rich Text (HTML)
and be sure your recipient is using a graphical mail program, such as Outlook
Express or Netscape mail. If your recipient is using a text-only mail
reader, such as VMS mail, your message may look confusing in Rich Text format.
When working in rich text format you can use different font faces, sizes, and
effects such as bold, italics, and text
color for emphasis.
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To read your messages:
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- Click the Inbox icon in the Folder List under
gemini.tntech.edu or in your office under ttumis.tntech.edu (not the
Inbox under Local Folders).
Or from the main menu, select Go —› Inbox.
- Click on the desired message header from the list at the top
to select it.
- The message text is displayed in the pane below. You may
also double-click on the message header to open a new window in
which to read the message.
- To read a message in a different folder, such as Mail, you must first select the appropriate folder in
the Folder List to the left.
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- If you see a paper clip in the message header to the right,
there is an attachment to the message. This is a file associated with the message.
- To read an attachment, select the paper clip —›
filename.
You will need an appropriate program to read the attachment. In the example, it is a Word
document.
Tip: In the Message List you can sort in
ascending or
descending order by clicking in the header for a particular column.
If you want to send a copy of a message to another person:
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- Select a message from your list of message headers.
- Select the Forward button on the toolbar.
- The text of the message will appear again.
- Type in the full email address of the person to whom you wish to forward the message.
- Add any additional comments that you wish.
- Click the Send button to forward the message.
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- You can reply to the sender by clicking the Reply button while a
message is selected.
- If several individuals received the message, you may also click on the button Reply
to All.
- The sender’s name will be listed in the To: box.
- You may send a “carbon copy” of the reply message to other individuals.
- Edit the subject or attach a file if desired (as described in Adding
Attachments).
- The text of the original message is placed in the composition area.
- You may decide to include or delete any part of this text for clarity.
- Add your response to the message.
- Click the Send button to deliver the message to the original sender.
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- Select a message by clicking on it.
- Select File —› Print
- Select your printer and click Print.
- The message, with the message header information, will be printed on the selected
printer.
It is a good idea to delete mail messages for which you no longer have a need. This
reduces the amount of space your mail occupies on either your computer or your server.
Remember that you only have a limited amount of storage space on your mail server
(whether Gemini, TTUMIS, or Eagle).
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- In the list of your messages, select the message which you would like
to delete by clicking on it.
- On the toolbar, click Delete or under the menu select Edit —›
Delete.
- Note that the title of your message is marked with a red X and a line
through the header.
This indicates that it has been marked for deletion. It has not yet been
permanently eliminated.
- To purge deleted messages under IMAP: Edit —› Purge
Deleted Messages or click on the Purge button in the toolbar.
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To restore a message that is marked for deletion, but not yet cleared on
an IMAP server:
- Select a message marked for deletion by clicking on it.
- From the menu, select Edit —› Undelete.
To automatically clear deleted messages each time you exit the program:
- From the menu,
select Tools —› Options
- Click on the Maintenance tab and check Empty messages
from the 'Deleted Items' folder on exit.
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If you don’t want to see the deleted messages which have not yet been purged in
your inbox folder:
- From the menu, select View —› Current
View.
- Click to deselect Show Deleted Messages.
To attach a file or picture to your message:
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- From the menu, select New Mail
- From the menu in your New Mail Window, select Insert —› File Attachment
- Or click on the paper clip Attach button in the Toolbar.
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| In the PC Labs you may need to resize your window, or click on the
arrow at the end of the toolbar to show the additional toolbar buttons. |
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- Browse to find the file you want to send with your message.
- Double-click the filename to select it as an attachment or
click to select the file and then click on the Attach button.
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- You will see the filename appear in a new box below your message.
- You may attach more than one document by repeating these steps.
- Be sure to consider whether your recipient has the appropriate program to
view the attachment.
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To personalize your email with a standard closing:
- Select Tools —› Options —›
Signatures tab
- Click on the New button.
- Signature #1 Default signature will
appear.
- In the Editing Signature section, type the information you
would like to include or select a file containing the information.
- Click on the words Signature #1 to select it and click
again to edit it.
- Rename it appropriately, such as Professional Signature
- Click on the New button again.
- Type in a less formal signature.
- Click on the words Signature #1 to select it and click
again to edit it.
- Rename it appropriately, such as Brief Signature
- Note which signature is the default.
If you wish this to be added to the end of all your email, then check Add
signatures to all outgoing messages.
- Otherwise, leave this option blank and choose the signature you
want for each message when you send it.
- Select New Mail.
- Click into the message box.
- From the menu, select Insert —› Signature
and select the signature appropriate to that message.
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It is helpful to organize your mail into appropriately named folders. The Inbox
is the default mail folder under your account name in Outlook Express. You will want to
create appropriately named folders in which to “file” mail messages and then
move messages to the appropriate folders. This can also help to reduce the disk space you
use on the mail server.
To create a new folder to hold mail messages:
- Select File —› Folder —› New
or File —› New —› Folder
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- Type an appropriate name in the Folder name box.
- In the box below, select an existing folder under which to create the new folder.
For the folder to be created on your PC, you must select Local Folders
or a folder under Local Folders.
If you select gemini.tntech.edu, then the new folder will be created on your
gemini account.
- Click OK.
- You will now see the new mail folder listed in your Folders List.
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To delete a folder:
- Right-click the folder in the folder list and
select Delete from the floating menu.
- Or select the folder and click Delete on the toolbar.
To move or copy a message to another folder:
- Click on the message header to select it and drag it into
the appropriate folder.
- Or in the message list, right-click the message you want to move
or copy.
- Select Move To or Copy To from the
floating menu.
- Browse and click on the folder into which you want to move or copy your message.
- Click OK.
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Note: After you move the message to the new folder, if your view
is set to show Deleted Messages, you will still see the message name
listed in the original folder with a red x. This indicates that it is
marked for deletion.
You can either change your view (from the menu, View —›
Current View —› deselect Show Deleted Messages), purge
deleted messages explicitly (from the menu, Edit —› Purge
Deleted Messages), or wait to exit and have the purge occur then.
To view messages located in a mail folder other than the Inbox:
- Click on a folder in the Folders List.
- Notice that all the messages contained in that folder are listed.
- Select the message you wish to read by clicking on the message header.
To set how frequently Outlook Express checks for messages:
- From the menu, select
Tools —› Options —› General tab
- Check the box next to
"Check for new messages every x minutes."
- Fill in the number of minutes.
- You may also wish to run the program in the background and have it play a
sound when a new message arrives.
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- To check for messages at any time, click the Send and Receive button
on the toolbar.
- Or from the menu, Tools —› Send and Receive —›
Send and Receive All
Outlook Express includes an address book feature that allows you to keep a list by an
individual’s name of email addresses and to maintain distribution lists of groups of
individuals.
Adding individuals to your address book:
You can add individuals to your address book by typing them in, by adding them when you
are sending a message, or by setting up automatic entry from replies. You can also import
address book entries that you may already have in other programs.
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- On the toolbar, select Addresses
- From the address book toolbar, select New —› New Contact
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- Under the Name tab, type in a first name, last name, and the
individual’s full internet email address such as username@tntech.edu
- Click Add to add the email address.
- Under the Home and Business tabs, add post
office address, phone, and other information if desired.
- Click OK to save your entry.
Tip: If you know that this person is not using a graphical mail
utility program, you may want to click on Send Email using plain text
only. This will cause the program to prompt you, if you send an email
in Rich Text format to this individual, so that you may change to plain text.
To automatically add all individuals to whom you reply:
- On the menu, select Tools —› Options —› Send
tab
Select “Automatically put people I reply to in my Address Book.”
To add an individual you have received email from:
- Right-click on a message header and select: “Add to Address
Book”
To delete an entry:
- Click on the Addresses button in the toolbar to open the Address
Book.
- Select a name and click Delete on the toolbar.
Sometimes it is helpful to define a group of people to whom you will be sending the
same messages. This is known as a distribution list.
- Click on the Addresses button in the toolbar.
- In the Address Book toolbar, select New —› New Group.
- Choose a descriptive name for your group and type it in under Group Name.
- Click Select Members.
- Click on a name to select it for your Address Book list.
- Click on Select.
- To select multiple names, click on each name while holding down the Ctrl
key. Then click on Select to select them all at once.
- Click on OK when you are done selecting names.
- Click on OK to close your Group.
- You should now see the Name of your group listed in the list
of names in your address book.
To remove a name from your group:
- Click on the Addresses button in the toobar.
- Double-click the group name.
- Select an individual's name in the list and click Remove.
- Click OK.
To remove an entire group:
- Click on the Addresses button in the toobar.
- Click to select the group.
- Click on Delete on the toolbar.
- Or from the menu, File —› Delete.
You can create as many groups as you need and each individual can belong to as many
groups as needed. If you delete an individual who is also a member of a
group, their name will be deleted from the group.
Tip: To view your groups in a separate window in your Address
Book, select View —› Folders
and Groups.
If you start to type in the To: field and have address book entries, Outlook Express
will try to fill in the rest of the name for you. If you have several people with similar
beginnings to their names, you can be more specific.
To be as specific as needed:
- Click on New Mail in the toolbar.
- Click on the address book icon next to the To:
- Click to select an individual's name or group name.
- Click on the To button, the Cc: button,
or the Bcc: button as appropriate.
- When you have all the names selected, click OK. Remember you
may select multiple names under To:, Cc:, or Bcc: as needed.
Remember that you will still have to change your password every 6 months by logging on
to your VMS account (gemini, ttumis, atlas, or eagle). After you change your password, you
may have to wait a few minutes for the system to update its information.
You will also be
asked in Outlook Express to type in your new password when it
tries to check for mail on that account.
One of the easiest ways to get help for Outlook Express is the comprehensive online
help included with the program. Click on Help in the menu.
You can also learn more about Outlook Express at the Microsoft website:
http://www.microsoft.com/education/tutorial/classroom/email/basic.asp
Should you have a question that the online help does not address you may:
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September 02, 2005
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