The case for displaying senders' real email addresses (with domain)

[mike....@notreally.com]

The emphasis on the use of the display name and the exclusion of the
"real" SMTP email address with the domain in Outlook is frustrating
and inefficient.

I join others who have indicated that they would really like an option
to show the real address in folders.

In come previous threads on this topic, Outlook "MVPs" sometimes
wonder why anyone would want this.

For the Outlook MVP's who don't understand why this is important,
let's review why displaying the address field column in form
"sender @domain.com" would be a good thing.

The display addresses alone are inconsistant. Sometimes the same
display name refers to different actual email addresses, frustrating
attempts to logically sort or group them.

When reviewing the contents of the junk mail folder before deleting,
the display addresses are pretty useless. This tedious process would
be a little easier if we could see the domain part of the email
address. It wouldn't be perfect, but it would be one way to assist
users in the difficult task of managing junk mail. You would
certainly be more likely to spot email you really wanted. Here is an
example of a few names that appeared in my junk folder:

Jacob Davis
Jeffry Kane
Jenelle Thao
Jerry Kendall
Joa Kell
Joanna Belanger
Kara Tackett

This is what I SHOULD be able to see:

Jacob Davis bimse @ims.li
Jeffry Kane christopher @oceansintl.com
Jenelle Thao pfuuf6amdq @gloryroad.net
Jerry Kendall bfcme @fcm.ca
Joa Kell linna @mahle.com
Joanna Belanger andrew @vicusoft.com
Kara Tackett joseph @telebermuda.com

Why is this better? First, I can see that some of them are
from overseas and probably junk. Second, others have display names
that clearly do not match their email address and are probably bogus.
Third, it is easy to see that none of the domains belong to my
friends, family, or business associates.

This next part is really strange. Outlook has a junk mail feature
available when you right click a message in a folder: "Add Sender's
Domain (@example.com) to Safe Senders List". Trouble is, YOU CAN'T
SEE THE DOMAIN so you wouldn't know what you were doing!

If anyone knows how to add a column to the Outlook 2007 (without
exchange) folders that shows the email address (with domain), please
respond. Thanks!

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

The E-mail field always shows the full electronic address. It's the Email
Display As field that doesn't.
Did you add the Email field to a table view using field chooser?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
<mike....@notreally.com> wrote in message
news:k18ep4h2l95bdkm0h...@4ax.com...

[mike....@notreally.com]

This is very encouraging, Russ. Maybe I'm almost there.

It sounds exactly like I would have expected. I must be doing
something wrong, though. I have lots of fields in my field chooser
under different categories. Unfortunately, neither the "Email Display
As" nor the "E-mail" fields are among them.

The field I use to show the sender is called "From" and that is what
is giving the display name.

Here's how I get to the field chooser.

I right-click on the bar with the field names on top of the folder
table and select "Field Chooser" from the menu.

Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

R click any column header in any table view and select Field Chooser from
the Context menu.
It still seems to me as if you're expecting Outlook to choose a format for
the senders email address display. That, of course, is determined by the
sender and not the recipient.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
<mike....@notreally.com> wrote in message

news:a38fp4dho1pj61auj...@4ax.com...

[mike....@notreally.com]

Russ,

Please look at the original post again and read this one carefully. If
I wrote something that you do not understand, please let me know.

In my junk email folder example, I show the current email address
display and the desired real address display.

Some of the email I receive is sent by people who are less than honest
when they select their display email address. Perhaps you get some of
these too. So I want to display the (often bogus) display names, but
right next to them, I want to add a column that displays the email
address that includes the domain. Outlook has that information and
you can see it in other displays but not (as far as I've been able to
determine) in the table view of an email folder (like junk).

Now, you have told me twice that the answer to my question was to
field chooser. I have told you that in email folders, field chooser
does not appear to give me a choice for any other address for the
sender besides "From".

Did I not describe the issue clearly?

Are there other Outlook MVP's or other readers who can explain:

(1) The apparent disconnect between my description of the issue and
Russ Valentine's suggestions?

(2) A possible solution, (Either built-in, or commercial add-in)?

Thanks

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

I think you just don't understand how email software works. The Email and
Email Display As fields you are trying to display are not message fields.
They are Contact fields. So you can display them for your Contacts.
Displaying the Sender's email address in a Table view is of no value even if
you could do so. Why do you remain convinced it is necessary? If you want to
know what the sender's address email address is, just look in the Internet
Header.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
<mike....@notreally.com> wrote in message

news:hd5gp4tf2bmcqkq88...@4ax.com...

[mike....@notreally.com]

Russ,

Here are a few things that I do understand.

1. The "E-Mail" field is available in the contacts folder and in the
Field Chooser there.

2. You were absolutely incorrect to (twice) suggest that the E-Mail
field was available in email folders like the junk folder I
specifically asked about.

3. Since you remain unconvinced of a possible value in seeing what I
would like to see folder tables, you may not be the best person to
suggest a solution.

I renew my request to other MVP's and Outlook experts for possible
options to get the complete "From:" data in the header into Outlook's
folder table.

Russ, I appreciate your quick response, but I wish you had taken a
little more time to read what I wrote and I hope others who have
solutions are not disuaded from responding because they think you
actually helped.

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

I suspect the problem is on your end, not mine. I have posted nothing that
is incorrect. The Email field is most certainly available in message
folders. Find it under "All Contact Fields." Add it to your Table view if
you wish. You will see that it is of no use.
You do me a disservice to suggest I didn't read your posts carefully.
Understanding them from a distance is another matter entirely. It is
impossible to know what misperceptions you have about how email clients work
that has lead you down this path. Nor have you made it clear what you are
trying to achieve that you can't do with Outlook. Is there some other email
client that does what you want that you could use as an example to
illuminate us?
One simple fact remains: A sender's email address format is controlled by
the sender. No email client can rearrange that format to your whim. If you
need to know the actual email address of the sender, examine the Internet
header of the message. --

Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
<mike....@notreally.com> wrote in message

news:sangp45f501iav86r...@4ax.com...

[mike....@notreally.com]

Russ,

In the Internet header of a junk email I received today is this line:

From: "Hollie Diamond" <caveatgf36 @paperwatches.com>

(There is no space before the @ sign. I put it there so Google Groups
would let it go...)

This is the only place in the header that Hollie's name is found.

So, what does the From field in Outlook contain? In the "From" column
of the Junk E-mail folder is the name "Hollie Diamond" (with no quote
marks)

You said that "no email client can rearrange that format". Well
Microsoft Outlook did just that. It REMOVED the second part of FROM
data when it populated the column it calls "From".

You suggested that if I wanted to see this I should look at the
Internet header. I know I can see this if I manually examine the
header information for each message. I just don't want to do that. It
is inconvient. I just want a way to see the COMPLETE "From" data in
the table.

I know that this data is user controlled and cannot be depended on to
be accurate. But it can still save time.

Look at this example. Who is Hollie Diamond? I don't know. Maybe it
is someone I should have remembered. But now, look at the COMPLETE
"From" data. Hollie's email address starts with "caveatgf36".

Guess what! It looks BOGUS. Any Hollie I know wouldn't use
caveatgf36 for an email address.

Also, it is clear that Hollie's domain (paperwatches.com) is not among
my business partners. So I can see that Hollie does not work for an
important client.

Now, I have HUNDREDS of these to look at and not a lot of time.
Wouldn't it be a little more convenient to see the COMPLETE "From"
data? (Not just data reformatted for my "whim").

Is this any clearer?

It is all right with me if you do not know if or how this could be
done. I just have a little problem with being told first that I could
do it with Field Chooser and then when it became clear that could
never work that I really don't want or need it anyway.

HELP MVPs! All I asked for was a way to add a column in message
folders that showed the contents of the From header data that
sometimes contains the sender's email address with domain.

Thanks

[mike....@notreally.com]

Russ,

You asked for an example of an email client that does what I want (as
far as display of fields in a table is concerned)

PMMail 2000

Among the fields to chose from for the folder display are:

From Name
From E-Mail

I have attached a screen shot of the inbox.

Does this help?

On Sun, 15 Feb 2009 18:25:08 -0500, "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]"

[Cindy62707]

> ><mike.use...@notreally.com> wrote in message

> >>>Header.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Hi Mike,
I have been watching this topic with interest because I can see the
benefit of having this type of field (showing the email address of the
sender...faked or real). Most real people wouldn't know how to "fake"
a sending address anyway so looking at their email address/domain
would help me to determine who this person is when I receive email
from several orgainizations/volunteer groups that I belong to. And
yes I know I can look at the Headers...which I do when I am trying to
figure out who the person it...it would just be a very convenient
field to show automatically if we chose to. Mike I just wanted to let
you know that I knew exactly what you meant when you posted your
original request so you wouldn't feel that you weren't doing a good
job of explaining what you are looking for.

Cindy

[mike....@notreally.com]

Thank you, Cindy.

I'm surprised at the curious silence from the other MVPs. I have seen
so many excellent, carefully crafted responses from MVPs here. It
seems that they really care and want to help. Is it possible that
they have a policy not to contradict one another?

And Russ seemed to disengage after I satisfied his request for an
example of an email client that displayed the email address. (PMMail).

Mike

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Oh get real. Pay attention. MVP's contradict each other and post in the same
threads all the time. The reason no one else chimed in here is that this is
not a feature anyone needs or cares about. As I stated before, you can show
the email address in Table form for your Contacts Folder. You cannot show it
for message folders, nor is there a need to. Outlook will harvest the
sender's email address from the header automatically whenever you need to
add a sender to your blocked sender or safe sender list.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
<mike....@notreally.com> wrote in message

news:v3mup4l4ebop5b4iv...@4ax.com...

[mike....@notreally.com]

Cindy,

While researching the numerous requests for a feature that Russ says
is "not a feature anyone needs or cares about.", I found a solution
that works. It was suggested by Diane Poremsky (MVP):

http://www.slipstick.com/exs/customfields.htm

It does exactly what many people have requested and what Russ will
probably continue to assert is impossible and not needed or wanted.

When you get to the page, download the file with the link "Sender's
email address".

Then, follow the instruction in the "Install CFG" section.

I now have a new column in my message folders that says "From E-mail
Address" that can be used to sort, compare with the "From" field, etc.

I believe that Microsoft should include this field as a standard
selection in the Field Chooser.

By the way, I found almost a dozen requests for this feature in just a
few minutes. I suppose it was a waste of time to document these
requests just to refute Russ's claim that no one "needs or cares
about" the sender's email address.

Many of the reequests for information on displaying the email address
were answered by Russ with the same incorrect information: It cannot
be done because the sender chooses the format. I also noticed that
his responses are often insulting and dismissive like his last one
here. It makes you wonder why he voluntarily participates in a forum
in the role of a helper but instead offers up incorrect information,
challenges, and admonitions to people looking for help.

Here's just one example of Russ's work on this subject (that no one
cares about):

Jim 3/21/2007
Is there anyway to have outlook when I'm viewing a message sent to me
show the full email address in the From:, To:, and CC: lines. Right
now if the message was addressed using an alias, only that will show
up, and the full mail address.

Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] 3/21/2007
The sender controls that format, not the recipient.

dlw 3/21/2007
It's really a simple question that has bugged me for years- why can't
we get a "real" email address to show up in field chooser?

Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] 3/21/2007
What part of my reply did you not understand?

There are more like this. You have to wonder why the MVP gods let
this go on.

Mike

[av6353]

This is something that's been bothering me for a long, long time too
and, like Cindy, I have been following this thread. I just followed
your suggestion and it worked! What a great day! Thanks, Mike!!! I
appreciate your perseverance.

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Hey. Good one. I forgot about custom forms and CFG files. Not exactly for
the faint of heart or average user, I would say, but should work.
In reality, the number of requests for this feature is vanishingly small
compared to other requests because Outlook as designed has workarounds for
most of the needs to display this field in a Table View.
Oh, and the insults are certainly a nice touch and very much appreciated.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
<mike....@notreally.com> wrote in message

news:6mb0q49n0thdoh63q...@4ax.com...

[Cindy62707]

> >add a sender to your blocked sender or safe sender list.- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

Hi Mike...What version of Outlook are you using? The instructions say
Sender ID only works with Exchange 2003 SP2

I am using Outlook 2007 with a Pop3 account. I guess I could try it
and see but wanted to see if you had any input.

Thanks,
Cindy

[mike....@notreally.com]

Cindy,

That's exactly what I have - Outlook 2007 with POP3 accounts. I do
not use Exchange Server.

You don't use the Sender ID, you use the "Sender's email address" so
the Note there does not apply.

Let me know how it goes.

[Cindy62707]

> >Cindy- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

I am following the instructions to save the file to the correct path
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\FORMS\1033
but when I go there to install it, it is not listed. So I went back
to save it there again and when I go in that way it is there. I went
ahead and let it over ride it again. When to install it again but the
file is not there. I have tripple checked the path and I am saving to
and looking to install from the exact same path.

I even went back and saved it one more time and this time I chose to
"open folder" to see if I could see it, but it is not there when I try
to view it that way. There are many other cfg files there so I know I
should be able to see it.

Any ideas on why I can't "see it" to choose it to install?

Thanks,
Cindy

[av6353]

> I am following the instructions to save the file to the correct path
> C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\FORMS\1033
>  but when I go there to install it, it is not listed.  So I went back
> to save it there again and when I go in that way it is there.  I went
> ahead and let it over ride it again.  When to install it again but the
> file is not there.  I have tripple checked the path and I am saving to
> and looking to install from the exact same path.
>
> I even went back and saved it one more time and this time I chose to
> "open folder" to see if I could see it, but it is not there when I try
> to view it that way.  There are many other cfg files there so I know I
> should be able to see it.
>
> Any ideas on why I can't "see it" to choose it to install?
>
> Thanks,

> Cindy-

Hi Cindy: The first time I tried saving the CFG file, I also had a
problem. I had opened it first and did a save as, but it wasn't saving
as a CFG file. To save it correctly, right-click the file and select
Save Target As. The file name should be email.cfg and should be saved
in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\FORMS\1033 location as
you show above. Use Windows Explorer and make sure it's there.

Once you confirm it's there, then you can follow the 7 steps for
adding it into Outlook.

To install a cfg file:

1 Go to Tools, Options, Other, Advanced Options, Custom Forms, Manage
Forms.
2 Click the Install button. Browse to and select the EMAIL.CFG file
you just added and install it into your Personal Forms (check upper
right field which is probably the default selection anyway) and click
Close.
3 Click OK and return to the main Outlook screen
4 Right-click on the Column row in your Inbox (or other any other
folder) and choose "Field Chooser"
5 Scroll down and choose "Forms"
6 Select Personal Forms, choose the Extension Form you added, then
click Add
7 Add the field to your column headings to see the values.

Good luck!

[Cindy62707]

> Good luck!- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

I didn't run it, only did the "save target as" option and then let it
close the first two times I saved it.

The third time, I still didn't open it, but I did click on "open
folder" to see if it would open the folder and let me see it where I
knew it was saving it. It still wouldn't show it to me and I was in
the folder directly to where it was being saved...very weird!

I'll mess around with it some more later...not been feeling too well
lately and really need to try and get to bed earlier (and it is
already 11:15 p.m.!).

Later,
Cindy

[Mari_fe49]

Hi, I'm new to this forum so please excuse me for my not really knowing if
this is the right way of answering you. I have a software I use called
INCREDIMAIL and it has a field called "Sender's email address" and yes it is
very helpful because you can tell right away that the "from" (may be
familier) but as soon as you see their real address you know it's Junk. I
have been tring to find that same feature in Outlook 2007 and I haven't been
able to. So for real important mail I use INCEDIMAIL until I could find a
solution. You can get it for free but I believe only the paid
subscribtion(19.95) allows that field. So until someone at Outlook can figure
out how to do it, try that. or if you already know how to, please tell me.
Thanks

[Pat Willener]

Right-click on the address and select Outlook Properties; this will show
both display name and email address.

[Mari_fe49]

I do not understand. I am not familiar with "field chooser" if you mean
Customize current view, yes. I chose what columns I wanted and sender's email
account was not listed. I do not understand how to look for that field any
other way. If you mean that I should created a new field I do not know how to
have thier email account displayed? do you?

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

The senders email address is not exposed by default but you can easily show
it - see http://www.slipstick.com/exs/customfields.htm

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Outlook Tips: http://www.outlook-tips.net/
Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center: http://www.slipstick.com

Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:dailytips-sub...@lists.outlooktips.net

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:EMO-NEWSLETTER-S...@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM

Let's Really Fix Outlook 2010
http://forums.slipstick.com/forumdisplay.php?f=34

"Mari_fe49" <Mari...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:037E3A71-8128-4A01...@microsoft.com...

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

You need to add a custom field to show the senders address - see
http://www.slipstick.com/exs/customfields.htm for instructions.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Outlook Tips: http://www.outlook-tips.net/
Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center: http://www.slipstick.com

Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:dailytips-sub...@lists.outlooktips.net

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:EMO-NEWSLETTER-S...@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM

Let's Really Fix Outlook 2010
http://forums.slipstick.com/forumdisplay.php?f=34

"Mari_fe49" <Mari...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:C72FAA9D-424D-48E0...@microsoft.com...

[Mari_fe49]

Thanks, That's exactly what I want. Why do you think there are other
software's other than Microsoft's that provides what we want. If Microsoft
wants to stay on top they should really address this issue. I teach seniors
the internet and I encourage them to purchase this other software just
because it's easier for the older people to quickly see that the person
sending them emails are not always who they think it's from. Which I really
think is very important. The elders are such easy game for these sort of junk
and/or scams. So won't someone come up with a code to fix this lack of a
field. Thanks

[Mari_fe49]

I saw where I could add a column but I do not know how to do this, but it
appears to indicate that this is what I want. I am not pc savey to understand
how to code this into the field, I need a screen print of the steps to do it.
Can you provide that? Thanks

[Mari_fe49]

Thanks Diane, I just don't know how to apply this information. It looks like
this is it, but I don't know how to do it. If I send you my emil address can
you screen print the steps?

[Mari_fe49]

Hi again, I tried to do this but I'm getting stuck on the "enable senderId" I
can't find how to enable that field. When I paste the code I get an error
unknown field(senderid), so I know I have to enable it but don't know how,
please advise. Thanks

[Rumba]

Thanks Mike, i've been looking for a solution to something like this
for ages.

Awesome!

[xxexbushpig]

Hi Mike
I can't believe anyone could be as patient as you, in the face of incredible
stubborness!
I just loved the responses: "The reason no one else chimed in here is that
this is not a feature anyone needs or cares about" and "In reality, the

number of requests for this feature is vanishingly small compared to other
requests because Outlook as designed has workarounds for most of the needs to
display this field in a Table View."

Maybe, just maybe the lack of requests is due to the atitude of MVPs?
Maybe one day Microsoft (and its MVPs) will stop thinking they know
everything, and actually start listening to their customers and their needs.
But then again, maybe one day pigs might fly!
Anyway, well done! Congratulations on behalf of all Outlook users!
Bushpig

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

"xxexbushpig" <xxexb...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:64B3AE0B-9383-4432...@microsoft.com...

>
> Maybe, just maybe the lack of requests is due to the atitude of MVPs?

While it's true Microsoft cares about the attitudes of its MVPs, the MVPs
don't work for Microsoft and requesting changes or enhancements via a
peer-to-peer newsgroup is fairly pointless because it's not an official
support channel and Microsoft employees only rarely visit.
--
Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]