Brass Plugins: Outlooker

Outlooker in 30 seconds

This is a fast guide to using Outlooker for people who don't like reading the full documentation! Following these steps will show you all the features of Outlooker, fast.

1. Load Outlook if you want. This is not necessary - Outlooker can retrieve all Outlook data without Outlook actually running. If Outlook isn't running, Outlooker will take about 10 seconds longer to start as it has to log on to your personal folder data store.
   
   
2. Load the Outlooker plugin. Select "Configure Outlook Data" from the tray menu (if you're a registered user), or double click the Outlooker plugin in the Brass "Active Plugins" list, then click the "Config Outlook" button.
   
   
3. Click "Add Folder" to pick a folder. Select your Inbox and click OK. Tick "Display folder name above folder data" checkbox. Click "Create my query" button.
   
   
4. In the Query Builder, select "Received" from the "Field" dropdown. Select "{Last 7 Days}" from the "Condition" dropdown. Click "Add this query". Click OK.
   
   
5. Select "[ReceivedTime]" from the "Sort by" drop down, and "Descending" from the order dropdown. Click "Save Changes", and click OK to exit the Outlook data window.
   
   
   You've just seen how to add any Outlook folder to the Outlooker panel, and how to filter the display to only the items you want.
   
   
   
6. Select "Enable Design Mode" from the tray menu (if you're a registered user), or double click the Outlooker plugin in the Brass "Active Plugins" list, then check the "Enable 100% Design Mode" option. Click OK to close the visual configuration window.
   
   
7. Move the mouse over the Inbox folder you added - it will be in the top left of the display panel. A yellow highlight will appear around it. Left click inside the highlight rectangle and drag the Inbox folder to a new position. Use the resize handle in the bottom right to set the width and number of lines displayed. The Inbox "area" will automatically resize itself to perfectly fit the right number of lines when you release the mouse button.
   
   
8. Right click on the Inbox folder you just moved. Try out the Font and Colour options.
   
   
9. When you're done, select "Disable Design Mode" from the tray menu (if you're a registered user), or double click the Outlooker plugin in the Brass "Active Plugins" list, then uncheck the "Enable 100% Design Mode" option. OK the visual configuration window.
   
   
   You've just seen how to reposition, resize and change the appearance of a folder display.
   
   
   
10. With design mode disabled, left click one of the Inbox items displayed in the Outlooker panel. The item is popped to front in an Outlook window. Close the window.
    
    
11. Right click anywhere on the Inbox items in the Outlooker panel. The Query Builder window appears. In the full query edit field, change the section "{Last 7 Days}" to "{Today}". Click OK. Outlooker updates your display.
    
    
12. Left click the "Inbox" title in the Outlooker panel. The same Query Builder window appears - this double option is provided in case you want to enable "right click always toggles drag bar".
    
    
    You've just seen how to quickly change the query that controls what items are displayed
    
    
    
13. In the bottom left of the Outlooker panel is a blue icon that looks like two arrows merged into each other. Click it to perform a Send and Receive Mail on all your configured mail accounts.
    

That's it - you've seen the basic workings of Outlooker in 30 seconds!

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