Why Some Apps Can Access the Email.app While Alfred Can't

[Cipri]

Hello everyone.

 

I know that it's currently not possible to create a workflow for Mail.app due to Apple's own restrictions.

But how is it possible that in Raycast there´s an extension that can use Mail.app to view recent emails and even send emails directly from Raycast and in Alfred this is not possible?

[vitor]

It is possible to make a workflow for it, Mail has an AppleScript dictionary. The Mail Link workflow uses it. The reason there isn’t a workflow for it is more likely to be that Alfred can already send emails by default and that looks to be enough for what most people want. Whatever information you saw about Alfred being unable to do it might have referred to some specific feature of Mail which is not automatable. Apple has stopped adding AppleScript capabilities to their apps (even before making Shortcuts) even as it adds more features.

Here’s a first proof of concept. I can already:

• Show messages from inbox.
• Open a message in the Mail app.
• Open a reply to a message ⇧↩.
• Delete a message ⌘↩.
• Toggle read status ⌥↩.

Might work this into a more full fledged workflow soon.

[Cipri]

Thank you very much for your explanation @vitor. 

 

That proof of concept you shared is already very very good!

Edited August 25 by Cipri

[Cipri]

@vitorthe "Open a reply to a message ⇧↩" doesn't work on my my Mac. But the rest it´s really really good already. You created this workflow today?

 

[vitor]

22 minutes ago, Cipri said:

the "Open a reply to a message ⇧↩" doesn't work on my my Mac.

 

Make sure you’re on version 0.0.2 (I updated the link a few minutes after posting, with more features). If you are on that version, open the  debugger, perform the failing action, click “Copy” on the top right and paste it here.

 

24 minutes ago, Cipri said:

You created this workflow today?

 

Yes, started about an hour after your post.

[Cipri]

5 minutes ago, vitor said:

Yes, started about an hour after your post.

That´s amazing!

[Cipri]

@vitorI´m on version 0.0.2. It doesn't work. Here´s the debugger:

 

Moderator’s note: Edited out private information.

 

When I press ⇧↩ it opens a google search for the word "mail" on safari. 

[vitor]

Removed the private information, since it had titles.

 

12 minutes ago, Cipri said:

When I press ⇧↩ it opens a google search for the word "mail" on safari.

 

That sounds like you’re doing it on top of the Mail app, instead of on a selected result from the workflow. Can I see a video? You can record your screen with built-in macOS tools.

[Cipri]

@vitor

 

https://streamable.com/ldx0wb

 

I´m sorry, I meant to say it open a google search for the word "Inbox". I mistakenly wrote "mail" instead. 

[vitor]

Are you pressing Control (⌃)? You need to press Shift (⇧).

[Cipri]

Yes, I was pressing Control... 🤦

 

Sorry, my bad!