If you want your filters to apply automatically and you are using an IMAP account, make sure you have enabled "Apply filters to new messages in INBOX on this server" under "Edit | Preferences | Email Accounts | Edit | Receiving Options | Options".

Does this fix the issue for you? :-)

This option appears to do nothing for me. I am using hMailserver as my mail server if this makes any difference

do we really refer to the INBOX here or do you refer to other folders? it's not possible for other folders, if i remember correctly.

I have a rule that moves a particular incoming address to a folder that is not in the INBOX. I have also tried moving the email to a folder nested within the INBOX,  Neither works. I can screenshot the rule if required

I had filters working fine in Evolution 2.6.0, but now in 2.8.2, they don't seem to work automatically anymore.

For instance, I have a filter saying, if the subject contains ***SPAM*** then set the junk flag and stop processing.

On my IMAP account, I have ticked, Apply filters to new messages in INBOX on this server, but it only works if I select the messages and press Ctrl-Y

(In reply to comment #5)
> I had filters working fine in Evolution 2.6.0, but now in 2.8.2, they don't
> seem to work automatically anymore.
> 
> For instance, I have a filter saying, if the subject contains ***SPAM*** then
> set the junk flag and stop processing.
> 
> On my IMAP account, I have ticked, Apply filters to new messages in INBOX on
> this server, but it only works if I select the messages and press Ctrl-Y
> 

In reply to my previous comment, when I noticed that filters weren't working, I had evolution open on two machines, both accessing the same imap account.

I've made two changes since then, one is closing the other evolution, and the other is installing pam_keyring, which dealt with the problem of evolution repeatedly asking for passwords.

one of these two has fixed the filter problem for me.

=== Why do my mail filters not work? ===
Generally, be aware of the fact that the order of your filters is important. If your very first filter has a "Stop processing" rule, all the other filters will be ignored by the emails that match to this first filter rule.
If you want your filters to apply automatically and you are using an IMAP account, make sure you have enabled "Apply filters to new messages in INBOX on this server" under "Edit | Preferences | Email Accounts | Edit | Receiving Options | Options".
Also, filters depend on the "new" flag which will be set only when a particular mail is fetched from server for the first time. If any other mail client is used to check mail before Evolution, Evolution's filters may not work.

Well, if you have two machines running querying the same account - of course this won't work. :-)

also in 2.10 according to InsomniaCity on irc

Yes - also in 2.10.

I can dispose of the caveats above: 
1. I don't have any other IMAP clients accessing this account (and my password is secure). 
2. "Apply filters to new messages in INBOX on this server" is set. 
3. This is the first rule in my list. 
4. The messages in question are in INBOX.

The differences in symptoms I experience are:
1. Even Message » Apply Filters doesn't make the filter run.
2. The only other filter I have (colours a message based on subject) does work automatically.
3. I have *once* seen this apply automatically.

Filter and message (with identifying bits removed) to follow.

Created attachment 94071 [details]
Screenshot of problematic rule, first in list.

Return-path: <urfriendamit2004@spss.com>
Received: from xxx ([129.12.21.35]) by xxx
        (Sun Java System Messaging Server 6.2-9.02 (built Apr 20 2007)) with ESMTP
        id <0JN500KN93PAQ9B0@xxx> for xxx; Tue, 21
        Aug 2007 21:03:11 +0100 (BST)
Received: from [89.31.90.31] (helo=mksng)       by xxx with smtp (Exim
        4.63)   (envelope-from <urfriendamit2004@spss.com>) id 1INZvy-0000kZ-If for
        xxx; Tue, 21 Aug 2007 21:02:38 +0100
Received: from arbjgeon by mksng with local (Exim 4.62 (FreeBSD)) id
        1IOkwT-0005AU-7E for xxx; Wed, 22 Aug 2007 00:02:22 +0400
Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2007 00:02:22 +0400
From: Mobile Fun <urfriendamit2004@spss.com>
Subject: User Verification
Sender: User arbjgeon <arbjgeon@mksng.xxx>
To: ojc4@xxx
Message-id: <1IOkwT-0005AU-7E@mksng>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
X-UKC-Mail-System: No virus detected
X-UKC-SpamCheck: spam, SpamAssassin (not cached, score=8.543, required 5,
        autolearn=disabled, DNS_FROM_RFC_ABUSE 0.48, NORMAL_HTTP_TO_IP 0.00,
        RCVD_IN_BL_SPAMCOP_NET 2.00, RCVD_IN_NJABL_DUL 1.71,    RCVD_IN_SORBS_WEB
        1.24, RCVD_IN_XBL 3.11)
X-UKC-SpamScore: ssssssss
X-UKC-MailScanner-From: urfriendamit2004@spss.com
Original-recipient: rfc822;ojc4@xxx
X-Evolution-Source: imap://ojc4@imap.xxx/
Mime-Version: 1.0

Greetings,

Welcome To Mobile Fun.

Account Number: 516912817137
Temp Login ID: user8255
Temp Password ID: cf742

For security purposes please login and change the temporary Login ID and Password.

Follow this Link: http://201.235.120.192/

Thank You,
New Member Services
Mobile Fun

I've filed my specific symptoms in bug 469007 as I've got quite a few specifics about my experience of the bug.

I think Oliver's issue is moved to that bug #469007 and this original issue is solved within Andre's comment #7. So we can safely close this.

BTW, I agree with reporter(s), it's strange to apply only based on new flag. Only program knows this flag, no body else, and for me, when I receive "new" mail on this machine, then I need to apply filters as well on the other machine, where I'm downloading mail from same store. My suggestion here is "apply filters to all messages *newly discovered* in a store". "Newly discovered" means here that the mail has been added into summary of folder (or where is that stored on local machine). It makes sense from users point of view to apply filters on all newly downloaded messages, not only on newly downloaded messages with new-flag.

Closing according to comment #12