Custom Mac Mail Rules

[JordanJ]

I have become REALLY lazy with my mail. I usually get a lot of email from the same people / companies. I would like to set up a mac mail rule so that:

Once email is received from "sender@example.com", and is read, move to "Folder 3"

I have tried to set this up in Mac Mail Rules, (Preferences > Rules) but I cannot see an option for "Mail is Read" in the conditions box.

Is there any way I can create a custom Mac Mail Rule? I am running the latest version of Mac Mail for OS X Lion (v5.2)

Thanks!

 

[BrianBaughn]

I don't know of a way to do exactly that. I guess you already know you could copy the message to the second folder upon receipt, or also that you could move the message to the second folder after it has been in the Inbox for a set number of days.

If your mail was hosted at Google, you could set a filter there that would "label" the mail upon arrival, which would make it show up in the appropriate second IMAP folder (still unread). Being a label, however, the mail would also still be labeled "Inbox" as, unlike a copy, it is just one mail item with two labels. That is, deleting it from the inbox would delete it from both folders.

 

[Mal]

Mail rules are applied when the message is received, so it can't do something to it after the message has been read. You could consider setting up keyboard shortcuts for the folders you want to file them in, might help the process along, but it's not going to be automatic.

jW

 

[Weaselboy]

I believe you could configure Mail ActOn combined with Mail Tags to accomplish what you want, although it is not free. Use MailTags to tag the messages as you read them then a MailActOn keyboard shortcut to move them based on your tag.

Or... if you are versed in Applescript it looks like Mail app has an Applescript function that could be used to do what you want.

You might be able to start out with the Archive Mesg script found here and tweak it.

Like others mentioned, no matter what you do, rule or Applescript, you will have to somehow manually run it after you have read your messages.