Page updated 24 August 2009
Introducing Accounts and Saveboxes
Mailboxes are of two types, Accounts and Saveboxes:
- Accounts: Connect with a server. Their contents reflect what is currently on the POP3 server at your Mail Service Provider. Mail that is deleted from an account will be deleted from the server. Conversely, if another program deletes mail from the server, then at the next connection, that mail will also disappear from nPOPuk.
- Saveboxes: Contain only local copies of mail and have no direct link with a remote server. Mail in Saveboxes will have been copied or moved to the Savebox, either manually or automatically, by a filter. They are most often used either to retain mail for the longer term or, in conjunction with filters, to separate suspicious mail and spam from other mail, for example, business or personal mail.
When launched for the very first time, nPOPuk will prompt you to provide details of your first account. Configuring your first account is explained on the Installation page. After that, at any time, you may add further Accounts, or Saveboxes, by opening the Mailbox menu and selecting the Add... option, explained below.
Once set up, Mailboxes can be edited by selecting the Mailbox in the Main Window and then opening the appropriate dialogue (Menu: MAILBOX > EDIT...). Depending on the type of Mailbox this will either be the multi-tabbed Account Settings dialogue, described immediately below, or the Rename Savebox dialogue described later.
Adding Mailboxes
To add a further Mailbox open the MAILBOX menu, in the Main Window and choose ADD. This opens the "Add mailbox" dialogue where you can specify whether it is to be a new account created from scratch or from a template or a new or imported Savebox.
Once additional Mailboxes have been established, to change the settings of any of them, it must be selected from the Mailbox Pane, before opening the MAILBOX menu and selecting the EDIT option.
Creating a New Account
If an Account is to be created manually, simply select the appropriate radio button and click the OK button. The Account Settings dialogue opens offering the same options as for the initial configuration.
Accounts may also be created from a template file. These files populate the Account Settings dialogue with the correct settings for particular mail service providers and leave only personal information, such as username and passwords to be completed manually.
The Downloads page provides a small selection of templates for a number of popular free mail service providers. The files generated by certain ISPs signup CDs may also be used as templates. These will also correctly enter the personal information entered during the account setup procedure with the ISP. See the Templates page for details of the format of template files and how advanced users can create their own template files.
Creating a New Savebox
If a Savebox, is to be created, simply select the appropriate radio button. Enter the name for the Savebox in the field that then becomes active and click the OK button. The new Savebox appears immediately in the Mailbox Pane.
Importing an Existing Savebox
Mail can be imported, in bulk, to a new Savebox. There is a choice of three possible sources, nPOP and nPOPuk (*.dat) files, MBOX (*.mbx) files, and individual messages in *.eml format.
Select "Import Savebox" and click the OK button. A standard "Open" dialogue will appear.
NOTE: (The file type field shows .MBX by default, but may be changed to show .DAT, or .EML files)
Navigate to the required folder and select the required file. Click the "Open". button to complete the file selection and open the "Import Savebox" dialogue.
The fields on the Import Savebox dialogue will already be populated but may be edited, if desired, to control how the selected file is imported.
- File to import:
- This field shows the path and file name of the file selected for import.
- Copy to nPOPuk directory as:
- By default, this will echo the file name from the field above. Change it if it will conflict with an existing file in your nPOPuk installation.
- Savebox name:
- By default, this field will take its content from the file name. If wanted, or necessary, change it to something that does not conflict with existing Saveboxes.
- If status unknown mark messages as:
- When importing files other than nPOPuk's .DAT format, information on message status may not be available. This option provides choices for the "Read" and "Fully downloaded" flags.
Complete the import by clicking the "Import" button.
Account Settings
POP3 Settings
- Exempt from Check All/Update All
- nPOPuk can Check and Update all accounts (See the CONNECT menu, on the Main Window.) logging on to each account's server's to process any mail, according to the options set for that account. If this option is checked, then the current account will be excluded from both checks and updates of the mail servers.
SMTP Settings
- POP before SMTP
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This is normally used as a protocol for authenticating a user of an SMTP server. If checked, nPOPuk will logon to the account's POP3 server and exit, but NOT collect any mail.
NOTE: A setting in the nPOPuk.ini file will add the mail collection facility to this option, forcing nPOPuk to download any messages, waiting on the server, before any attempt to send mail from the selected account. However, options available through the Global Options dialogue fulfil the same function.
- Always Bcc
- If checked, a copy of every outgoing message from the account, although not displayed as such in the Property dialogue, will be sent as a Bcc to the Mail address defined above. If an address for the Bcc is specified in the accompanying field this will replace the default address for the Bcc.
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This facility can be useful if you use nPOPuk while on the road and wish to have an electronic copy available at your normal computer when back at home.
Adding a Signature to Outgoing Mail
When a message composition window is opened for a new, forwarded message, or a reply, a standard block of text can be inserted automatically at the bottom of the message. This is normally used as a "signature". Any text entered in this dialogue will form this signature.
Any text may be entered here, but convention says that it shouldn't exceed four lines or be wider than about 70 characters.
Filtering Incoming Mail
Filters allow automatic handling of messages received from the server. Various actions, such as marking mail for deletion, copying or moving mail to defined Saveboxes can be invoked on messages that match user-defined conditions.
See the Filters page (in the Controls section of the site) for information on how to apply them both globally, across all accounts, or to individual accounts.
Connection
- Hang up and dial this account's server
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This option is not needed if nPOPuk is used with a single account.
Check this option if an account requires a direct modem connection, i.e. access via a connection to another ISP is not allowed.
When the option is set, if mail is checked or an update attempted, and an existing connection is in place but not with the required server, the existing connection will be dropped and the appropriate server dialled.
Savebox Settings
The only option available for a Savebox is to rename it. Select "Edit..." from the Mailbox menu and you are presented with a renamed "Add Mailbox" dialogue, with the unneeded options greyed out. Just retype the name and click "OK"