Chapter 4. Using Columba

Table of Contents

Reading Mail
Reading Mail with the Keyboard
Sorting the Message List
Filtering the Message List
Deleting your Mail
Saving or Opening attachments
Checking for New Mail
Composing New Email Messages
Composing a Message
Sending Composed Messages Later
Adding Attachments
Specifying Recipients for Email
Address Auto-completion
Replying to Email Messages
Forwarding Mail
Using Multiple Accounts

Figure 4.1. Main Window of Columba

Main Window of Columba

Folder Tree:

New messages can be found in the Inbox folder. The Inbox label will be bold when the mailbox contains recent messages. The number in the brackets reflects the total number of unread messages. When moving the mouse cursor above the mailbox a tooltip with additional information appears.

Message List:

Figure 4.2. Message List

Message List

New messages in the message list view are marked in bold. A little envelope symbol in the first column shows if the message has already been read (has "open" envelope) or not (has "closed" envelope). When selecting a message in the message list, it will automatically be shown in the message view. If the message has an attachment, it will have a little paperclip icon in the second column.

Message Viewer:

The message view shows the header of all messages, with the most important information listed first: Subject, Sender, Date and From.The message body text follows with the message signature underneath. If the message contains attachments a paperclip symbol in the message header notifies the user.

Attachment Viewer:

The attachment viewer lets you select attachments to individually open, view or save to files with the context menu.

Reading Mail

Start reading messages by selecting a mail folder in the tree view. To read a message select it in the message list; if you would like to see it in its own window, double-click it.

Reading Mail with the Keyboard

You can navigate the message list by pressing the arrow keys up and down. To jump to the next unread message press n. You can go to the previous unread message by pressing p.

Sorting the Message List

Figure 4.3. Table View

Table View

Columba helps your organise your messages by letting you sort your email. To sort by sender, subject or date, click on the buttons with those labels on top of the message list. The direction of the arrow next to the label indicates the direction of the sort, and if you click again, you will sort them in the reverse order.

Tip

To look at the complete headers for email messages, select View->Message Display->Show Full Headers. To see absolutely every bit, choose View->Show Message Source.

You can also choose a threaded message view. Select View->Threaded View to turn the threaded view on and off. When you select this option, Columba groups the replies to a message with the original so you can follow the thread of conversation.

Figure 4.4. Threaded View

Threaded View

Filtering the Message List

Figure 4.5. Filter Toolbar

Filter Toolbar

To show new messages only:

  • Select the left-most read message button

To show only new messages from donald@duck.com:

  • Enter "donald@duck.com" in the textfield and press Enter

All filter operations can be easily combined in this way. To view all messages again, press the Clear button.

Tip

Pressing the Advanced.. button will open a search dialog, with the currently viewed folder already selected for you.

Deleting your Mail

Once you have read your mail, you may want to get rid of it. To delete a message:

  • Select the message(s), you want to delete

  • Select Messages->Delete Messages, or right click on the message and select Delete Messages or hit the Delete key.

Tip

Selecting more messages at once:

  • Hold down the Shift key to select a range of messages you want to delete

  • Hold down the Ctrl key to select multiple messages individually

Tip

Use the Delete button in the toolbar!

Figure 4.6. Toolbar

Toolbar

This does not delete your messages immediately. Instead it moves messages to the Trash folder.

Saving or Opening attachments

If you get an attachment with your email message, Columba can help you save or open it with the appropriate application.

Figure 4.7. Attachment Viewer

Attachment Viewer

To save an attachment to disk:

  • Right-click the attachment icon and select Save As..

  • Choose a location and a name for the file

  • click OK

To open an attachment in a program:

  • Open the mail message with the attachment you want to read

  • Right-click the attachment icon and Select Open With...

  • Select the program you would like to use. It will start up and open the document.

Tip

Double-clicking the attachment icon will open the attachment with the previously chosen program.