8.6.2. Recipient Settings

In the Set OpenPGP Rules for field you must enter the recipient email address you're writing the rule for. Recipients are the addresses specified in the fields To:, Cc:, and Bcc: of the email message, without distinction. If you want to have a rule for multiple email addresses, enter them all in the field, separated by spaces. Then choose the pattern matching criteria from the drop-down menu (Is exactly, Contains, Starts with, Ends with).

In the Action zone you specify the Enigmail behaviour if there is a match with the specified recipient email address(es):

  • Continue with next rule for the matching address allows you to define a rule but to not have to specify a key ID in the Use the following OpenPGP keys: field. In this way, the email address is used to check for a key when sending the message. Also, further rules for the same address will be processed as well.
  • Do not check further rules for the matching address stops processing any other rules for the matching address if this rule is matched. Rule processing restarts with the next recipient.
  • Use the following OpenPGP keys: allows you to specify which recipient keys will be used for encryption. Use the Select Key(s)... button to choose the keys.

In the Defaults for... zone you decide whether to activate signing, encryption and PGP/MIME if the rule is matched. Each function can be independently set to three options:

  • Never specifies that the function will be off.
  • Yes, if selected in Message Composition allows you to set the option at the time of message composition.
  • Always specifies that the function will be on.

When sending a message to multiple recipients, in case of conflicts between rules, Never overrules Always. For instance, if you created two rules for the following two recipients:
    alice@example.com
    Signing: Always
    Encryption: Always
    PGP/MIME: Yes, if selected in Message Composition

    bob@domain.org
    Signing: Always
    Encryption: Never
    PGP/MIME: Never

and you try to send a signed and encrypted message to alice@example.com and bob@domain.org, the message will be signed only. Also, should you have turned on PGP/MIME when composing the message, this setting would have been ignored and the message won't be encrypted with PGP/MIME.