Mail app query

AlanD

Hi guys,

is it possible to get the Leopard standard Mail app to show me on my menu bar at the top of the screen when I have a new email?

Mail, fails to tell me when I have a new email anyway and because I use the hide/show dock to make the most of my tiny 13" screen, I am constantly moving my mouse down to see if I've any new emails.

So is there a widget I can add up top?

Thanks....

mobileplaza

well if your using gmail i have downloaded the gmail notifer app that sits on the top taskbar.

http://toolbar.google.com/gmail-helper/notifier_mac.html

AlanD

yeah I use gmail alright but use it with POP through the mail app. Kinda like it that way.

Will have a look at the google toolbar. Thanks

440Hz

There are loads of widgets that let you know when you have new mail in Mail, but you are gonna have to bring up the dashboard to check that, so not move better than your current mouse over jobby.

ZENER

It used to be possible in Tiger to keep a widget open on the desktop. In Dashboard press the LMB on the widget, while still holding it press F12 which turns off Dashboard. I've just tried it here now and it didn't work but I read that you need to switch to develepor mode for it to work in Leopard.

Start Terminal, and run the command:

defaults write com.apple.dashboard devmode YES

To verify the changes, run:

defaults read com.apple.dashboard devmode

You get YES as a reply which is what you want.

Type:

killall Dock

This will kill the Dock but Mac will immediately start a new one and reload your dashboard as well.

Copied from another site, haven't tried it yet, might do later but it's said to work fine if you've gat the guts to try it

ZEN

AlanD

cheers, I'll wait and see how you get on, although I'm running with the gmail notified at the minute. Seems to work fine for me, although the Mail app is wasted now

PhilipMarlowe

ZENER wrote: »

It used to be possible in Tiger to keep a widget open on the desktop. In Dashboard press the LMB on the widget, while still holding it press F12 which turns off Dashboard. I've just tried it here now and it didn't work but I read that you need to switch to develepor mode for it to work in Leopard.

Start Terminal, and run the command:

defaults write com.apple.dashboard devmode YES

To verify the changes, run:

defaults read com.apple.dashboard devmode

You get YES as a reply which is what you want.

Type:

killall Dock

This will kill the Dock but Mac will immediately start a new one and reload your dashboard as well.

Copied from another site, haven't tried it yet, might do later but it's said to work fine if you've gat the guts to try it

ZEN

I tried something like this before to keep an SMS widget on the desktop. I was following something on the web and texting other people the progress so it was handy to have safari open and to have the sms widget always open beside it (using tiger).
There is a downside though that the widget will be always to the front, so I wouldn't think it would suit long term for everyone?

ZENER

Licksy wrote: »

There is a downside though that the widget will be always to the front, so I wouldn't think it would suit long term for everyone?

Like I said I haven't tried it yet but that would really bug me, maybe I won't bother . . .

ZEN

PhilipMarlowe

Ah no it's quite simple to get rid of what I was doing - I press F12 to bring up dashboard, click and hold on the widget (sms one in my case) and press F12 again. The widget is now on the desktop.
To get rid of it, click and hold it on the desktop, again press F12 to move it back to dashboard.

I just meant that if if was a mail widget (physically taking up screen-space), keeping it open all the time (which is the purpose you'd likely want it for) might be an issue?

ZENER

Doesn't work for me here. Using PowerMac G5 Dual - Leopard 10.5.2.
As they used to say in CB days - What's yer RIG ?

ZEN

PhilipMarlowe

10.4.11 here on a powerbook g4

you need to wiggle it, just a little bit....

After entering the Terminal command and logging out and back in again, you can bring your widgets of choice to the desktop like so:

Press f12 to bring Dashboard up, then drag one of your Dashboard widgets around. While you're still dragging it around (that's critical: keep that mouse button down!) press f12 again.

Poof! Your Dashboard vanishes, but the widget's still visible. Move it to where-ever you want on your screen and it's there, running, fully functional, without the rest of Dashboard around!

Very cool. Keep in mind that this trick will keep your widget in an always-on-top state, and that in order to return your widget to the Dashboard, you simply repeat the instructions in reverse.

AlanD

ZENER wrote: »

Doesn't work for me here. Using PowerMac G5 Dual - Leopard 10.5.2.
As they used to say in CB days - What's yer RIG ?

ZEN

late 2007 MacBook on 10.5.2

I'll stick with gmail notifier. Thanks for trying though!

440Hz

Just thinking... why dont you go the Growl route?
I love my Growl notifications, I have mine kinda customized but there is a basic Mail version

http://growl.info/documentation/growlmail.php

A little notifier will pop up on your screen and make a noise, but it will disappear again after a given time has ellapsed - ie different to Gmail notifier which stays there. But you can configure the look and feel of the box and the duration of view etc.

OH...

I just found this http://www.schartworks.com/utilities/theunread/ odd look and feel to it mind you, but its a menu bar notifier! Just what ya wanted YAY.

You can leave my tip in the tin can on your way out. Have a nice day, please call again. hehe

440Hz

In fact - useful link for all http://tikouka.net/mailapp/ (adding to sticky)