ifishgud

Q: Why Apple Mail 10.1 flags change colors by themselves

I have set up several Smart Folders with rules based on certain flag colors. When I set a flag for a message, the message goes in to the correct folder at first, but 5-10 seconds later, the flag automatically changes to "red" and the message ends up in the "red" folder. What's going on??

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.4)

Posted on Oct 2, 2016 3:11 AM

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Q: Why Apple Mail 10.1 flags change colors by themselves

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  • by dianeoforegon,

    dianeoforegon dianeoforegon Oct 2, 2016 1:27 PM in response to ifishgud
    Level 5 (5,731 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 2, 2016 1:27 PM in response to ifishgud

    Try reindexing Mail

     

    With Mali quit....

     

    Go to User's Library > Mail >V4 > MailData

    Find the 3 files with envelope in the name.

    Delete the files.

    Log Out under the Apple in the Menu bar

    Log in

    Open Mail

    Mail will reindex your files.

    Test flags when complete.

     

    Note: you might have to reset flags to the correct color if they all reverted to red.

     

    FWIW, once you flag a message you don't need to move to a folder. Simply select the Flags > select flag in the folder list to view all messages by color.

     

    Note: I renamed by flags instead of using color as name.

     

    flags.png

  • by ifishgud,

    ifishgud ifishgud Oct 3, 2016 7:06 AM in response to dianeoforegon
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Oct 3, 2016 7:06 AM in response to dianeoforegon

    Re-indexing didn't work. I did as your instructions said. I then flagged two messages in my inbox and the messages showed up in the correct Smart Folders. 30 seconds later, on their own, the flags changed to red and they showed up in the Urgent (Red) Smart Folder.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Oct 3, 2016 7:19 AM in response to ifishgud
    Level 10 (107,942 points)
    iCloud
    Oct 3, 2016 7:19 AM in response to ifishgud

    Do you have any mail rules defined, that flag messages?

    In Mail > Preferences > Rules?

    Screen Shot 2016-10-03 at 16.17.01 GMT.jpg

  • by ifishgud,

    ifishgud ifishgud Oct 3, 2016 7:51 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Oct 3, 2016 7:51 AM in response to léonie

    No rules in preferencesScreenshot 2016-10-03 10.47.24.png

     

    Smart Folders have rules like this one.....

     

    Screenshot 2016-10-03 10.48.08.png

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Oct 3, 2016 8:18 AM in response to ifishgud
    Level 10 (107,942 points)
    iCloud
    Oct 3, 2016 8:18 AM in response to ifishgud

    That looks perfectly normal.

    Have you checked, if the red flag has been tied to a different keyboard shortcut in the Message menu?

    Screen Shot 2016-10-03 at 16.58.01 GMT.png

  • by ifishgud,

    ifishgud ifishgud Oct 3, 2016 8:22 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Oct 3, 2016 8:22 AM in response to léonie

    Screenshot 2016-10-03 11.21.35.png

     

     

    Doesn't look like a problem??

  • by dianeoforegon,

    dianeoforegon dianeoforegon Oct 3, 2016 2:52 PM in response to ifishgud
    Level 5 (5,731 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 3, 2016 2:52 PM in response to ifishgud

    Do you have red flags assigned to two different folders?

     

    I see you have orange and yellow flags with the same name. I suggest renaming so they have unique names.

  • by ifishgud,

    ifishgud ifishgud Oct 3, 2016 5:02 PM in response to dianeoforegon
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Oct 3, 2016 5:02 PM in response to dianeoforegon

    Screenshot 2016-10-03 11.21.35.png

     

     

    Doesn't look like a problem??

  • by ifishgud,

    ifishgud ifishgud Oct 3, 2016 5:04 PM in response to ifishgud
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Oct 3, 2016 5:04 PM in response to ifishgud

    Screenshot 2016-10-03 20.00.56.png

     

    Ok. Changed all folders to have corresponding names/colors. Tried to flag each flag. All change back to urgent except Follow up (Purple). I have no idea what's going on.

  • by dianeoforegon,

    dianeoforegon dianeoforegon Oct 3, 2016 6:38 PM in response to ifishgud
    Level 5 (5,731 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 3, 2016 6:38 PM in response to ifishgud

    With Mail quit....

     

    Go to your User's Library folder (see below)

    Scroll down to Containers

    Delete the com.apple.mail folder

    Log out/in

    Open Mail and see if the flags work now.

     

    If no then Restart in safe boot mode

    Safe boot

    * shutdown

    * start the Mac and *wait* for the startup chime to sound

    * after the sound, press and hold down the shift key

    * keep holding and *wait* until the grey  Apple logo appears

    * now release the shift key and just wait (it could take a few minutes)

    * eventually the login screen appears with the words SAFE BOOT in the top right of the window

    * log in and test Mail. Do Flags work correctly now?

     

     

    Show User's Library

    The User's Library folder is hidden by default. To unhide: Select the Finder in the Dock. Under Go in the Menu bar > hold down the Option key and you’ll see the Library.

     

    Finding the User Library Folder

     

    http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/resources/0167/site/chap11.html#FindingtheUserLi braryFolder

  • by ifishgud,

    ifishgud ifishgud Oct 3, 2016 7:45 PM in response to dianeoforegon
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Oct 3, 2016 7:45 PM in response to dianeoforegon

    The flags did not work properly after deleting com.apple.mail folder. Now I'm having trouble shutting down and getting the mac to boot in safe mode. Can't shut down unless hold the power button and power up with the power button. Then Apple comes up and pressing shift doesn't do anything. No sound.

  • by ifishgud,

    ifishgud ifishgud Oct 3, 2016 7:48 PM in response to ifishgud
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Oct 3, 2016 7:48 PM in response to ifishgud

    it's 11 pm here. I need a break. I'll try the second approach in the morning. Thank you for your help so far. Hope to talk to you tomorrow.

     

    Thanks again. Wish I could stick with this but I'm beat.

  • by dianeoforegon,

    dianeoforegon dianeoforegon Oct 3, 2016 8:11 PM in response to ifishgud
    Level 5 (5,731 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 3, 2016 8:11 PM in response to ifishgud

    I'm wondering if you have hard drive issues. Boot into the recovery drive and run First Aid on your Macintosh HD.

     

    Boot into the Recovery Drive by holding down Command R when restarting.

    Open Disk Utility

    In the sidebar, select your Macintosh HD

    Click the First Aid button

    Click Run


    If the drive is OK, I suggest you Reinstall macOS.


    macOS Utilities.png



  • by ifishgud,

    ifishgud ifishgud Oct 4, 2016 4:59 AM in response to dianeoforegon
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Oct 4, 2016 4:59 AM in response to dianeoforegon

    Screenshot 2016-10-04 07.54.45.png

     

    Ok. Did the above, same problem except now two flags don't change...orange and purple....the rest change to red.

     

    I think I might go back to Airmail 3.

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