(1) EXCHANGE - Freeware for adding disclaimers to Exchange Server email, message, footer, signature editor

Signature Editor (key functionalities and capabilities)

CodeTwo Exchange Rules 2003 has a built-in visual signature editor that enables quick and convenient editing new or existing disclaimers and signatures. To open the editor, click Edit disclaimer in the Rule editor dialog box (fig.1) of the new or existing rule wizard. The new rule wizard is activated by choosing Add from the program’s toolbar, and the existing rule wizard is activated by choosing Edit.

Fig.1. Rule editor dialog box in the new or existing rule wizard.

The signature editor enables creating and editing footer in HTML and plain text formats. To change the format type, use the button in the editor's ribbon: HTML or Plain Text. HTML footer templates may contain graphics. The editor has a standard set of tools to create professional-looking footers. You can choose the font type, its size or color, background color, bold type, underline, and table insertion. More about inserting graphics into the footer...

In addition, the ribbon includes Active Directory field button (fig.2), which speeds up creation of personalized disclaimers. Using this button you can add Active Directory placeholders with a single click, without the need to type the variable name by hand. Exchattr field can be used to add custom attributes of Exchange server. More about personalized disclaimers and AD fields...

Fig.2. The signature editor screen while editing HTML footer with the expanded Active Directory field menu.

The signature editor also has a function of RT (Remove Text) Control Tags, which is available from the editor’s ribbon (fig.3). This functionality is exceptionally useful with personalized disclaimer, containing Active Directory placeholders. If the placeholders in a personalized disclaimer cannot be replaced with values because these are missing from Active Directory database, RT control tags will remove empty lines and redundant text in a given signature. Insert RT control tags by clicking Remove Text tag button. Correct usage of RT control tags means that {rt} tag is placed in front of the placeholder, while {/rt} is placed behind it. To conveniently insert RT tags, highlight the placeholder together with the signaling word in front of it and click the Remove Text tag button.

Example:
{rt} Mobile: [mobile] {/rt}

Fig.3. Control tags button located in the editor’s ribbon.

More about control tags...

Now let’s move on to creating a footer in the signature editor. To create a footer in the editor, enter the desired text of the footer in the text field of the editor, add other necessary elements, such as images, tables, choose font and background color. Each time you create a new footer you will have to make two separate templates, one in HTML format and the second in plain text. If you want to quickly convert the newly created disclaimer to the other format, choose Convert from the ribbon, and click Convert HTML to plain text or Convert plain text to HTML accordingly. Both templates are independent, and therefore all changes made to one footer will not affect the other format until you activate conversion.

Fig.4. Signature editor’s screen while editing plain text footer.