I set up a Rule in Mail.app to colour the background red when a message is Resent-From another website.
It CAN work, because very occasionally it has done. Once when I originally set
it up and once after updating tp 26.4.1. But the coloration was ephemeral, and
usually doesn't happen at all.
Is there something dodgy about Rules, or am I missing something here?
On 11.04.26 18:38, Old John wrote:
I set up a Rule in Mail.app to colour the background red when a message is >> Resent-From another website.
The background of what exactly? The mail in the list or the mail itself?
It CAN work, because very occasionally it has done. Once when I originally set
it up and once after updating tp 26.4.1. But the coloration was ephemeral, and
usually doesn't happen at all.
Is there something dodgy about Rules, or am I missing something here?
Sending the exact rule.
On 11 Apr 2026 at 20:56:18 BST, "J||rg Lorenz" <hugybear@gmx.net> wrote:
On 11.04.26 18:38, Old John wrote:
I set up a Rule in Mail.app to colour the background red when a message is >>> Resent-From another website.
The background of what exactly? The mail in the list or the mail itself?
It CAN work, because very occasionally it has done. Once when I originally set
it up and once after updating tp 26.4.1. But the coloration was ephemeral, and
usually doesn't happen at all.
Is there something dodgy about Rules, or am I missing something here?
Sending the exact rule.
The list. Colourngthe mail itself is not an option.
https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/038FCMbyhQTUa2zkv_g1HRwPQ#Rules_Problem
The link contains two screenshots:
1 The rule as created
2. Part of the list. The top item contains exactly the same Resent-From line in the headers as the bottom, yet it is not coloured.
HTH.
On 12 Apr 2026 at 09:24:46 BST, "Old John" <watcombeman@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
On 11 Apr 2026 at 20:56:18 BST, "J||rg Lorenz" <hugybear@gmx.net> wrote:
On 11.04.26 18:38, Old John wrote:
I set up a Rule in Mail.app to colour the background red when a message is >>>> Resent-From another website.
The background of what exactly? The mail in the list or the mail itself? >>>
It CAN work, because very occasionally it has done. Once when I originally set
it up and once after updating tp 26.4.1. But the coloration was ephemeral, and
usually doesn't happen at all.
Is there something dodgy about Rules, or am I missing something here?
Sending the exact rule.
The list. Colourngthe mail itself is not an option.
https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/038FCMbyhQTUa2zkv_g1HRwPQ#Rules_Problem >>
The link contains two screenshots:
1 The rule as created
2. Part of the list. The top item contains exactly the same Resent-From line >> in the headers as the bottom, yet it is not coloured.
HTH.
Ach! Didn't work. I'll try again
On 12.04.26 10:26, Old John wrote:
On 12 Apr 2026 at 09:24:46 BST, "Old John" <watcombeman@yahoo.co.uk> wrote: >>
On 11 Apr 2026 at 20:56:18 BST, "J||rg Lorenz" <hugybear@gmx.net> wrote: >>>
On 11.04.26 18:38, Old John wrote:
I set up a Rule in Mail.app to colour the background red when a message is
Resent-From another website.
The background of what exactly? The mail in the list or the mail itself? >>>>
It CAN work, because very occasionally it has done. Once when I originally setSending the exact rule.
it up and once after updating tp 26.4.1. But the coloration was ephemeral, and
usually doesn't happen at all.
Is there something dodgy about Rules, or am I missing something here? >>>>
The list. Colourngthe mail itself is not an option.
https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/038FCMbyhQTUa2zkv_g1HRwPQ#Rules_Problem >>>
The link contains two screenshots:
1 The rule as created
2. Part of the list. The top item contains exactly the same Resent-From line
in the headers as the bottom, yet it is not coloured.
HTH.
Ach! Didn't work. I'll try again
Yes it did.
1. You set this Header-item yourself in mail (Headerlist). I did not see
such a header ever before.
2. What I cannot see is which of the mails meet the criteria
"Resent-From". I see one mail with a red background in the mail list.
This view does not reveal much.
3. Are you sure you are not using a filter further up the filter list
that overrides the filter in question?
Could you copy the header of such a mail with option+command+u?
Hear from you
J||rg
The is the important bit: b=P46tSIxW3Yco8/8FWN6B6+gOOstzsv7vk13cLspNhrEq2LtlHowvofYqVHof+ug7SdA8b2ord2c 73LXG8Bg18qZDmws4iJhq5hV621ue8NLVzNUG2E1JKAVQVg4tHcxyQgYx3C1QMA4Uiqxtl4Ea1fG9 2ks1Q/DM0q5zqZ0RATk=
Resent-From: <js.hill@physics.org>
Received: from LO4P123CA0508.GBRP123.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM (2603:10a6:600:272::10)
by CWLP123MB5915.GBRP123.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM (2603:10a6:400:1c3::7) with
Microsoft SMTP Server (version=TLS1_2,
cipher=TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384) id 15.20.9769.42; Thu, 9 Apr
2026 20:16:22 +0000
I can of course provide the entire header, it's a kilometer long.
There are no other rules or filters as far as I know.
The mail headed Physics World and the mail hesded Morrisons More contain the line in question. None of the others do.
On 12.04.26 14:39, Old John wrote:
The is the important bit:
b=P46tSIxW3Yco8/8FWN6B6+gOOstzsv7vk13cLspNhrEq2LtlHowvofYqVHof+ug7SdA8b2ord2c
73LXG8Bg18qZDmws4iJhq5hV621ue8NLVzNUG2E1JKAVQVg4tHcxyQgYx3C1QMA4Uiqxtl4Ea1fG9
2ks1Q/DM0q5zqZ0RATk=
Resent-From: <js.hill@physics.org>
Received: from LO4P123CA0508.GBRP123.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM (2603:10a6:600:272::10)
by CWLP123MB5915.GBRP123.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM (2603:10a6:400:1c3::7) with
Microsoft SMTP Server (version=TLS1_2,
cipher=TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384) id 15.20.9769.42; Thu, 9 Apr >> 2026 20:16:22 +0000
I can of course provide the entire header, it's a kilometer long.
There are no other rules or filters as far as I know.
That is OK.
The mail headed Physics World and the mail hesded Morrisons More contain the >> line in question. None of the others do.
Move your cursor to the mail in question then press option+command+L. If everything is OK the background gets red. If that works it will also automatically as soon as a mail comes in.
That is what I can say besides that you should also check whether the
filter is valid for the account in question.
Good luck!
J||rg
On 12 Apr 2026 at 16:09:27 BST, "J||rg Lorenz" <hugybear@gmx.net> wrote:
On 12.04.26 14:39, Old John wrote:
The is the important bit:
b=P46tSIxW3Yco8/8FWN6B6+gOOstzsv7vk13cLspNhrEq2LtlHowvofYqVHof+ug7SdA8b2ord2c
73LXG8Bg18qZDmws4iJhq5hV621ue8NLVzNUG2E1JKAVQVg4tHcxyQgYx3C1QMA4Uiqxtl4Ea1fG9
2ks1Q/DM0q5zqZ0RATk=
Resent-From: <js.hill@physics.org>
Received: from LO4P123CA0508.GBRP123.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM (2603:10a6:600:272::10)
by CWLP123MB5915.GBRP123.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM (2603:10a6:400:1c3::7) with
Microsoft SMTP Server (version=TLS1_2,
cipher=TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384) id 15.20.9769.42; Thu, 9 Apr >>> 2026 20:16:22 +0000
I can of course provide the entire header, it's a kilometer long.
There are no other rules or filters as far as I know.
That is OK.
The mail headed Physics World and the mail hesded Morrisons More contain the
line in question. None of the others do.
Move your cursor to the mail in question then press option+command+L. If
everything is OK the background gets red. If that works it will also
automatically as soon as a mail comes in.
That is what I can say besides that you should also check whether the
filter is valid for the account in question.
Good luck!
J||rg
That works. The background goes red if the header is present, but not if it is
not.
But I have just sent myself a message from another account and although the Resent-From header is present there is no colour either automatically or on pressing option+command+L
I will get one of my children to send a message to the account. Though I cannot imagine why the sender should make any difference.
Am 13.04.26 um 08:43 schrieb Old John:
On 12 Apr 2026 at 16:09:27 BST, "J||rg Lorenz" <hugybear@gmx.net> wrote:
On 12.04.26 14:39, Old John wrote:
The is the important bit:
b=P46tSIxW3Yco8/8FWN6B6+gOOstzsv7vk13cLspNhrEq2LtlHowvofYqVHof+ug7SdA8b2ord2c
73LXG8Bg18qZDmws4iJhq5hV621ue8NLVzNUG2E1JKAVQVg4tHcxyQgYx3C1QMA4Uiqxtl4Ea1fG9
2ks1Q/DM0q5zqZ0RATk=
Resent-From: <js.hill@physics.org>
Received: from LO4P123CA0508.GBRP123.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM (2603:10a6:600:272::10)
by CWLP123MB5915.GBRP123.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM (2603:10a6:400:1c3::7) with >>>> Microsoft SMTP Server (version=TLS1_2,
cipher=TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384) id 15.20.9769.42; Thu, 9 Apr
2026 20:16:22 +0000
I can of course provide the entire header, it's a kilometer long.
There are no other rules or filters as far as I know.
That is OK.
The mail headed Physics World and the mail hesded Morrisons More contain the
line in question. None of the others do.
Move your cursor to the mail in question then press option+command+L. If >>> everything is OK the background gets red. If that works it will also
automatically as soon as a mail comes in.
That is what I can say besides that you should also check whether the
filter is valid for the account in question.
Good luck!
J||rg
That works. The background goes red if the header is present, but not if it is
not.
Exactly as intended.
But I have just sent myself a message from another account and although the >> Resent-From header is present there is no colour either automatically or on >> pressing option+command+L
Depends on the chosen implementation. I tend to accept that works also
as intended.
I will get one of my children to send a message to the account. Though I
cannot imagine why the sender should make any difference.
I guess it won't. It will only if the header is set by the system (guess).
J||rg
I have tried all sorts of tricks but I cannot get this rule to work reliably, and certainly not on arrival. Sometimes "Apply Rules" or <command><option>L works, sometimes it doesn't; sometimes Mark as read/unread triggers it, sometimes it doesn't.
One faint possibility remains. In an earlier post you said "That is what I can--
say besides that you should also check whether the filter is valid for the account in question". Also, if I change or create a rule, I see a dialog that says
""Do you want to apply your rules to messages in selected mailboxes?
Applying rules to the selected mailboxes may change their contents. Active rules will always be applied to new messages".
Maybe my filter is not valid for the account in question, or the mailbox is unselected? But I see no way to select one or more mailboxes or validate a filter for an account. And the Rule is certainly Active.
Am I missuing something? Or must I assue that the MacOS implementation of Rules is faulty?
On 14/04/2026 15:22, Old John wrote:
I have tried all sorts of tricks but I cannot get this rule to work reliably,
and certainly not on arrival. Sometimes "Apply Rules" or <command><option>L >> works, sometimes it doesn't; sometimes Mark as read/unread triggers it,
sometimes it doesn't.
Dumb question but worth checking. For one of the emails in question: highlight it then choose Menu -> View -> Message -> Raw Source and check
that the header you are looking for is actually a header i.e. appears in
the top section, above the blank line that separates the headers from
the footer?
One faint possibility remains. In an earlier post you said "That is what I can
say besides that you should also check whether the filter is valid for the >> account in question". Also, if I change or create a rule, I see a dialog that
says
""Do you want to apply your rules to messages in selected mailboxes?
Applying rules to the selected mailboxes may change their contents. Active >> rules will always be applied to new messages".
Maybe my filter is not valid for the account in question, or the mailbox is >> unselected? But I see no way to select one or more mailboxes or validate a >> filter for an account. And the Rule is certainly Active.
Am I missuing something? Or must I assue that the MacOS implementation of
Rules is faulty?
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