Reading Messages

Reading mail (Back to Top)

By default, all new messages are placed in your Inbox. If you have mail filter rules, new messages can appear in places other than your Inbox. The number in parentheses next to each folder name indicates the number of unread messages within that folder.

If you are using the Conversation view, messages are grouped into conversations.

When you open your email, the message is displayed in the reading pane below the listed message. Within this reading pane you can Reply to and Forward the message.

Two icons on the right side of the toolbar let you open the message in a New Window, , and click Show Original, , to see the original message header information.

New Window opens the message in a new browser window. From the new window you can easily print the message or conversation or reference the original message as you prepare a reply.

To read a message in the Conversation view

  1. Double-click the conversation containing the message.

  2. The Content pane changes to show the individual messages in the conversation. The Fragment column shows the first line of the message body. To open the message, click the line that contains the message you want to read.

To read a message in Message view

  • Double-click the message.

The message body appears in the lower pane. If it does not display, double-click the message in the message list.

Marking mail as unread (Back to Top)

Messages that you opened are marked as read and are changed from bold to regular text.

To mark a message as read
  1. Click the check box to select the messages to be marked as unread.

  2. In the More Actions pull-down menu, select Mark as unread.

  3. Click Go. The selected messages are made bold and the checkmark is removed.

  4. To mark all messages in a conversation as unread, select the conversation. To mark an individual message in a conversation as unread, open the conversation and select the message.

You can use the same method to mark unread mail as read.

Opening file attachments (Back to Top)

Email messages can include attached files such as word processing documents, spreadsheets, text files, ZIP files, images, executable applications, or any other type of computer file that resides on the sender's computer network. Messages that contain attachments display a paper clip next to the subject.

Some types of files, such as JPEG images or text files, can be opened on almost any computer system. Others, such as Microsoft Word documents, must be opened using the same application that created them.

When you receive a message containing file attachments, you can click on the paper clipped attachment link in the header to move to the bottom of the message. At the bottom of the message you can choose to view the attachment, view the attachment as HTML or to download the attachment.

  • If you choose to view the attachment, you must have an application on your workstation that can read that type of file.

  • If you choose to download the attachment, a browse dialog appears showing your current file system. Choose an appropriate location and save the file. You can open the file at a later point outside of your email client.

Virus Safety

Computer viruses can spread through email attachments. It is considered standard practice for mail administrators to implement virus filtering for incoming mail as well as virus scanning for personal computers. However, there is always a chance that something could get through.

In the case of email viruses, the majority of them are activated when a file attachment containing the virus is opened or viewed. Many of these viruses have been known to spread themselves using entries in users' address books. Therefore, we recommend that you use care when opening file attachments, even from senders who appear to be known to you.

Undeliverable mail (Back to Top)

Sometimes a message "bounces", meaning it cannot be delivered for some reason, such as:

  • Recipient is not a valid or existing email address. Verify that you have the correct email address.

  • Recipient's mail system rejects the mail for one reason or another

  • Recipient's mailbox is full

If a message is rejected, you will receive an "undeliverable mail" message, with at least part of the contents of your original message plus some system-generated error messages that provide more information as to why the mail has bounced. Try to correct the problem and re-send the email.

If the mail bounces due to a bad email address, but you are certain that the address is valid, you will have to contact the recipients using other means, and have the recipients resolve the issue with their system administrators.

Contact technical support if:

  • Every mail message you try to send is rejected

  • You start receiving bounce messages for mail you never sent