New email delivery actions

robmueller · 24th February 2003, 05:12 PM

As suggested on the forum recently, we've now added two new abilities to email delivery.

1. For an address of the form name+plus@srcdomain.com, if an alias/virtual alias name@srcdomain.com exists, then the address is replaced with the 'Target' of the alias. If address contains a '+' part (eg name+srcplus@srcdomain.com) and the 'Target' also contains a '+' part (eg target+trgplus@trgdomain.com) then the two are combined into target+trgplus.srcplus@trgdomain.com

2. If you have a catch all alias '*@srcdomain.com', you can now put a * in the target, and it will be replaced with the original address. Eg:

* The virtual alias *@srcdomain.com exists with a 'Target' of yourname+*@trgdomain.com
* Then an email sent to john@srcdomain.com will be rewritten to yourname+john@trgdomain.com.
* If you have a folder in your account called 'john', then this email will automatically be filed straight into that folder. You can also deliver straight to a sub-folder by using a 'Target' of yourname+parentfolder.*@trgdomain.com

One thing, the '*' in the target must be between the '+' and the '@'.

One thing still. If the folder does not exist, it's still delivered to your Inbox. I'm sure some people will want to use "yourname+parentfolder.*@trgdomain.com" and if "parentfolder.somefolder" doesn't exist, it goes to "parentfolder". Unfortunately, this is currently not possible.

These changes are documented here, though you may have to use F5 in your browser to force a refresh to get the new version.

http://www.fastmail.fm/docs/faqparts...#EmailDelivery

Rob

FromLine · 24th February 2003, 05:20 PM

This is kindof confusing.

Could you please provide some examples?

Heartz · 24th February 2003, 05:26 PM

yeap... examples woudl be great. It's not too clear what you are trying to get at

DrStrabismus · 24th February 2003, 07:35 PM

A little background may help:

1. http://www.emaildiscussions.com/...threadid=10370

2. http://www.emaildiscussions.com/...threadid=11231

**JeffK** · 24th February 2003, 09:08 PM

I got a headache thinking about this. What are we saying?

if I send to alias+folder@username.domain and alias@domain has a target of x then the mail will go to the target, ie it will treat the folder as the top folder or equivalent to the inbox for that alias?

Does this only apply to aliases created under virtual domains because otherwise the target can only be username@domain.

If that doesn't make sense it's because I don't know what I'm talking about. I think some examples using true-to-life email addresses would be helpful.

Thanks, Jeff

mrv · 24th February 2003, 09:47 PM

This seems to make true envelope tests possible. Brilliant news. Thanks a lot.

DrStrabismus · 24th February 2003, 09:57 PM

Examples
1.

Alias xyz@sent.com targets myusername+friends@fastmail.fm

If you receive a message to fred@xyz.sent.com the final address will now be myusername+friends.fred@fastmail.fm

And the message will be filed into folder INBOX.friends.fred; previously this would have gone to the Inbox.

2.

Own domain catchall alias

*@mydomain target myusername+*@fastmail.fm

Mail to sales@mydomain will then get resolved to myusername+sales@fastmail.fm, and go into the sales folder.

mrv · 24th February 2003, 10:25 PM

3.

You can also set this up so that you can reconstruct the entire email address that the message was sent to, even if you have multiple catchalls on your own domains

*@mydomain1 target myusername+mydomain1.*@fastmail.fm
*@mydomain2 target myusername+mydomain2.*@fastmail.fm

mail to sales@mydomain1 will get resolved to myusername+mydomain1.sales@fastmail.fm

mail to sales@mydomain2 will get resolved to myusername+mydomain2.sales@fastmail.fm

So, you can use the Sieve envelope test to sort mail based upon the address to which it was sent. In the past, this wasn't always possible: some messages don't contain your address in the To, Cc, Bcc or X-delivered-to headers; in these cases, it wasn't possible to write a Sieve rule based upon the address at which you received the message.

Drencrom · 24th February 2003, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DrStrabismus
Examples
1.

Alias xyz@sent.com targets myusername+friends@fastmail.fm

If you receive a message to fred@xyz.sent.com the final address will now be myusername+friends.fred@fastmail.fm

And the message will be filed into folder INBOX.friends.fred; previously this would have gone to the Inbox.

2.

Own domain catchall alias

*@mydomain target myusername+*@fastmail.fm

Mail to sales@mydomain will then get resolved to myusername+sales@fastmail.fm, and go into the sales folder.

Thanx for the examples, Doctor. Now it starts to make sense.

Onno · 25th February 2003, 01:31 AM

Quote:

2. If you have a catch all alias '*@srcdomain.com', you can now put a * in the target, and it will be replaced with the original address.

Very cool!

FromLine · 25th February 2003, 04:22 AM

Seems to me this is a nice feature.

However, it seems that if we're pretty good with Sieve, using advanced defined rules may be an alternative route to these features. Since I'm relatively comfortable with Sieve to targeting folders etc., I assume I can just stick with Sieve to do this?

sjk · 25th February 2003, 07:03 AM

Thanks for making these changes, Rob. I can definitely make use of them.

Yet...

No weblog entry for interface changes. And no acknowledgment from FM staff (unless I've missed it, which is certainly possible with the high traffic here) after multiple requests for this.

I don't understand why a one-liner isn't added to the blog, like "New stuff -- see forum thread N for details", any time a FM announcement is made on the forum. IMNSHO, it would make the blog a much more useful communication tool. Please?

**Sherry** · 25th February 2003, 07:12 AM

I fully agree with sjk. I think others need to be told of changes as they happen. If not by email, then at least by the blog...

Sherry

DrStrabismus · 25th February 2003, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by FromLine
However, it seems that if we're pretty good with Sieve, using advanced defined rules may be an alternative route to these features. Since I'm relatively comfortable with Sieve to targeting folders etc., I assume I can just stick with Sieve to do this?

The main reason why I suggested feature 2 is that it wasn't possible to determine with complete accurracy the address on a catchall alias a message was delivered to. It was actually easier to filter mail forwarded from Namecheap than mail received directly into hosted domains.

I've setup my alias target to username+mydomain_* purely for sieve envelope tests.

o0o · 25th February 2003, 07:35 AM

I agree too.

24th February 2003, 05:12 PM	#1
robmueller Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 6,098 Representative of: Fastmail.FM	New email delivery actions As suggested on the forum recently, we've now added two new abilities to email delivery. 1. For an address of the form name+plus@srcdomain.com, if an alias/virtual alias name@srcdomain.com exists, then the address is replaced with the 'Target' of the alias. If address contains a '+' part (eg name+srcplus@srcdomain.com) and the 'Target' also contains a '+' part (eg target+trgplus@trgdomain.com) then the two are combined into target+trgplus.srcplus@trgdomain.com 2. If you have a catch all alias '@srcdomain.com', you can now put a in the target, and it will be replaced with the original address. Eg: * The virtual alias @srcdomain.com exists with a 'Target' of yourname+@trgdomain.com * Then an email sent to john@srcdomain.com will be rewritten to yourname+john@trgdomain.com. * If you have a folder in your account called 'john', then this email will automatically be filed straight into that folder. You can also deliver straight to a sub-folder by using a 'Target' of yourname+parentfolder.@trgdomain.com One thing, the '' in the target must be between the '+' and the '@'. One thing still. If the folder does not exist, it's still delivered to your Inbox. I'm sure some people will want to use "yourname+parentfolder.*@trgdomain.com" and if "parentfolder.somefolder" doesn't exist, it goes to "parentfolder". Unfortunately, this is currently not possible. These changes are documented here, though you may have to use F5 in your browser to force a refresh to get the new version. http://www.fastmail.fm/docs/faqparts...#EmailDelivery Rob

24th February 2003, 09:57 PM	#7
DrStrabismus The "e" in e-mail Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 2,713	Examples 1. Alias xyz@sent.com targets myusername+friends@fastmail.fm If you receive a message to fred@xyz.sent.com the final address will now be myusername+friends.fred@fastmail.fm And the message will be filed into folder INBOX.friends.fred; previously this would have gone to the Inbox. 2. Own domain catchall alias @mydomain target myusername+@fastmail.fm Mail to sales@mydomain will then get resolved to myusername+sales@fastmail.fm, and go into the sales folder. Last edited by DrStrabismus : 24th February 2003 at 09:59 PM.

24th February 2003, 05:20 PM	#2
FromLine The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,535	This is kindof confusing. Could you please provide some examples?

24th February 2003, 05:26 PM	#3
Heartz Essential Contributor Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Selangor, Malaysia Posts: 455	yeap... examples woudl be great. It's not too clear what you are trying to get at

24th February 2003, 07:35 PM	#4
DrStrabismus The "e" in e-mail Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 2,713	A little background may help: 1. http://www.emaildiscussions.com/...threadid=10370 2. http://www.emaildiscussions.com/...threadid=11231

24th February 2003, 09:08 PM	#5
JeffK Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Kingaroy, AU Posts: 3,146	I got a headache thinking about this. What are we saying? if I send to alias+folder@username.domain and alias@domain has a target of x then the mail will go to the target, ie it will treat the folder as the top folder or equivalent to the inbox for that alias? Does this only apply to aliases created under virtual domains because otherwise the target can only be username@domain. If that doesn't make sense it's because I don't know what I'm talking about. I think some examples using true-to-life email addresses would be helpful. Thanks, Jeff

24th February 2003, 09:47 PM	#6
mrv Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 16	This seems to make true envelope tests possible. Brilliant news. Thanks a lot.

24th February 2003, 10:25 PM	#8
mrv Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 16	3. You can also set this up so that you can reconstruct the entire email address that the message was sent to, even if you have multiple catchalls on your own domains @mydomain1 target myusername+mydomain1.@fastmail.fm @mydomain2 target myusername+mydomain2.@fastmail.fm mail to sales@mydomain1 will get resolved to myusername+mydomain1.sales@fastmail.fm mail to sales@mydomain2 will get resolved to myusername+mydomain2.sales@fastmail.fm So, you can use the Sieve envelope test to sort mail based upon the address to which it was sent. In the past, this wasn't always possible: some messages don't contain your address in the To, Cc, Bcc or X-delivered-to headers; in these cases, it wasn't possible to write a Sieve rule based upon the address at which you received the message.

25th February 2003, 04:22 AM	#11
FromLine The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,535	Seems to me this is a nice feature. However, it seems that if we're pretty good with Sieve, using advanced defined rules may be an alternative route to these features. Since I'm relatively comfortable with Sieve to targeting folders etc., I assume I can just stick with Sieve to do this?

25th February 2003, 07:03 AM	#12
sjk Master of the @ Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hawaii Posts: 1,975	Thanks for making these changes, Rob. I can definitely make use of them. Yet... No weblog entry for interface changes. And no acknowledgment from FM staff (unless I've missed it, which is certainly possible with the high traffic here) after multiple requests for this. I don't understand why a one-liner isn't added to the blog, like "New stuff -- see forum thread N for details", any time a FM announcement is made on the forum. IMNSHO, it would make the blog a much more useful communication tool. Please?

25th February 2003, 07:12 AM	#13
Sherry Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: USA Posts: 8,686	I fully agree with sjk. I think others need to be told of changes as they happen. If not by email, then at least by the blog... Sherry

25th February 2003, 07:35 AM	#15
o0o Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: May 2002 Location: California Posts: 612	I agree too.