Open WebMail Help

Ram Mail uses your RamLink user ID and password to access your e-mail account. If you do not know your user ID or password, go to https://ramlink.txwes.edu and click on Account Information at the bottom of the page. You may also contact the IT Help Desk listed at the bottom of this page.

Old messages have disappeared from my Inbox. Where are they?

Inbox messages you have opened are automatically moved to the Saved folder when you log out of your e-mail account. To view the contents of the Saved folder, pull down the drop-down list in the top left corner of the main window and click Saved.

How can I use Outlook or Outlook Express to read my mail?

The student and alumni e-mail system is web-based only, so you can't pull your mail directly into Outlook. If you have another e-mail account that uses Outlook, you can forward your mail from the school e-mail system to your other account.

How do I forward mail to another account?

In the main window, click the Pref button. In the User Preferences window, locate the "Forward mail to" field and type your forwarding e-mail address in the space provided. Please double-check the spelling. Mail forwarded to a non-existent address will disappear. To save your settings, click the Save button at the bottom of the page. If you decide to stop forwarding at any time, erase the forwarding address and click the Save button at the bottom of the page.

I keep getting these annoying messages about being over quota, and my New Message and Reply buttons have disappeared. What's up?

E-mail accounts are limited to approximately 12 megabytes per user. If you try to save messages and attachments that total more than 12 megabytes, the system will not allow you to send messages. Messages in all your folders contribute to the quota. You will need to delete stored messages to bring your mailbox below the quota. To select messages for deletion, click to put a check in the box to the right of each one. To select an entire page of messages, click the check box at the top of the column. The "To Trash" button does not work when your mailbox is over quota, so you'll need to use the Move button at the bottom of the screen. When your mailbox is over quota, the only move option is "-DELETE-". Click the Move button to permanently delete messages you have checked.

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Main Window

First Time Users: The first time you use Open WebMail, you will be presented with the User Preferences window. It is best to accept the defaults and click the Save button at the bottom of the page. You can change any of these items later if you want to.

On subsequent visits to Open WebMail, the main window is the view you see after you log in. Some of the features are self-explanatory. Many of the buttons display helpful hints when you rest the cursor on them. Others may require that you read further instructions below. Here's what's in the main window:

Left Folder Drop-Down List - The default view is of the contents of the Inbox, so the Inbox will appear in the folder drop-down list at the upper left of the screen. If you want to view the contents of a different folder, pull down the drop-down list and click the name of the folder you want to open.

New button - Opens the Compose Message window.

Pref button - Opens the User Preferences window, where you can adjust your mailbox defaults.

Folders button - Opens the Edit Folders window.

Address button - Opens the Address Book.

Filter button - Opens the Edit Mail Filter window. This feature allows you to automatically move certain messages to folders other than your Inbox. We recommend you do not attempt to use this feature unless you have experience writing filters. A number of filters have been pre-installed to help remove some viruses and spam messages.

POP3 button - Clicking this button manually retrieves e-mail from other servers. This can be done automatically through POP3 Setup in User Preferences.

Refresh button - Restores and cleans up the current view. Use to restore the main view after a search or whenever things don't look right.

To Trash button - Looks like a trash can. You can move messages to the Trash folder by first putting a check in the box to the right of each message and then clicking on this button.

Logout button - Always click this button when you are finished using your e-mail. This will prevent login difficulties and keep other people from reading your mail.

You may have to use the scroll bar at the bottom of the window to move the view so you can see the following items:

Right Folder Drop-Down List - This list, located at the bottom right of the main window, is used along with the buttons to its right to move or copy selected messages to other folders. Select messages by placing a check in the box to their right. Select a folder using the drop-down list. Click the appropriate button to complete the action.

Move button - See Right Folder Drop-Down List (above).

Copy button - See Right Folder Drop-Down List (above).

Messages list - In the middle of the main window, your messages are listed. To open a message, click on its subject. Clicking on the sender's name will open a reply window. Clicking on any of the column headings will change the order of the messages. The checkboxes to the right are used to select messages for deletion, moving or copying to other folders. The top checkbox is used to select all messages on the page.

Page field and Arrows - Use these to get to adjacent pages in the current folder or type in the number of the page you want to see.

Search fields and button - Use the Search button at the bottom left of the window to find a key word in any of the fields listed in the drop-down list. For example, if you want to find all messages from Rocky Ricardo, select From in the drop-down list, type "Rocky" into the adjacent field, and click the Search button. Remember to click the Refresh button when you want to see the entire contents of the folder again.

Click here for quick help - Opens this document.

Click here for tutorials - Opens a set of detailed tutorials on using the e-mail system.

Open WebMail Version [#] - Displays information about the Open WebMail software program.

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Message Display Window

The Message Display window appears when you open a message by clicking on its subject in a list of messages. Most of the buttons in the Message Display window are self-explanatory. Many of them display helpful hints when you rest the cursor on them. Here are a few of the features:

Back button - Brings you back to the folder you were in when you selected the message to read.

Print button - Displays a "printer-friendly" version of the message in a separate browser window. Use the print function in this browser window to print the message.

Buttons to the right of the From line - Depending on the message, as many as three buttons are displayed to the right of the From line:

- The first button has a green check mark on it. Clicking this button will add the name and address in the From line to your address book.

- The next button shows a person with a red X. Clicking this button will block future messages from the sender.

- The last button shows a computer with a red X. Clicking this button will block all mail from the server that sent the current message.

Note that blocking senders and servers does not always work as expected. People who send annoying messages often have ways of masking the real address that they are sending from. If you want to "unblock" senders or servers that you blocked previously, click the Filter button in the main window and delete them from the list of filters.

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Compose Message Window

Open the Compose Message window by clicking the New button in the main window.

Here's what you see in the Compose Message window:

Back button - Clicking this button will return you to the main window. Any entries you have made in the fields will be lost. If you want to save a draft before returning to the main window, use the Save Draft button.

Priority drop-down list - You can assign a priority to your message that may display as a marker depending on the recipient's e-mail program.

Click in the following fields to begin writing in them:

From - Lists the default return name and address. May be modified here for individual messages. The default may be changed in User Preferences.

To - Lists address of person you want to receive this message.Type in an e-mail address or click the adjacent book icon to use an address from your Address Book.

BCC - Blind Carbon Copy. Addresses typed in here will receive the message, but recipients will not see the addresses listed in the BCC field.

Reply-To - When people want to reply to a message you have sent, they will click the Reply button in their e-mail window. If you leave the Reply-To field blank, their reply will go to the address listed in the From field. If you fill in a different address in the Reply-To field, their reply will go there instead. You can fill in a default address for the Reply-To field in User Preferences.

Attachment - Type the path to the file attachment or use the Browse button to find it. Click the Add button when the path is complete. You may add more attachments using the same steps. There is a 10-megabyte limit on attachments.

Subject - Type in the subject of your message.

The large window below the Subject field is for the body of your message. The default signature may be changed in User Preferences.

Send button - Click the Send button when you are ready to send your message.

Save Draft button - Saves the message without sending it. Use this when you want to continue writing or editing at a later time.

Spell Check button - Spell check allows you to check and correct the spelling of words you have typed in the body of a message. You must use spell check before sending the message. This function is much improved over earlier versions.

Cancel button - Erases message, sends you back to main window.

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Address Book

The Address Book allows you to save names, e-mail addresses and other information for convenient reference. You may also create mailing lists, or group addresses, to make it easy to send messages to a number of people at once. The Address Book may contain more than one address book. To see entries in a particular address book, or entries in all address books, pull down the drop down list at left above the toolbar and click your choice. "Converted" signifies an address book imported from another e-mail program or a previous version of Open WebMail.

To open the Address Book editing window, click the AddrBook button at the top of the main window. To add a new entry in the address book, click the New button at the left end of the toolbar. This opens a window with many blank fields. You must enter a name for the person, but all other fields are optional. Enter an e-mail address for the person if you want to be able to send e-mail using the Address Book. If you need to enter more than one e-mail address or phone number, click the small blue plus sign next to the heading. Select a default by clicking the radio button to the right of the entry. When finished entering information, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the Save button.

There is an alternate method of entering names. When you select a particular address book by clicking it in the drop-down list in the main Address Book window, you will see a shaded area containing four fields: First, Last, Phone, and Email. Fill in at least one of the name fields and click the Quick Add button to add an entry to the Address Book.

To edit a listing in your Address Book editing window, click on the person's name. This pulls up the editing window, where you can make any changes. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page and click the Save button when finished. When you're finished in the Address Book, click the WebMail button to go back to the main window.

To use the Address Book to address a message, first open a Compose Message window by clicking the New button in the main window. Click on the book symbol at the right of the To:, Cc:, and Bcc: boxes to open the Address Book. When the Address Book opens, put a check next to each recipient's name to insert the address into the box. Click the Done button to get back to the Compose Message window.

An alternate way of addressing a message is to open the Address Book editing window and click on the address of the person you want to mail to. This will pull up the Compose Message window and place the address in the To: box.

How to Create a Group Address in the Address Book

You may create groups of addresses in your Address Book to make it easier to send messages to a number of people at once. For instance, if you are on the Party Committee, you might want to have one listing for "Party Committee" rather than having to find and click on each member's name when you send a message.

In the Address Book window, click the New Group button. Type a name for the group, e.g., "Party Committee", in the Group Name box. In the next field, type in the e-mail addresses for your group. Hit Enter after each address so that they appear as a column. You may also select addresses from the Address Book by clicking the small book icon above the field. This opens a window where you can select members by putting a check in the box to the right of each entry. Click the Done button to go back to the Edit Group window.When finished adding members, click the Save button at the bottom of the window.

Use group listings just as you would use individual listings to address messages.

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User Preferences Window

Open the User Preferences window by clicking the Pref button in the main window. Many of the items in the User Preferences window are self-explanatory. If you're not sure what they do, then don't change the defaults. Changes will be saved only when you click the Save button at the bottom of the User Preferences page. Here are some preferences that you might wish to change:

Language - This changes the language that Open WebMail screens contain, such as the names of the various buttons and windows. It does not translate messages.

Time-Zone Offset - The number of hours that your current time zone differs from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). This is used to put the correct time stamp on messages you send. You might want to change this if you move to a different time zone. The correct offset can be determined using the clock/calendar feature in Microsoft Windows. Double-click the digital clock at the right end of the Windows taskbar and click the Time Zone tab.

"From" - Shows what displays in the From field on messages you send. To change it, click the button to the right. This will open an editing window. Your current "real name" and e-mail address are listed below the editing fields. Click your e-mail address to put it in the editing fields. Edit your real name so it appears as you would like recipients to see it, then click the Add/Modify button. Finish by clicking the Back to User Preferences button.

It is possible to save a number of "real names" along with different e-mail addresses. Then the appropriate one can be selected when you are ready to send a message. This is handy if you have other e-mail accounts and want the recipient to reply to one of them rather than your school account. Only one real name can be entered per address.

Style, Icon Set, Background and Font size - These preferences allow you to customize the appearance of Open WebMail.

Messages per page - Limits the number of messages that will display on one page of any mail folder you open. Used to eliminate scrolling up and down a long list.

Default destination - Allows you to choose the default folder where messages will be moved when you select them in a list. This is the folder name that displays in the drop-down list at the bottom right of the Main window.

Trash mail reserved day(s) - The number of days messages will be saved in your Trash folder before they are automatically deleted.

Session timeout - The length of time your mail session will remain active without any action on your part. The session timeout is used to ensure that your mailbox will be closed if you forget to log out.

Forward mail to - If you wish to receive mail at another account, type in the e-mail address here. Messages sent to your Open WebMail account will be forwarded to the address you type in. Please double-check the spelling. Mail forwarded to a non-existent address will disappear. You may check "keep local copy" to retain a copy of each forwarded message in your Open WebMail account. If you check this item, you may need to visit your Open WebMail account periodically to remove accumulated messages.

Auto Reply - Use this check box to send an automatic message to each person who sends e-mail to you. This is normally used to announce that a personal reply may be delayed by vacation plans or other events. The term '$SUBJECT' that appears in the default auto reply will insert the original subject line into the auto reply.

Signature - Words typed into this space will appear at the bottom of messages you compose. Many users put their name and contact information here.

POP3 Setup button - Opens the Edit POP3 Book window. With this feature, you can retrieve mail from e-mail accounts you may have on other servers.

To save changes, click the Save button at the bottom of the User Preferences window.

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Filtering Unwanted Messages (Spam)

You can create filters to send spam to the trash folder based on words that appear in the various fields in the message. Log in to your account and click the Filters button. The fields at the top of the page are the ones you use to create filters. Let's say you want to send messages to the trash if they contain the phrase "stock market" in the body of the message. Here's a list of the fields and how to use them:

Count Priority - This tells Ram Mail what order to apply the filter in. Just leave at "10" if in doubt.

Rules - Select where you want the filter to look for "stock market". In this case, "text content".

Inc/Exc - You want the filter to act on messages that include the phrase, so select "Include".

String - Here's where you enter the phrase, "stock market" (without the quotes).

Action - What you want the filter to do with the message. Select "Move".

Destination - Where you want the message moved to. Select "Trash".

Enable - Check to enable the filter.

Action - Click the Add/Modify button to add the filter to the list.

You can do interesting things with filters. If you want to receive mail only from accounts that end in "txwes.edu", you could make a pair of filters. The first one would save messages from txwes.edu in the Inbox. The second would send everything else to the trash.

First filter:

Count Priority - 10

Rules - From

Inc/Exc - Include

String - txwes.edu

Action - Move

Destination - Inbox

Enable - Check

Action - Click the Add/Modify button.

Second filter:

Count Priority - 11

Rules - From

Inc/Exc - Exclude

String - txwes.edu

Action - Move

Destination - Trash

Enable - Check

Action - Click the Add/Modify button.

The second rule moves everything to the Trash folder, but it excludes any messages with "txwes.edu" in the From field. This is a simplified example, and most people would not want to trash everything except messages from "txwes.edu", but it gives an idea of the capabilities.

Filters are easy to mess up, and they can cause weird problems. To remove any filter, click the Delete button to the right of the filter in the list. To edit a filter, click the String. This puts the filter in the editing fields, where you can change it. To save changes, click the Add/Modify button.

Remember that filters are applied to messages before they go to the Inbox. Any messages already in the Inbox or other folders are not filtered. Please do not attempt to change the built-in filters.

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Contact Information

This installation of Open WebMail is maintained by Texas Wesleyan University
Information Technology Department.

For assistance on the main campus, please contact:

ICT Helpdesk 817-531-4428

School of Law students please use the following contacts for support:

Barry Simpson 817-212-3828

Jeffrey Seifert 817-212-4084

Prepared by Glenn Goodspeed. Revised 7-27-2006.