1. Write a JavaScript function to serve as a filter and put it in your filters file. This function takes one argument, a message object, and can make changes to that message.
2. Add an entry for the JavaScript function to your mail rules file. Your rules file can have multiple filters. Messenger applies each filter in turn to a message until one of the filters acts on it.

• Creating the Filter and Adding to Your Rules File
• News Filters
• Message Object Reference
• Debugging Your Filters
• A More Complex Example

Creating the Filter and Adding to Your Rules File

Platform	File location
Unix	$(HOME)/.netscape/filters.js where $(HOME) is the directory in which Navigator is installed.
Windows	\Program Files\Communicator\Users\<username>\Mail\filters.js
Macintosh	filters.js, at the root of your profile folder

// filters.js file.
function MomFilter(message) {
   if (message.from.indexOf("my_mom@mothers.net") != -1) {
      message.priority = "High";
      message.folder = "mailbox:FromMom";
   }
   else if (message.subject.indexOf("my_sister@sisters.net") != -1) {
      message.trash();
   }
}

NOTE: There is no way to specify an IMAP folder using the mailbox: syntax. So, if you refile things using IMAP, they all end up on your local machine.

Platform	File location
Unix	$(HOME)/.netscape/mailrule Where $(HOME) is the directory in which Navigator is installed.
Windows	\Program Files\Communicator\Users\<username>\Mail\rules.dat
Macintosh	Filter Rules, at the root of your profile folder

name="filterName"
enabled="yes"
type="2"
scriptName="scriptName"

name="filterName"

enabled="yes"

type="2"

scriptName="scriptName"

name="Filter for Mom"
enabled="yes"
type="2"
scriptName="MomFilter"

version="6"
logging="no"

News Filters

Message Object Reference

Mail Messages

Method	Description
killThread()	Mark a thread as ignored.
watchThread()	Mark a thread as watched.
trash()	Mark the message read and move it to the trash folder.

Property	Description
folder	Reflects the folder containing the message.
read	Reflects whether or not the message has been read.
priority	Reflects the priority of the message.

• None
• Lowest
• Low
• Normal
• High
• Highest

Message Headers

News Messages

Method	Description
killThread()	Mark a thread as ignored.
watchThread()	Mark a thread as watched.

Property	Description
group	(Read-only) Reflects the news group containing the message.
read	Reflects whether or not the message has been read.
sender	(Read-only) Reflects the sender of the message.
subject	(Read-only) Reflects the subject of the message.

Debugging Your Filters

A More Complex Example

field

probe

folder

trash

priority

var MyFilters = [
   {field:"From",        probe:"cltbld@netscape.com",      folder:"mailbox:Client Build"},
   {field:"From",        probe:"scopus@netscape.com",      folder:"mailbox:Scopus"},
   {field:"Resent-From", probe:"bonsai-hook@warp.mcom.com", trash:true"},
   {field:"Resent-From", probe:"xheads@netscape.com",       folder:"mailbox:X Heads"},
   {field:"Resent-From", probe:"layers@netscape.com",       priority:"High"}
];

// Initialize by compiling a regular expression for each filter
for (var i = 0; i < MyFilters.length; i++) {
   var f = MyFilters[i];
   f.regexp = new RegExp("^" + f.field + " *:.*" + f.probe, "i");
}

function ApplyFilters(message)
{
   trace("Applying mail filters");

   for (var i = 0; i < MyFilters.length; i++) {
      var f = MyFilters[i];
      if (f.regexp.test()) {
         if (f.trash) {
            message.trash();
         } else if (f.folder) {
            message.folder = f.folder;
         } else {
            message.priority = f.priority;
            continue;
         }
         break;
      }
   }
}

Last Updated: 05/27/99 21:21:48