
Creating Email Distribution Lists
for a Class
Section
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Email distribution lists can be easily created for each class section that a faculty
member teaches. Such lists make it possible to send messages to all the students in your
section. You will need access to the Student Information System (SIS) database. If you do
not already have access to this system, please complete a TTUMIS Request Form, print it and
return it to Records, Box 5026.
Remember that this information is confidential and no one other than the instructor
of the course should be allowed access to the created lists.
On or after the first day of classes:
- Log into your TTUMIS account.
- From the TTUMIS Main Menu, at the ?> prompt type:
?>SIS [Enter]
?>reports [Enter]
?>classwindow [Enter]
- Wait while the window comes up. A list of course sections ids that are valid for the
current semester will be displayed.
- Select your course section by typing the first letter of the
departmental code and using the arrow keys on the keyboard to scroll up or down to the exact section.
- When your section is highlighted, press [Enter].

You will see the message shown below. Your request for an email distribution list is
submitted to the VMS batch queue for processing. This may take some time depending on the
number of jobs submitted.
A list of email addresses for this class section in the form abc1234@tntech.edu
will be mailed to your default email address. This file will also include the
students first and last name. Each field will be separated by commas.
- You will then be returned to the list of courses.
- You may select another course or press [Enter]
while Exit is highlighted to return to the Reports Menu.
- To logoff, at the ?> prompt,
?>leave [Enter]
Please note: Distribution lists can be created for the current term on
or after the first day of classes for that term. Once you have created a
list for your class section, your file will not be automatically updated when a student
drops or adds class sections. You can recreate an updated list any time by repeating the steps above.
You may especially wish to do this after the drop/add deadline.
If you have any questions or problems using this menu, please contact
Administrative Support at 3976 (Kay Hume) or 3973 (Richard Cashion).
Next you will need to import the addresses into the mail program of your
choice.
Go to the section which applies to you:
Locate the distribution list message:
- Open Outlook Express.
- After a time, you will see a message to yourself that is from yourself.
- There will be no actual text to the message, but there will be an attachment.
- This attachment contains each students email address, last and first names for a
class section.
- The file is named as the subject area - course number - section number and is a text
file (.txt).
For example, math-431-001.txt
Save the attachment:
- Click on the paper clip and then on the filename.
- Select Save to disk.
- Browse to a convenient location to save the file.
- Click Save.
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Minimize Outlook Express and open Windows Explorer to Create an Address
Book:
- Minimize Outlook Express
- Open Windows Explorer from the Start menu: Programs
Windows Explorer
or Programs Accessories
Windows Explorer
or in the taskbar click on the Windows Explorer
icon.
- Browse to a convenient folder location, such as My Documents
- Select File New Folder
- Give the new folder a convenient name, such as Class Email Address
Books
- Double-click to open the folder.
- Select File New Text Document
- Name the new document appropriately for your class with the extension .wab
For example, Math431.wab
- You may create as many address book files as needed for the number of
classes you teach. (Note: wab stands for Windows Address Book).
- Click Yes when you receive the warning: If you change a filename
extension, the file may become unusable. Are you sure you want to change it?
- Double-click to open the address book file (e.g. Math431.wab).
Opening a file with the extension .wab causes the Address Book
Accessory
to run, so that you may import the class addresses into this specific
address book.
Please note that the steps on the following pages all take place in the Address
Book Accessory and not directly in Outlook Express.
To import this information into your address book:
- From the menu, select: File Import Address
Book (If using Outlook Express 5.0 select Other Address Book)
- Select the last file type listed: Text File (Comma Separated Values)
- Click Import
- Under Choose a file to import:, click Browse.
- Near the bottom, under Files of type: Select Text Files (*.txt)
- Locate your file in the location you selected to store it.
- Double-click to select the file.
- Click Next.
Map the fields to your address book:
| Click to check the EMAIL box under Text Field. |
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To indicate where to import this information, select the field, E-mail
Address, from the pulldown menu.
Click OK. Click to check the FIRSTNAME box.
Select First Name from the pulldown menu.
Click OK.
Click to check the LASTNAME box.
Select Last Name from the pulldown menu.
Click OK. |
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Click the Finish button.
Click OK in the Address book import has been completed
successfully box.
Click Close to close the file type selection box.
To create a group:
- Select File New Group
or New button New Group
- Type a group name such as Math431
- Click the Select Members button.
- Click on the first name in the list, scroll down,
Shift + Click on the last name.
- Click on the Select button to move all the names at once into
your group.
- Click on OK when you are done selecting names.
- Click on OK to close your new Group.
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- Select your new entry which shows your own email address with the
class name
(e.g. Math 431 Spring 2000) from the list of names
in the address book.
- From the menu, Tools Action Send Mail
(Or in earlier versions Tools Send Mail).
- A new message window will appear showing the message is from you,
and is to the class.
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- Click on the Bcc: icon (In earlier versions, if you
don't see the Bcc:, just click on To: to get to the selection window.)
- Highlight the class group name, such as Math431
- Click on the Bcc: button.
- Click OK.
- Click on the Send button.
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Using this technique, each class member will see that
the message is to the class name (e.g. Math 431 Spring 2000)
and will not see a long list of the entire classs email addresses. |
Remember to open each address book directly to send mail. Double-click
on the address book filename from within Windows Explorer. These address
books are separate from the one you have set up in Outlook Express and not
directly accessible from there.
Locate the distribution list message:
- Open Outlook 98.
- After a time, you will see a message to yourself that is from yourself.
- There will be no actual text to the message, but there will be an attachment.
- This attachment contains each students email address, last and first names for a
class section.
- The file is named as the subject area - course number - section number and is a text
file (.txt).
For example, math-431-001.txt
Save the attachment:
- Click on the paper clip and then on the filename.
- Select Save to disk.
- Browse to a convenient location to save the file,
such as My Documents.
- Click Save.
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Importing the addresses:
If you are using Outlook 98 to maintain a list of contacts, there are two
approaches you may take:
- Follow the instructions under using an Outlook
Express style address book. You will
create separate address books for each class and send email to the class
from the Address Book Accessory.
- Edit the attachment file in WordPad or Notepad (use a plain text
editor)
and in the header line (first line), change the word EMAIL to E-MAIL, then
save.
Then follow the instructions for Outlook 2000, omitting the
Map Custom Fields steps. This mapping will be done automatically and correctly if
the name change is
made to the header. You must make this change to each file which you
wish to directly import into a folder in Outlook 98.
Locate the distribution list message:
- Open Outlook 2000.
- After a time, you will see a message to yourself that is from yourself.
- There will be no actual text to the message, but there will be an attachment.
- This attachment contains each students email address, last and first names for a
class section.
- The file is named as the subject area - course number - section number and is a text
file (.txt).
For example, math-431-001.txt
Save the attachment:
- Click on the paper clip and then on the filename.
- Select Save to disk.
- Browse to a convenient location to save the file,
such as My Documents.
- Click Save.
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Create a folder for each class:
Create a folder under
your existing Contacts folder into which you will import the email
addresses for your class.
- From the menu, select
File New Folder
- Type a name for your folder reflecting the
class name, such as Math431.
- Click on Contacts to select the location where this folder
will be created.
- Click OK.
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Import the addresses into this folder.
- From the menu, select
File Import and Export...
- Select Import from another program or file
- Click Next
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- Scroll to the bottom of the list.
- Select Tab Separated Values (Windows)
- Click Next
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- Under File to Import: Click on Browse to
locate the file with the email addresses. For example,
this may be in My Documents if that is where you stored it.
- Select the appropriate option:
- Do not import duplicate items
- Click Next
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- Expand Contacts by clicking on the plus sign + and select the
folder you created with your class name (for example Math 431).
- Click Next
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| Note that the box is checked indicating that you wish to
import a text file into a folder.
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- Expand Name by clicking on the plus sign +
Note that FIRSTNAME and LASTNAME are automatically
correctly mapped from the text file into the Outlook 2000 fields First
Name and Last Name respectively. |
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- Scroll down on the right hand side to E-mail
- Expand the E-mail address field by clicking on the plus sign +
- In the Value list on the left side, drag the word EMAIL to
the right side,
next to the phrase E-mail Address.
- Click OK.

You will be returned to the previous wizard view.
You will now see your class list in the folder of that name.
When selecting names to send email, remember to switch to the specific
class folder.

See above for instructions on how to send a message to your class without
a large header.
Please note that while Netscape Communicator is not supported by
Information Technology Services, here are some brief instructions for those who may be
using it.
Locate the distribution list message:
- Open Netscape Communicator Messenger.
- After a time, you will see a message to yourself that is from yourself.
- There will be no actual text to the message, but there will be
an attachment.
- This attachment contains each students email addresses, last and first names for a
class section.
- The file is named as the subject area - course number - section number and is a text
file (.txt).
For example, math-431-001.txt
Save the attachment:
- Click on the attachment to open it.
- In the menu, File Save As.
- Browse to a convenient location to save the file.
- Click Save.
- Close the attachment.
Create a new address book for each class:
- In the menu, select Communicator Address Book
- In the address book, select File New Address Book
- Type a new name, descriptive of your class. For example: Math431Fall99
- Click OK.
Note that you can create a new address book for each class section.
Import the email addresses:
- Select this address book by clicking on it in the directory list.
- From the menu, select File Import.
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- Select the last file type listed: Text file
- Click Next
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- File Format: Comma Separated (CSV)
- Click Browse to locate your saved attachment.
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- In the Open file window near the bottom, under Files
of type: select Text Files (*.txt) so that you can see
files with this ending.
- Locate your file where you selected to store it.
- Double-click to select the file.
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Map the fields to your address book:
- Click in the first Communicator Field box and select Email
from the pulldown menu.
- Click in the second box and select First Name from the pulldown menu.
- Click in the third box and select Last Name from the pulldown menu.
- Click Import.
Note that in Netscape, the header line will also be imported as FIRSTNAME
LASTNAME. Select and delete that entry from your address book.

- Select Communicator Address Book
- Select your class address book (e.g. Math431Fall99)
- Click on the New List icon in the toolbar.

- Choose a descriptive name for your class section and type it in under List Name
(e.g. Math 431 Students).
- Move the Mailing List window to one side, so that you can see class members in
the address book listing.
- Click on the first name in the list. Hold the shift
key down and click on the last name in the list.
- Drag the names to the mailing list
- Click OK.
- Close the Address Book.
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To send a message to your class section:
- Click on New Message in the toolbar.
- Click on Address in the toolbar.
- Select the appropriate address book (e.g. Math431Fall99).
- Click on the List Name (e.g. Math 431 Students) for
the class.
- Click OK and type your message.
With SIS and ClassWindow:
If you have a question about SIS and ClassWindow, please contact
Kay Hume at 3976 or Richard
Cashion 3973.
With Outlook Express:
For questions on Outlook Express or the Address
Book Accessory, you may wish to consult the online
help included with each. From the menu, select Help Contents and Index.
Handouts on using Outlook Express and other programs are available on
the web from the TTU home page under Computing Documentation
(at www.tntech.edu/its/pubs/).
With Outlook:
For questions on Outlook, you may wish to consult the online
help.
From the menu, select Help Microsoft Outlook Help.
If you have a question about Outlook, Outlook Express or the Address
Book Accessory that the online help does
not address, please contact your college contact or the Microcomputer Support Office at 372-6315.
With Netscape Communicator Messenger:
To get help with Netscape Communicator consult the online help
included with it:
Help Help Contents.
This program is not currently supported by Information Technology Services.
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Maintained by:
Academic Computing Support
Information Technology Services
Tennessee Technological University
October 31, 2003