How to determine the specific rule Mail App used to move a given message

mail-rulesmail.app

I have dozens of filter rules in my Apple Mail (under Mavericks).

(the SyncedRules.plist file is 110460 bytes long)

99% of my rules move spam mail to the trash.

My criteria are somewhat loose, and sometimes it happens that
legitimate messages end up being moved to the trash.

I have a case where I can't find manually which rule applied
to a specific message. This message is moved to the trash,
but I can't figure out which rule it responded positive to.

How can I get the info of the rule which was found as a match
to a specific message, so that I can tighten it and avoid it
apply in the future to alike messages ?

Best Answer

2 ways I can think of, neither particularly 'fun'

  1. The 'one rule' method

    • Disable all rules bar one
    • put the 'mistreated' email back in the inbox
    • Run the single rule
    • see if it moves the email
    • rinse & repeat

  2. the 'sounds' method

    • Add a new line to each existing rule - Play Sound
    • repeat for each rule, using a different sound
    • move the email back to the inbox & Apply Rules

  3. a late posible 3rd… eliminate by halves [based on 1, but better for a large number of rules]
    but this requires that no rule will halt the entire process with "Stop evaluating rules".

    • Add a rule halfway down the list that will play a sound if it processes that far.
    • test by halves, disabling rules & moving the sound to the 'silent' half each time