Filter, Friends List, Blacklist Priorities

[David_MWP]

I have lots of experience with MW6, but MW v7.12.38 seems to me at least to be very different with its filtering rules.

I have gotten MW 7.12.38 setup and configured the way I believe I want it. I would like to know how the priorities work. For example, I have a list of 10 filters. I believe the highest priority filter is the top one in the list. I think this means that if the top filter is a match for an incoming email. MW will do what that filter says to do and will ignore all following filters. Am I correct in my assumption? If not what is correct?

Additionally, what about the blacklist and the friends list? For example, if an entry in the friends list or in the blacklist match an incoming email, what will MW do? Will a friends list or blacklist match mean the filters will be ignored, or will an email the matches a friends list entry still try to be matched by one of the filters?

Overall, which has the highest priority? The Friends list, the blacklist, or the list of filters?

[rusticdog]

I have gotten MW 7.12.38 setup and configured the way I believe I want it. I would like to know how the priorities work. For example, I have a list of 10 filters. I believe the highest priority filter is the top one in the list. I think this means that if the top filter is a match for an incoming email. MW will do what that filter says to do and will ignore all following filters. Am I correct in my assumption? If not what is correct?

That is correct, filters process top down, and when a match is found the system kicks out and will not check any further filters.

Additionally, what about the blacklist and the friends list? For example, if an entry in the friends list or in the blacklist match an incoming email, what will MW do? Will a friends list or blacklist match mean the filters will be ignored, or will an email the matches a friends list entry still try to be matched by one of the filters?

Overall, which has the highest priority? The Friends list, the blacklist, or the list of filters?

These operate separately. This flavour of MailWasher uses a weighting system. An old write up on this can be seen here viewtopic.php?f=50&t=7214

Basically MailWasher runs an email through all the specified tools, each tool gives a number and the final result determines if email is spam or not. -50 to be considered spam, +50 to be considered good.
Under Settings >> Spam Tools >> Spam Ratings >> you can set here how much authority each Spam Tool has.
The Learning which is not specified here gives emails a score between -150 through to +150.
Filters can be set to give a specific score under the Action tab for the filter.

Overrides are possible, each Spam Tool has it's own options, Filters can also be used to specify results on targeted messages. So if there is something you wish to do but not sure how, just ask.

[David_MWP]

Thanks for the reply. It helped me tremendously.

After reading your reply and the guides firetrust provided, I am still wondering about a few items:

1. I would like to write a filter in MW7 that will auto-delete & auto-bounce just a specific email if the filter matches the email. How can I do this if it can be done? I could do that in MW6.

2. In MW6, if I displayed the Recycle Bin, a column was available to show if an email was bounced. Is this available in MW7?

3. Will MW7 allow the blacklist & the friends list to be sorted by domain?

4. When I write a filter, if the type is good, the email is marked as a friend in the inbox. If the filter type is spam, the email is marked to delete in the inbox.. What is a neutral filter type?

I guess I was a real MW6 fan. I would probably have kept using MW6 except that it crashed my WIN 10/PRO pc which required a reinstallation of the O/S to fix the crash.

[rusticdog]

1. I would like to write a filter in MW7 that will auto-delete & auto-bounce just a specific email if the filter matches the email. How can I do this if it can be done? I could do that in MW6.

There is no auto-bounce facility in MW any more. It's not a feature that is now useful for spam, only good for sending legitimate senders to give the impression your address doesn't exist. e.g. mother in law.
Matching the sender then you want to look in the FROM, and under the Action tab you can set it to auto-delete.

2. In MW6, if I displayed the Recycle Bin, a column was available to show if an email was bounced. Is this available in MW7?

No, we aren't storing this information any more either.

3. Will MW7 allow the blacklist & the friends list to be sorted by domain?

Presently no, but I will add that to the list to get added.

4. When I write a filter, if the type is good, the email is marked as a friend in the inbox. If the filter type is spam, the email is marked to delete in the inbox.. What is a neutral filter type?

For messages that match a filter, the Status should always read the Filter name. If it's displaying Good/Spam then the filter is not tagging that message (unless that was your filter name).
Setting a filter as Good/Neutral/Spam will automatically adjust the 'weight' that MailWasher gives the email. By default those values are -100, 0, +100, which can be changed under the Action tab for the filter.

Cheers

[David_MWP]

Thank You for the help!