[pmmail-list] Using address book

[Andreas Ludwig]

Jonathan,

OK, first - sorry for my reaction, but I really couldn't accept you to
say that the address management in PMMail is aweful when - used the
right way - it is one of the reasons PMMail is still the best eMail
client for me. Your message sounded (and still sounds) like you have
never cared about exploiting the power of this program but claim it is
aweful - which (at least in this respect) it is definitely not.

On Sun, 28 Apr 2002 15:53:34 -0700, J Seder wrote:

>>>   - As I type in a name, a popup list should appear with all the
>>>address book entries which match the typed fragment in any field - like
>>>a browser's history list.
>
>>Ever TRIED this? Just type and PMMail will complete from the adress
>>book. Not as sophisticated as Mozillas URL input field but surely
>>easier than the method you used so far.
>
>Yes, I have tried this.  PMMail only _completes_ aliases, so it just
>doesn't work in practical application.  One must type the alias
>exactly, from left to right - and even then PMMail shows only one
>answer, the first match.  I have 504 names in my address book;  I can
>reliably guess only a few dozen aliases.  None of the Janices in my
>address book have aliases that begin "jan..." - but it wouldn't help if
>they did.

One question: What do you think aliases are for? For remembering one's
nickname that her/his parents gave her/him ;-) 
They are exactly for the sake of quick access. Why don't you just copy
the real name (ALL parts - so you shouldn't have to many doubles) to
this field if you don't know any alias that you can easily remember?
And yes - of course this would help a lot, because you could reach the
same as searching for the name, just much faster and more comfortable
from the message compose window.

>>>   - If I double-click in the To: or Cc:/Bcc: field, the address 
>>>book should open.
>>Just RIGHT click - all addresses (that you want to show up) at your
>>fingertips - even one click less!
>
>That doesn't produce the address book - just the relatively few names I
>have put in my popup lists.  I want the computer to do the search for

Well, it's your decision not to use the features the program provides. 

>me!  I don't want to have to squint at a list of 500 names - I want to
>type "Janice" and have the computer give me a list of the four Janices
>in my Address Book.
>
>Why do you argue with that principle?

I'm not arguing with the principle of 'searching for addresses'. I'm
just arguing that this might not be the best way of accessing
frequently used addresses - and no reason for finding PMMail 'aweful'.

>>>   - If I am composing a message and I click the RMB over a name in the
>>>address book, the popup should offer me the option of adding the name
>>>to the To: list.
>>Just drag the name to the TO: or CC: or BCC: list (not the entry
>>field), Done - again even easier than you want.
>
>No, not easier, because the windows have to be lined up just so.  

Well. Where is the problem?

>And D&D doesn't work for Search results.

Now THIS is a real shortcomming of PMMail. (Never noticed, just
confirmed - your first mail was about addresses in the address book,
not in the search dialog) So it would surely make it for a feature
suggestion (would make the interface more consistent and, of course,
the search tool a lot more usable).  
For the moment you could double click on the address found and copy
(drag and drop if Win2k supports this) the address or the alias as text
to the to field (real name is not very useful as you could have many
addresses per person). PMMail will complete the address if you press
Enter.

>>>    - Esc should dismiss the Search dialog.
>>It DOES. Could you please verify your claims before 
>>posting these things?
>
>I did test this, and just confirmed it.  Esc does not dismiss the
>Search dialog with 2.20.2475 for Windows 2000.  Could you please verify
>your claims before asserting that someone else is wrong, or, if you
>can't do that verification, wait for someone in such a position to make
>a more authoritative statement?

Well, it works here and might be a problem with your build or OS. Your
claim was, that it is a PMMail problem w/o any info on your OS/PMMail
build. In this generality it is simply not true - hence my reaction.
Sorry, could have figuered that out from your eMail header.

So, sorry again for my harsh tone, but still I cannot accept that the
address handling of PMMail is aweful. If you use it right, it's just
nice. But yes, everything can be improoved, and I'm glad that two
_real_ suggestions for small changes came out of this discussion.

Best regards

Andreas

--

Andreas Ludwig
from the beautiful town of Vienna (Austria)
using PMMail/2 on eComStation 1.01 on a IBM PC Server 330

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