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Apple Mail, Searching is worse!

I thought Apple Mail searching for emails was suppused to be easier, so far it is worse!

I may be missing something and hope I am, but when I type a name of a person "Smith"....

...I cannot find/sort by sent?

...I cannot find/sort by Name

...I cannot find/sort by Subject

On occasion I see a blue highlighted: sort by Name, but that is about it.

It is really bad and worse than Office 2011 and worse than SL's Apple Mail.

Thx much for any help you can provide.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Aug 5, 2011 12:44 PM

81 replies

Satchmo

Level 4

1,290 points

Aug 11, 2011 5:57 AM in response to Fred Davenport

Fred, did you find any part of that trail? Do you have a Mail folder in your Library, or V2, or MailData? How far can you get down the line?

Aug 11, 2011 9:58 AM in response to fenderstratocaster

Like a few other things within Lion, Mail has lost much of its elegance. Much too fussy, not as intuitive, too many tricks that are not at all obvious.

Aug 11, 2011 12:00 PM in response to Satchmo

Satch,

Had a very difficult time finding "Library", I cannot even find my preference folder.

So the answer to your question is NO, I got as far as my "User" folder after that I could not even find my library.

OS X Lion must be dirrent than previous OS's

Satchmo

Level 4

1,290 points

Aug 11, 2011 2:52 PM in response to Colin McClelland1

Colin McClelland1 wrote:

Like a few other things within Lion, Mail has lost much of its elegance. Much too fussy, not as intuitive, too many tricks that are not at all obvious.

The gradual iPadization of the Mac. At least Apple allows for a user to return Mail to the "classic" style, which I did pronto. I find it much slower to scan new messages in the New Look. The OS is lavish but more bewildering, I agree.

Satchmo

Level 4

1,290 points

Aug 11, 2011 2:49 PM in response to Fred Davenport

Fred, did you choose from the Finder menu: "Go > Go to Folder (~/Library)"?

Aug 12, 2011 3:55 AM in response to Satchmo

Thx Satch,

I tried that earlier and just tried again by typing in Library and also the way you suggested. NOTHING...but then I typed in looking for DOCUMENTS and got nothign either.

not sure what is going on.

I have gone back to Outlook 2011 as a desperately need my sent email files and cannot be screwing around with Apple Mail.

I will be checking back hourly here for any help you and other can provide.

Fred

Satchmo

Level 4

1,290 points

Aug 12, 2011 4:28 AM in response to Fred Davenport

I just learned from another thread posting that Library appears in the Go menu if you hold down the Option key while selecting the menu.

Aug 12, 2011 5:25 AM in response to Satchmo

Bingo!

Found the Library folder...thx much

Now, which one of these "envelope" files do I move to the desktop?

Thx much Satch and all...this should not be that difficult...let's the the Zookeepers fix up Lion.

Satchmo

Level 4

1,290 points

Aug 12, 2011 6:34 AM in response to Fred Davenport

Fred, Apple had me drag ONLY "Envelope Index" to the desktop, close Mail, reopen it, and go through the restore process, and then quit Mail and do it again. Then give it at least 15 mins to reindex.

Maybe it won't help you, but I find it helpful to listen to this song while waiting for the reindexing.

Aug 12, 2011 8:33 AM in response to Satchmo

Thx Satch,

Gave this a try and after waiting 20 minutes, I was told my mailbox is damaged and to try again.

Will do that.

Aug 12, 2011 8:34 AM in response to Satchmo

The for the tune, twas a good one and I am old enought to remember. Great photos too.

You may want to send me another coupla songs, while I wait for my next mailbox data import :-)

Satchmo

Level 4

1,290 points

Aug 12, 2011 9:51 AM in response to Fred Davenport

Fred Davenport wrote:

Thx Satch,

Gave this a try and after waiting 20 minutes, I was told my mailbox is damaged and to try again.

Will do that.

Don't like the sound of that. Don't lose that file you removed, you may need to replace it. If you are still under warranty you are at the point of needing Apple if this doesn't work, or going to the Apple store.

One song, andanother.

Did I mention that if Apple's fix (not mine!) doesn't work, you might want to try the Golden Gate Bridge highdive?