[DaGuy]

How do I set up what I'm labeling the obvious rule in Apple's Mail application. Here's what the rule should do

"Play a sound if a message clears all rules and remains in my inbox."

Such a rule will draw my attention ONLY when REALLY needed. I find it hard to implement given that messages first arrive in the inbox and then the rules are applied -at least that is my perception on how Mail works.

This should be doable right? How do I pull it off?

[SMacTech]

That feature is already there. It is the "New Mail" sound in the Accounts pane. Also, only mail that arrives in the InBox will show in the Dock icon. Any mail that I receive that is not moved to another mail box, plays that new mail sound.

[DaGuy]

Thanks for the message. And yes I noticed that "New Mail" functionality. However when set to play a sound, it seems to activate for almost every message that hits the inbox. The exception seems to be when the messages are intercepted my Mail's junk filter. Hence drawing unnecessary attention.

For example, I sometimes hear bells and quickly look at the Mail icon in the doc and I see great deal of messages that start reducing in number as the rules kick in. Nevertheless, the sonic damage has been done.

See what I'm trying to get at? There should be away around this.

Thanks!

[SMacTech]

I only get the new mail sound when it actually goes to my inbox and no rules have been applied. I don't get the sound for any junk mail. Maybe your rules have sounds applied to them.

[Art Vandelay]

Turn off the new mail sound. Create a rule that only plays a sound and place it at the bottom of the rules list. Set your rules above to stop evaluating subsequent rules. That should do the trick.

[cpac]

Originally posted by DaGuy:
See what I'm trying to get at? There should be away around this.

Thanks!

Yes, the simple solution is to change the order in which your rules are applied: drag the incoming sound rule *below* the rules for which you don't want to hear a sound - that way you only hear things that aren't sorted elsewhere by the rules.

Got it?

[DaGuy]

Gotcha. Thanks for the posts!