"Unread" Smart Folder

Question

Level 1

93 points

"Unread" Smart Folder

Hi folks. I'm having a problem trying to sniff out unread items.

I want to have a smart mailbox which shows me unread items for select accounts that are not in other bins.

The problem that's showing up is that GMail IMAP shows up twice: Inbox for the GMail account, as well as All Mail. How can I get around that part? Is that showing up properly?

Cheers

G5 1.8, Blackbook 2.0, Mac Pro 2.8 (8c), iMac 17 2.0, Touch4, Shuffle2, iPod40, Mac OS X (10.6.6), iPhone? Heck I'm still giggly about MultiFinder!

Posted on Mar 30, 2011 10:41 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Mar 30, 2011 11:54 AM in response to BioRich

Smart mailboxes house "pointers" or "aliases" for specific messages. Therefore, the "real" message is still in your inbox; this is normal. I don't have an All Mail mailbox, so I'm not sure what's happening there. HTH.

Reply

Answer 2

BioRich Author

Level 1

93 points

Mar 30, 2011 11:56 AM in response to Sandra Foster

Yes, they are sniffers, much like the smart Spotlight searches in the Finder. What's strange is that mail has two entries for GMail unread messages, and only one real All Mail mailbox to see them. So any rules or smart mailboxes are confused already.

Reply

Answer 3

thomas_r.

Level 7

31,989 points

Mar 30, 2011 12:00 PM in response to BioRich

This is a normal bit of weirdness created by GMail. You can solve it by hiding the All Mail mailbox:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=12971129&#12971129

Reply

Answer 4

BioRich Author

Level 1

93 points

Mar 30, 2011 12:03 PM in response to thomas_r.

I've tried that. The problem arises when the unread count still appears for the gmail account down below. So it splits this up.

I turned off the new complex system in gmail as well, and that didn't fix it either. It's as if there are 2 instances of the same email. One in All Mail, the other in Inbox.

Reply

Answer 5

thomas_r.

Level 7

31,989 points

Mar 30, 2011 12:10 PM in response to BioRich

I've tried that. The problem arises when the unread count still appears for the gmail account down below. So it splits this up.

I don't understand any of that. But some of what you say seems to indicate that you can still see the All Mail mailbox in Mail. Is that the case? If so, you have not successfully hidden All Mail. The goal is to not see All Mail listed as a GMail mailbox in Mail.

It's as if there are 2 instances of the same email. One in All Mail, the other in Inbox.

Yes, exactly... that is precisely how the All Mail mailbox works, except that it's not actually a copy. It's actually the same e-mail listed in two different places. (Technically, GMail's mailboxes are not actually mailboxes, they're labels... so an e-mail can be in multiple "mailboxes" at one time.)

Reply

Answer 6

BioRich Author

Level 1

93 points

Mar 30, 2011 12:14 PM in response to thomas_r.

When you create a gmail account through IMAP, the account shows up in the left side:

[gmail]
All Mail
Drafts
Sent Mail
Spam
Starred
Trash

When a new email comes in for that account, it shows as unread in All Mail. In my "Unread" smart mailbox, it shows up twice, once in All Mail, the other in Inbox. They are the same message, but show up twice.
So if I click on one of them, it's saying I've read the email, regardless of where it is, either in my client, or the gmail system. It doesn't respond that way.

Reply

Answer 7

thomas_r.

Level 7

31,989 points

Mar 30, 2011 2:07 PM in response to BioRich

When a new email comes in for that account, it shows as unread in All Mail. In my "Unread" smart mailbox, it shows up twice, once in All Mail, the other in Inbox. They are the same message, but show up twice.

As I've said twice now, that is normal for GMail. Is there a problem with hiding the All Mail box, as I have recommended?

Reply

Answer 8

BioRich Author

Level 1

93 points

Mar 30, 2011 4:28 PM in response to thomas_r.

You also said you were confused as to what I said, so I was explaining. If you don't want explanations as to what I'm seeing, then don't say you're confused.

I have also said that I have tried hiding the All Mail box. Go back and read what the problem is when I do that.

So, it still remains, after your suggestions, that I have tried everything, and it still remains a problem. Yes it might be a GMail problem. We got that.

Reply

Answer 9

thomas_r.

Level 7

31,989 points

Mar 30, 2011 5:19 PM in response to BioRich

You also said you were confused as to what I said, so I was explaining. If you don't want explanations as to what I'm seeing, then don't say you're confused.

You're explaining the wrong thing. What I didn't understand was your description of what happened when you tried to hide All Mail. You have not provided information about exactly what you tried or what happened in that regard, and without that, nobody can assist you further.

Reply

Answer 10

BioRich Author

Level 1

93 points

Mar 30, 2011 5:26 PM in response to thomas_r.

OK with a single test after that, it looks like it's performing the right way, but I will keep an eye on that. I wasn't sure what you were talking about. You didn't provide enough information about "hiding All Mail".

Thanks

Reply

Answer 11

BioRich Author

Level 1

93 points

Mar 31, 2011 1:16 AM in response to BioRich

Update.

Still the same email coming in (showing) twice.

- Both showing Inbox - BR gmail IMAP
- Both showing in All Mail in mail.app

Reply