Mailing List Software Options

build  List Settings

MailList Controller has global settings (like e.g. data-folder) and list settings (like e.g. account for outgoing mail).
Double-click on the list to open the "List Settings" or click on "Change List Settings":

See also: List Settings

build  Core Settings

Click on "Change Core Settings" to change the data-folder, service startup-type or service user account.

Mailing lists, settings, message drafts, log files and other data will be stored in the "Data Directory".
The default location is: C:\Users\Public\Documents\Arclab MailList Controller\data

The data-folder won't be deleted when uninstalling the program!

See also: Core Settings

build  List Synchronization (Timer)

The program receives incoming messages like e.g. remove requests for the list(s) during a "Sync" (list synchronization).

Select the time interval for auto list synchronization. Enter "0" to disable.

Please restart the mail service (click on the "Service" icon) to update the timer!

See also: List Synchronization

build  Advanced Send Options

The mail account settings like server, user, password, etc. can be changed in the "List Settings".

settings  Retries

The number of retries specifies how often the program retries to send a message if the delivery failed.
The default value is 3 which means it tries to send the message 4 times (1+3 retries).

settings  Host Name

The HELO (host name) is a stage of the SMTP protocol where a SMTP server introduce themselves to each other.
The default value is "auto", which retrieves the hostname from your system. This setting is important if you want to use reverse DNS.

settings  Message-ID

The message ID is a special field inside the mail header. It’s an unique message identifier that refers to a particular version of a particular message. The default value is "auto", which uses your host name as part of the ID.  Sample: <3DA8420.1C6E10B@mars.arclab.com>

settings  X-Mailer

The x-mailer header field is used to identify the mail client used to create the message.
Default: <List Name>

• <List Name> : List name as defined in the list settings
• <Friendly Name> : Friendly name as defined in the list settings
• <No X-Mailer Mail Header Field> : Remove x-mailer header field
• <Randomize> : The program will generate a random x-mailer (experimental)

A few mail-filters might filter messages based on the x-mailer header field, but most will ignore it. If many persons are using the same x-mailer, then someone could add a rule to filter all messages sent from a particular mail client. For this reason the program does not use a static x-mailer.

The x-mailer can only contain the following chars: a-z, A-Z, 0-9, . ( ) [ ] - [SPACE] all other chars will be ignored.
Hint: If each of your messages get marked as spam, then try a different x-mailer setting, e.g. "NO X-Mailer".

build  Advanced Server Options

The following settings will NOT limit the number of outgoing messages.
A "Limit" or "Pause" for outgoing mail can be setup in the "List Settings".

settings  #per Con

The program disconnects from the server and re-connects (immediately) after the specified amount of messages.
The default value is 20 messages.

Don't change this setting unless you have problems e.g. with your anti-virus solution!

settings  Limit POP/IMAP

Specifies the maximum number of messages that the program should receive during a POP/IMAP session.
Use 0 for no limit. (not recommended)

Why? ...  because some mail server have problems returning larger packages of incoming messages at once.

build  Defaut Autoresponder Messages

Edit the default autoresponder messages.

The default messages are used for all lists if the autoresponder is enabled and no custom message was defined.

Edit the default autoresponder message, e.g. "Edit default Subscribe Message":

You can use the following placeholders inside an autoresponder message:

• ##LISTEMAIL##
• ##LISTNAME##
• ##LIST##
• ##ADDTAG##
• ##SUBSCRIBETAG##
• ##REMOVETAG##
• [EMAIL]
• Other fields are not available inside an autoresponder message.

build  Returned Mail Detection

Enable the option "Detect Returned Mail" to activate returned mail detection.

The program will change the contact status to "Returned" if a returned message was detected.
The option "Delete Contacts" can be used to delete the contact instead (when using a mailing list).

Detection Methods and Filters:

[R] means the message will be removed (when using POP3) or moved to the "MailList Controller" inbox subfolder when using IMAP.
The status of the contact will not be changed / the contact will not be removed!

[D] means the program will update the contact status to "Returned" (or delete the contact if selected).
The message will be removed (when using POP3) or moved to the "MailList Controller" inbox subfolder when using IMAP

• [R] Auto-Reply: The program will remove auto-replies like e.g. out of office. (Disabled by default)
• [R] Transient Message: Transient messages are temporary messages. (Disabled by default)
• [D] Mail Block: The message was blocked by a spam-filter or IP address-filter on the recipient’s mail server. (Enabled by default)
• [D] Hard Bounce: The recipients email address does not or no longer exist. (Enabled by default)
• [D] Soft Bounce: The recipient’s mail account is over quota, so the mail cannot be delivered at this time. (Enabled by default)
• [D] General Bounce: The message returned - reason not specified (Enabled by default)
• [R] Challenge-Response: Some accounts are spam-protected by a challenge-response system, this means the sender must type in e.g. a number on a website. (Disabled by default)
• [D] Custom Message Filter: detection based on (custom) keywords in the from and subject line. (Disabled by default)

The default detection routines should detect a very high percentage of returned messages - only use the "Custom Message Filter" if the regular detection does not work, e.g. if your mail server is returning messages in an uncommon way. Click on "Customize Filter Keywords" to open the keyword dialog, to enter additional keywords for the detection.

build  Subscribe Archive

The subscribe archive feature could be used to save the message source of incoming subscribe and subscribe-confirmation messages in .eml format to the computer. The archived messages could be used to proof, that the user has subscribed to your list.

Sample .eml Message Source:

…
Received: from pxxxx.xxx.xxxxx.xxx ([87.xxx.xx.xx] helo=[xxx.xxx.xx.xxx]); authenticated by xxxxx.xxxxxx.xxxxxx.xxx running ExIM with esmtpsa (TLSv1:RC4-MD5:128) id xxxxxxxxxxx-DU; Fri, 01 Nov 2013 18:00:56 +0100
…

The "Received" shows the path from the sender PC to your mail server. If you use a web form, then you should include the IP address of the user in the body, because the path will show the IP of the web server and not the users IP.

build  Global Blacklist

The "Blacklist" is a text file with a list of email addresses (or parts of it).

The blacklist will be applied to:

• Import Contacts: Blacklisted contacts (email addresses) won't be imported.
• Synchronize: Incoming mail sent from a blacklisted email address will be ignored.
• (new in Version 12.7) Send List Message: Blacklisted contacts (email addresses) will be excluded from the mailing.
  This means the mailing will be sent only to contacts with status "Subscriber" who are not blacklisted.
  Please note: Changes made to the blacklist after the mailing has initially started won't be applied to the current mailing.

//
// Syntax:
// sample@domain.tld to exclude a single Email
// @domain.tld to exclude a Domain
// unwanted to exclude a String inside the Email
//
badspammer@spamdomain.tld
@anotherspamdomain.tld
badperson

Important: The blacklist does not delete contacts from the database ... it's used as filter for incoming/outgoing.