The Main Window

Figure 2. Main Window

Balsa's main window has three major areas. To the left is the mailbox list. This displays all the mailboxes Balsa knows about; it will scan for ones in your local mail directory. (This means Balsa works well with procmail.) It will also list or mailboxes that you have configured. If the Show Mailbox Info preference is set, two columns will also be displayed next to the mailbox names containing the number of unread and total messages in each mailbox that has unread messages. (The other mailboxes will not have their contents probed.) Also, any mailboxes that contain unread messages will be shown in a different font and colour.

At the top-right is a view of the currently open mailbox. You can browse messages and manipulate them here.

At the bottom-right of Balsa's main window is the message view. This displays the message selected in the message listing. You can save attachments, view attachments, and read incoming email here.

Menu Toolbar

Figure 3. Main Window Toolbar

The menu bar, located at the top of the Main Window provides the following commands:

File

This menu contains basic commands.

  • + + + + + + + +File->New+ + + + + + +

    • + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +File+ + + + + + + + + ->New+ + + + + + + + ->Message...+ + + + + + (M) Create a new message, and display a new window to type the message in.

    • + + + + + + +File+ + + + + + + + ->New+ + + + + + + + ->Mailbox...+ + + + + + Open a dialog box to create a new mailbox. There are various items like this, corresponding to the different types of mailbox that Balsa supports. See the discussion of different mailbox formats and their advantages and disadvantages.

    • + + + + + + +File+ + + + + + + + ->New+ + + + + + + + ->Remote IMAP folder...+ + + + + + Open a dialog box to create a folder for an account on an IMAP server. This IMAP folder properties dialog can also be used to change the details of the account.

    • + + + + + + +File+ + + + + + + + ->New+ + + + + + + + ->Remote IMAP subfolder...+ + + + + + Open a dialog box to create a new subfolder in an existing IMAP folder tree. This IMAP subfolder properties dialog can also be used to rename or move a subfolder.

  • + + + + + + + + + + + + +File+ + + + + + + ->Continue+ + + + + (C) Continue a postponed message.

  • + + + + + + + + + +File+ + + + + + + ->Get New Mail+ + + + + ( Ctrl-M ) This causes Balsa to attempt to retrieve any new messages from the server.

  • + + + + + + + + + + + ( Ctrl-A )