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carterx · 06:13 AM

OK, I seen this request on another forum and I have had this setup for myself for sometime now but could not remember how to do so, so I did it again but did it step by step and took snap shots. Unlike just making a second copy of the application and opening it, with quitting of the application, log out, restart etc. you will not be bugged each time to input the user/password. They will all open on start up for you if you select to do so and will log into each individual account.

This is my setup for two Gmail accounts in my menu bar.

1. In the Application folder you will have the Google Notifier application. Here you will just make a second copy of it as seen here.

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2. Next step you need to re name (Ex. add email account name to end) to tell which app is for what.

3. Now that the applications have been re named, run one of them and login as well, save the password. This does not matter which account. Once the application is running and appears in the menu bar, exit the program so it no longer running.

4. Now go to "userhome"/Library/Preferences. Here you will see the file "com.google.GmailNotifier.plist". Make a second copy of this .plist and then rename with adding the same wording you used for the Gmail Application.

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5. Chose one of these .plist files and open to edit. I prefer to use Smultron http://smultron.sourceforge.net When open you will see the info that was saved from logging in that links the Application to the .plist. Look and find your email address and this is where you will change the address. If this is already the email address you want this Application to be, then leave as is. Now close and open up the other .plist file. Again change the email address to the address you want. These two pictures below show two different email accounts.

6. Now that the .plist files have been configured, you now just need to link each of the two Google Notifier applications that you renamed to it's specific .plist so that when each application opens, they will have their own settings. Open the contents folder for each of the applications (Right click on application and select "Show Package Contents"). You want to open the "info.plist"

7. With the info.plist file open, find com.google.GmailNotifier.plist. You want to rename this to the corresponding .plist file. Do the same step with the other Google Notifier Application to link it to it's corresponding .plist

Once you have done these steps just open both of the Google Notifier Application one at a time to ensure you are logging into each one with the account you setup for the specific Google Notifier Application. one you have logged into both and select them to save the account and set them to start up when the use logs in, then you will never be bugged again for which user accounts you want to use.

**Bonus**
As seen in the first image, I have one icon as red and one as blue. I did this so that I could tell which icon was for what email account. This is a easy change. For each Google Notifier Application you want to change the icon for, go to it's Contents/Resources folder (Right click on application and select "Show Package Contents"). In this folder there is a .png labeled as "unread.png". This is the icon that Google Notifier changes to when you have unread email. Just photoshop the color or even make the same size icon of your choice. Here is the blue icon that I changed that I added to one of the Google Notifiers on my computer.

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I know this looks like a lot of work but after a quick read, it's rather simple.
If you catch any mistake in the directions, please let me know and I'll make the adjustment.
Good Luck !!

Cold Warrior · Sep 21, 2008, 10:35 AM

Very nice work. Thanks for posting it!

Big Mac · Sep 22, 2008, 03:00 AM

Seems a bit complex.

carterx · Sep 22, 2008, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by Big Mac

Seems a bit complex.

I put a lot of detail into what needs to be done. It only takes a couple minutes after you have read this. Perhaps too much detail. Depends if you want to run more than one I guess.

vmarks · Nov 12, 2008, 03:39 PM

Doesn't work right - I've got it using the separate prefs, the proper account, but it's showing the counter for the same account in both notifiers.

carterx · Nov 12, 2008, 04:29 PM

If you have separate prefs created and each of the two copies of the google app linked to the need pref, then once both are running, go into the application from the menu for one of them, log out, then fill in the user info for your other account.

commanderclif · Jan 2, 2009, 06:32 PM

This was AWESOME! Exactly what I wanted to do! I even edited the no-unread email icons (screened back versions of the unread emails) so that I know which is which when I'm all caught up on mail.

MY QUESTION...
I want to set it so that on account goes to one browser...and the other account goes to another browser. When I change the setting in the preference for one of the notifiers, and the go to the other, it has changed it there. In Smultron it says "AskedForEmailApp_GMLastLaunchedPath#@g@

lio · Feb 19, 2009, 03:34 PM

Thank you very much for your tips and for the excellent presentation of them!

I wonder only if I do something wrong with the link that you have posted ( http://www.mactech.ca/gmail_osx_tips/unread_icon.zip ) for the unread icon..

I can not download it and it is such an excellent idea!

carterx · Feb 20, 2009, 06:15 AM

Originally Posted by lio

Thank you very much for your tips and for the excellent presentation of them!

I wonder only if I do something wrong with the link that you have posted ( http://www.mactech.ca/gmail_osx_tips/unread_icon.zip ) for the unread icon..

I can not download it and it is such an excellent idea!

Link has been fixed. It's the blue gmail unread icon.

carterx · Feb 20, 2009, 06:20 AM

Originally Posted by commanderclif

This was AWESOME! Exactly what I wanted to do! I even edited the no-unread email icons (screened back versions of the unread emails) so that I know which is which when I'm all caught up on mail.

MY QUESTION...
I want to set it so that on account goes to one browser...and the other account goes to another browser. When I change the setting in the preference for one of the notifiers, and the go to the other, it has changed it there. In Smultron it says "AskedForEmailApp_GMLastLaunchedPath#@g@

I have not tried it, but I'm sure it will work to have one go to the browser and the other to an app like mail. Don't think you can have one go to one browser and the other account to another browser as it goes to your default browser. Your issue is that your computer has one default browser.

lio · Feb 20, 2009, 07:14 AM

Originally Posted by carterx

Link has been fixed. It's the blue gmail unread icon.

Thank you my friend!

DakotaBill · Mar 7, 2009, 04:47 PM

Carterx, you are a prince among geeks! I have wanted to do this for a long time (I have 3 accounts to control), and this worked beautifully! A million thanks for the very detailed and graphically-supported instructions!

carterx · Mar 12, 2009, 01:08 PM

Glad to hear others are able to use this

d0wnthe11235813 · Mar 25, 2009, 09:07 PM

Thank you! ive wanted to do this for while and finally stayed on my butt and did it. i did a few different things: used text edit modify the .plist files, changed the 'nonewmail' icons to have a different tint matching the 'newmail' icons, changed the audio pitch of one of the accounts so i could tell them apart (kinda pointless i know but i like it). as far as loading up each account in different browsers, would you need to use different browsers if the browser used supported multithreading? im going to try this on safari 4 here in a minute

d0wnthe11235813 · Mar 25, 2009, 09:18 PM

nope, doesnt work in multithreaded either. didnt think it would but i had a dream! again, great guide

cwkmacuser · Apr 27, 2009, 12:54 AM

Can anyone post a sticky? If so, how?

carterx · May 30, 2009, 10:04 PM

Running 3 accounts myself now .... and yes I know I have a lot of unread mail

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dbass74 · Dec 22, 2009, 05:10 AM

For me it works but impossible for keychain to remember passwords. Notifier always asks passwords at beginning of the session :-(. I looked in keychain list and there is no Google Service: Google Notifier line like there is when only use one standard notifier. It seems it disappear as soon as I launch two or more notifiers like in the procedure...

besson3c · Dec 22, 2009, 10:16 AM

Wouldn't it be easier to setup multiple identities within a single GMail account?

Andy8 · Dec 22, 2009, 07:53 PM

Gmail Notifr - you can have as many gmail accounts as you like!

gracia · Jan 8, 2010, 08:16 AM

IT WAS SAID "If you have separate prefs created and each of the two copies of the google app linked to the need pref, then once both are running, go into the application from the menu for one of them, log out, then fill in the user info for your other account."

I would appreciate knowing exactly HOW to link the google app to the needed pref.

Somewhere it said to "click on the application and goto 'show package contents". I could not see this when click on the application. I'm on a snow leopard mac, is this the problem?

ALSO, can you have 2 Notifier icons in the menu bar and one has a Save in Keychain and one doesn't, will the account that doesn't be treated separately?
I hope I have been clear. Thank you for your suggestions. Gracia.