I ’ve pronounce it before , but it bears repeating : glare is a cool technology that we really , really , reallywant to love but that has a tendency to drive us bonkers at times . Still , Spotlight can be very useful , and one of its skillful features is “ Smart ” hunting — in the Finder , in Address Book , and especially in Mail . This applied science lets you depute a hardening of measure to a folder , group , or letter box and then quickly access all particular that fit those criteria by simply clicking on the folder / chemical group / mailbox . In result , you ’re preserve a specialized hunting , but the search result are updated on - the - fly so that they ’re always right at your fingertip .
This feature is especially convenient in Mail , where Smart Mailboxes let you separate out tens of thousands of e - mail content instantly . For example , I can set up a Smart Mailbox that include all email station from themacworld.comdomain ; this Smart Mailbox would thus give me quick access code to all message sent to me from myMacworldcoworkers — at least those using macworld.com e - post addresses — without have got to create a dedicated leaflet forMacworldmail and then manually filing mail service into that booklet .
The trouble with Smart Mailboxes is that they search only the actual contents of your message : message torso , headers , senders , receiver . What I ’ve always wanted was a manner tocategorizemy einsteinium - chain armor in Mail , much like Microsoft ’s Entourage or Google’sGMailallow — or , likewise , like Apple ’s iPhoto lets me do with photograph via iPhoto keywords . Then I could research for messages — and , thus , create Smart Mailboxes — by categories .
If you ’re in the same boat , you ’ll like Scott Morrison ’s free ( donations suggested)MailTags 1.2 ( ) . From the same developer who brought us Mail Act - On , MailTags lets you arrogate keywords to item-by-item subject matter . The outstanding thing about keywords , as oppose to simply moving messages to folders , is that you may assign multiple keywords to a yield message . For example , if Christopher Breen send me an Es - mail about an iPod product , I can assign the keywordsMacworld , Playlist , andiPodto the message . The message would then appear in Smart Mailboxes ( or specific searches ) that include any of these lookup terms , even if the actual e - mail message does n’t contain any of these words . ( In effect , it ’s as if I propel this undivided message into three ring mail folders . )
In addition to assigning keywords to messages , you may also use MailTags to devise content by project . For example , when working onPlaylist’sbook on iPod accessories , I would have love to have been able to assign a labor name — say , iPod Life — to all substance relating to the book , whether they be from co - workers , the publishing company , ware vendors , or copy editors . I could have then created a Smart Mailbox for book - relate e - mail . ( Some of those message would have also been categorized as “ vender contact , ” some under “ Playlist , ” and so on . ) Each message can be arrogate to a undivided task and unlimited keywords using MailTags .
Once establish — MailTags act upon as a Mail plug - in , so its preference are found in Mail ’s own preferences dialog — a minuscule shred appear in the upper - right corner of Mail subject matter . Clicking this ticket displays the MailTags panel , which allows you to assign keywords , either by typing them in manually or by choosing previously - used keywords from the pop - up menu . ( A nice trace : The MailTags “ tag ” ikon is light-green if a message has already been assigned tags and grey-headed if the subject matter is unlabeled . So you could see whether or not you ’ve already tagged a message without having to first start the MailTags instrument panel . )
MailTags does n’t stop at simple class and projection , though . As the screenshot on the good appearance , it also allow you add notes to message , determine and see message priority ( which other e - postal service node can set and view , but for some ground Mail ca n’t ) , and even set due dates for responding ( which look in iCal as To Do point ) . The latter can be quite helpful when you get a message you do n’t require to reply to decently aside , but you know you ask to handle by , say , next Tuesday . ( The substance and iCal item are relate , so updating one updates the other . ) you could also tag multiple messages at the same time via the MailTags cascading menu in Mail ’s Message menu .
How do you set up Smart Mailboxes to habituate this new metadata ? MailTags uses Mail ’s own port : The standard menu in Mail ’s Smart Mailbox dialogue now include MailTags tag as option : keyword , project , priority , due date , and note .
One of the other features I really wish about MailTags is that its feature are n’t limit to mail you ’ve receive . When indite a newfangled message , you get the same sidebar with the same options ( see the screenshot below ) ; this allows you to admit sent mail in your Smart Mailbox searches . Even better , when reply to a message , you’re able to fix MailTags to automatically copy the original message ’s keyword and project tag to your reaction .
you may also assign / set any of MailTags ’ tag end via chain mail rule . For example , I can set up a rule that automatically delegate the keywordMacworldto any message sent to me by a member of my Macworld address group ( even if some sender ’ e - mail addresses do n’t actually let in “ macworld.com ” ) . in conclusion , if you ’re using Mail Act - On , the handy keyboard shortcut public utility company for Mail , you’re able to “ tail ” messages via keystrokes .
What ’s not to like about MailTags ? Its principal drawback is that it does n’t presently support IMAP chain armor . As the developer explain :
( One “ other issue ” is that rebuilding an IMAP mailbox permanently deletes all tags . In other words , if you ’ve suffer an IMAP e - mail account , move along ; there ’s nothing to see here . )
But for user of POP mail and Mail , MailTags is a must - have for electronic mail power substance abuser .
MailTags supports Mac OS X 10.4 with Spotlight enable .