Is there an easy way of creating a distribution list from an email with multiple addresses? Those addresses are not in your contacts already, and don't need to be.

I'm not sure why you don't want them to be in Contacts, but that would be the simplest solution.

Create a group for the team and add all the contacts to it.

However, you can also just copy and paste. Even simpler, copy them all and drag them to the Desktop (or some other location). That will create a text clipping. You can then drag that clipping into the To field.

I noticed I couldn't select them all without getting the To:. No problem, just create the text clipping, then open it and select just the addresses. Drag that to the Desktop. Or, paste into a text editor, clean them up, then select all and drag to Desktop to make the clipping.

Ed on iPad wrote:

I don't want them in contacts because they are simply a related group (like my sons current soccer team). People I may never need to email again after a sports season. I don't want to have to have these people in my contacts permanently.

You don't. When the season is over, delete them.

But, the text clipping should work.

The next IOS should have a feature "create mailing list from distribution list". A fast and simple way to retain a distribution list from an email you received. People get copied all the time using distribution lists they may want to reuse easily, like school, sports or work groups. Oh well.

How is that any different from adding them to Contacts? Here's the feedback page: http://www.apple.com/feedback/

There is a set of Mail Scripts that has a function to Add Addresses from an email to any group. But, it doesn't work with Mountain Lion.

I just realized you username is Ed on iPad. If you are not using Mountain Lion and only using an iPad, my suggestions won't work at all.

If that is the case, you should post on the iPad forum or iOS Apps forum.

I've been hunting around this problem and the link between Mail in Contacts made sense to some programmer but is a real ****** in the real world. So now to do what I need to do I either have to use two apps, or I have to work around with Stationary. It ***** and is stupid and has lasted way, way to long. Why I can't just grab a list of addresses from an e-mail, then just say "create distribution list" is as close to a braindead omission as any Apple has ever done.

There are zillions of threads about this issue. With suggestions ranging from "third party app" to "use Stationary" to "use Contacts and just delete the addresses later" ignore the fact that this is a basic function that has value for users, and clunky work around aren't cutting it for many.

So, I've settled on "Stationary" where I can put e-mails into different fields. But this means that if they are in BCC and I want people to be able to get the addresses, I have to cut and paste. Not a big deal, but really a "non-optimal deployment strategy".

I just went to Apple's support page. There is no link to for Mail. It's not listed as an OSX app. Guess Apple doesn't want to hear about problems with the Mail app!

Mail application - Mail/Provide Mail Feedback.

Yeah, It's really stupid Apple doesn't let you copy a list of email addresses to create a mailing list for say a "baseball team parents". That would be really useful (is that why it's not possible?) I have not idea on who belongs to most of the email addresses on a one by one basis, so no, (read no apple from a real user) I don't want to create separate contact for emails that I don't recognize all on their own. I just want to create a email list called "baseball parents" knowing it will go to (baseball parents) apple. After the season, I'd like to delete "baseball parents" as a contact list and be done with it.

Simple right? I'm still waiting........................................................................ .........................................

As I already stated, you can just drag a list of addresses into the to field. Nothing extremely difficult about it.