Is there a Filter precedence in cPanel?

[Garitron]

I am a likely future cPanel user. I'm trying to figure out how the email filtering scheme works. If I use "Account Level Filtering" and setup multiple filters (giving them unique names), is there any precedence order to their execution? If so, how is that precedence determined?

If there is no filter precedence, then how do I resolve a situation where one filter discards the message while another one redirects it to a user? Must I construct each filter to protect itself from all the others?

The Rule "Has not been previously delivered" implies a time-order. If that time-order extends over all filters, how do I know what filters have already executed?

Does the action "Stop processing rules" apply to all filters, or just the one containing that action?

73,
Garitron

[cPanelDavidG]

Originally Posted by Garitron

I am a likely future cPanel user. I'm trying to figure out how the email filtering scheme works. If I use "Account Level Filtering" and setup multiple filters (giving them unique names), is there any precedence order to their execution? If so, how is that precedence determined?

If there is no filter precedence, then how do I resolve a situation where one filter discards the message while another one redirects it to a user? Must I construct each filter to protect itself from all the others?

The Rule "Has not been previously delivered" implies a time-order. If that time-order extends over all filters, how do I know what filters have already executed?

Does the action "Stop processing rules" apply to all filters, or just the one containing that action?

73,
Garitron

The Account Filtering Rules (applying to all email accounts under the cPanel account) as read from from top to bottom are executed first. Then the email user's filtering rules as read from top to bottom are executed.

At this time, there is no visual tool built into cPanel or the webmail interface to see which rules have already been triggered for a message. However, we do include a testing function so you can see how your rules will affect an email message.

The "Stop processing rules," when triggered, will mean that particular rule will be the last one executed for that email message. No further email rules will be triggered for that message.

[Garitron]

Thanks cPanelDavidG for the explanation. I have subscribed to a cPanel hosting provider and setup my account. I've noted a couple of things that would improve the filter/rule process:

1) The "Filter List" needs to have "Move Up" and "Move Dn" commands to place a filter properly in the hierarchy. As it is, anytime a filter is edited, it is replaced at the bottom of the filter list. To move it up to it's original place, one must null-edit all the filters that are supposed to be below it. Also, the edit process should replace the edited filter at its pre-edited location in the hierarchy. This action should not be assumed to negate the need for up/dn commands however.

2) When creating the rules for a filter, one can enter several rules. If one then needs to insert a rule between two existing rules, one would click on the "+" of the line below the insert point. This action currently adds an empty rule at the bottom of the list, not before the clicked rule as expected. Please change the current behavior to the one I've described. One would also need an "Add" command to introduce a new rule at the BOTTOM of the list.

Thanks!

73,
Garitron

[cPanelDavidG]

Originally Posted by Garitron

Thanks cPanelDavidG for the explanation. I have subscribed to a cPanel hosting provider and setup my account. I've noted a couple of things that would improve the filter/rule process:

1) The "Filter List" needs to have "Move Up" and "Move Dn" commands to place a filter properly in the hierarchy. As it is, anytime a filter is edited, it is replaced at the bottom of the filter list. To move it up to it's original place, one must null-edit all the filters that are supposed to be below it. Also, the edit process should replace the edited filter at its pre-edited location in the hierarchy. This action should not be assumed to negate the need for up/dn commands however.

These are known issues and we definitely plan on adding "move up" and "move down" buttons for the filters in version 11.25. (internal cases 861 and 6790)

I'll bring your suggestion for keeping edited filters in place to the attention of our QA team.

Originally Posted by Garitron

2) When creating the rules for a filter, one can enter several rules. If one then needs to insert a rule between two existing rules, one would click on the "+" of the line below the insert point. This action currently adds an empty rule at the bottom of the list, not before the clicked rule as expected. Please change the current behavior to the one I've described. One would also need an "Add" command to introduce a new rule at the BOTTOM of the list.

Thanks!

73,
Garitron

I see what you mean. Let me bring this to the attention of our design team.