Modifying mail (to put sender in window title)

Hesychast · 05-06-2011, 03:26 AM

I often find I have many open message windows open, and since they usually contain text, I often time have a hard time visually singling out a message I'm wanting to return to. The window menu helps, especially because I can search its contents though the help menu. But I don't always know the subject line - though I believe I always know the other party - the sender in the case of a received message, the recipient in the case of a draft. So the functionality I'm looking for is this: have the option to have the other party's name or email address (whatever's available) displayed in the title of that open message window, specifiable to be before or after the subject line.

anybody with an idea how to get it? thanks for your time

appleman_design · 05-06-2011, 08:07 AM

i use mail tab for that purpose.

hayne · 05-06-2011, 12:36 PM

I fixed the subject line of your post

Hesychast · 05-06-2011, 08:40 PM

thanks for the tip appleman, I probably will install that to see if it helps bring any more order. Perhaps I didn't make my self clear, but by looking over the website I don't expect that it will serve the purpose my post meant to get at.

I want more information in the open window titles by which i might search and find a particular one via the help menu. Maybe I'll find mail tab offers to modify this information, (which presently displays the subject line & mailbox ["inbox" w/o the account name, for example]). I'm wondering if mail tab might be a step backwards if it's truncating the window title to tab length - I suppose I'll find out in time.

NaOH · 05-06-2011, 09:45 PM

If Mail Tabs doesn't meet your goal, using Spotlight—in case you don't know, the icon at the top right of your computer screen that looks like a magnifying glass—may be helpful here. For one, it sorts by most recent, and you can combine that default behavior with a search which specifies the sender or recipient. Here's the search format you would use (note the lack of spaces):

from:Joe@example.com OR from:Joe Jones

to:Jane@example.com OR to:Jane Smith

Use any of those four formats and Spotlight will show the results. In the search results which are displayed, double click on the desired message and it will open in Mail. Personally, I prefer doing such things completely with the keyboard because I find it faster. If that interests you, here's how:

Press Command-Space Bar to show the Spotlight search field.
Type your desired search term(s).
Use the Down Arrow key to highlight the message you want.
Press Return to open the selected message in Mail.

Edit: I meant to say that capitalization is irrelevant in those search formats, so from:Joe Jones is the same as from:joe jones.

bramley · 05-07-2011, 04:56 AM

I'd recommend creating a smart mailbox in Mail.app with the parameters of the mailbox set to the users you require.

05-06-2011, 03:26 AM	#1
Hesychast Prospect Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 11	Modifying mail (to put sender in window title) I often find I have many open message windows open, and since they usually contain text, I often time have a hard time visually singling out a message I'm wanting to return to. The window menu helps, especially because I can search its contents though the help menu. But I don't always know the subject line - though I believe I always know the other party - the sender in the case of a received message, the recipient in the case of a draft. So the functionality I'm looking for is this: have the option to have the other party's name or email address (whatever's available) displayed in the title of that open message window, specifiable to be before or after the subject line. anybody with an idea how to get it? thanks for your time Last edited by Hesychast; 05-06-2011 at 03:28 AM. Reason: dang, i wanted to edit the subject (to include "sender in window title"), but I hit return & it just got posted!nochangethen…

05-06-2011, 12:36 PM	#3
hayne Site Admin Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Montreal Posts: 31,941	I fixed the subject line of your post __________________ hayne.net/macosx.html

05-06-2011, 09:45 PM	#5
NaOH Hall of Famer Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 3,642	If Mail Tabs doesn't meet your goal, using Spotlight—in case you don't know, the icon at the top right of your computer screen that looks like a magnifying glass—may be helpful here. For one, it sorts by most recent, and you can combine that default behavior with a search which specifies the sender or recipient. Here's the search format you would use (note the lack of spaces): from:Joe@example.com OR from:Joe Jones to:Jane@example.com OR to:Jane Smith Use any of those four formats and Spotlight will show the results. In the search results which are displayed, double click on the desired message and it will open in Mail. Personally, I prefer doing such things completely with the keyboard because I find it faster. If that interests you, here's how: Press Command-Space Bar to show the Spotlight search field. Type your desired search term(s). Use the Down Arrow key to highlight the message you want. Press Return to open the selected message in Mail. Edit: I meant to say that capitalization is irrelevant in those search formats, so from:Joe Jones is the same as from:joe jones. Last edited by NaOH; 05-06-2011 at 10:10 PM.

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05-06-2011, 08:07 AM	#2
appleman_design Hall of Famer Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 2,550	i use mail tab for that purpose.

05-06-2011, 08:40 PM	#4
Hesychast Prospect Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 11	thanks for the tip appleman, I probably will install that to see if it helps bring any more order. Perhaps I didn't make my self clear, but by looking over the website I don't expect that it will serve the purpose my post meant to get at. I want more information in the open window titles by which i might search and find a particular one via the help menu. Maybe I'll find mail tab offers to modify this information, (which presently displays the subject line & mailbox ["inbox" w/o the account name, for example]). I'm wondering if mail tab might be a step backwards if it's truncating the window title to tab length - I suppose I'll find out in time.

05-07-2011, 04:56 AM	#6
bramley MVP Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Cumbria, UK Posts: 2,461	I'd recommend creating a smart mailbox in Mail.app with the parameters of the mailbox set to the users you require.