The Kmail Handbook: Getting Started

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## 2. Getting Started

This is a short introduction to Kmail and its usage so you can start working with it right away. For more in-depth information see the Using Kmail section.

Invoking Kmail for the first time creates a Mail directory containing the initial files (inbox, outbox, sent-mail, and trash) in your home directory. Kmail then pops up the Settings window where you must enter some initial information so Kmail will be able to properly retrieve and send your messages.

The Settings window consists of six tabs: Identity, Network, Appearance, Composer, Misc, and PGP. To begin sending and receiving email you will only have to change the settings in the Identity and Network tabs.

## 2.1 Setting your Identity

The settings in the Identity tab are fairly straightforward. Fill in the Name and Organization fields with the appropriate information if you want this information to be automatically included in the headers of any message that you send. Next, fill in the Email Address and the Reply-to Address field with your email address. Finally, set the location of your signature file in the Signature File field. You can skip setting the signature file if you do not have one, but every time you compose a new message, Kmail will ask you for your signature file.

## 2.2 Setting up your Account

The Network tab contains the settings that tell Kmail how to send and receive your email. Many of these settings can vary greatly depending on the setup of your system and on the kind of network that your mail server is located. If you do not know what setting to pick or what to put in a field, consult your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or System Administrator.

### Sending Mail

The Sending Mail section provides two options for sending mail: sendmail and SMTP. Sendmail has a reputation of being difficult to set up, so if you do not already have a working sendmail configuration, choose SMTP and fill in the Server field with the name and domain of your mail server. You will probably not need to change the Port setting.

### Receiving Mail

To set up an account so you can receive mail, press the Add... button in the Incoming Mail section. You will then be prompted for the type of account. Most users should select POP3. (IMAP accounts are not supported) After pressing OK you will be presented with the Configure Account window. First, fill in the Name field to name your account. Login, Password, and Host should be filled in with the appropriate information from your ISP or System Administrator. Again, you should not need to change the Port setting. Finally, select Delete mail from server if you don't want to leave your mail on the server. Leave the account's mailbox set to inbox for now, although you may want to change it if you add more accounts later.

You are now ready to send and receive mail!

## 2.3 Testing Your Setup

First, we will send an email to test our configuration. To send an email, hit Control-N, or select the File | New Composer menu item. The Composer window will appear. Fill in the To: field with your email address and type something in the subject field. Send the mail by selecting File | Send.

To check your email, select File | Check Mail... A window will pop up and indicate how much mail is being downloaded. If you receive the message you just sent, then congratulations! If, however, you receive any error messages while testing your setup, make sure that your network connection is working and recheck your settings by selecting File | Settings...

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