Independent Mac developer, Luther Fuller, has released MailWing (http://web.me.com/lutherfuller/Software_Cat/MailWing.html), an organizer and archiver for Apple’s Mail running Mac OS X 10.5 or 10.6. It organizes Apple’s Mail by moving messages from linked mailboxes to matching Finder folders located with a project, account, interest group or client folder.
These messages open in Mail or with Quick Look. A Dock Menu provides access to MailWing, the Help document, the Mail-Safe Archive, MailWing’s commands and all linked folders. The linked folders can be located anywhere you wish, such as with a project, an account, an interest group or a client folder.
Messages are copied without file conversion, so a saved copy of a message is simply a Mail document (.emlx) file that a double-click opens in Mail. These saved documents may be Replied, Redirected, Forwarded, Bounced and Printed by Mail just like any other messages, (but they can’t be Junked, Deleted or Flagged). Saved messages also retain attachments, if present.
The saved copy of a message is modified so that:
° The file name is the header’s subject
° The modification date is the header’s Date Sent
° The comment is the header’s To: address (for sent mail) or From: address (for received mail). This allows you to identify messages in a List View Finder window
Threaded mailboxes are saved to linked folders grouped into sub-folders named with the header subject so that threads are preserved. Unread messages are labeled gray and the linked folder is opened showing messages ready-to-read. Messages may be read in Mail by opening with a double-click or may be read with Quick Look. Launch MailWing to clear the gray labels. Once a message in a linked mailbox is copied to its linked folder, the original message is moved to Mail’s Trash mailbox where it is retained until moved to the Mail-Safe Archive.
The MailWing Dock Menu gives you instant access to MailWing, the Help document, the Mail-Safe Archive, MailWing’s commands and all of your linked folders. May also be installed in DragThing and alternate dock or menu bar launchers.
The Mail-Safe Archive – (available only with activation) is a 4.7GB sparsebundle disk image file. It contains a “_Master Archive” folder linked to the Trash mailbox where all outdated messages are archived into Year/Month/Day numbered folders, then erased from Mail. This insures that an archived copy exists of every message sent or received. When full, this archive can be burned to a DVD.
You may also archive any linked folder to this disk using the Move To Archive menu item. These messages are archived in addition to those archived above. You no longer have to agonize over deleting old mail. Simply archive everything to Mail-Safe where it’s out of sight. If you ever need to see an old message, it’s found with a Spotlight search. Saved searches work just like Mail’s Smart Mailboxes.
MailWing is fully functional, except the Mail-Safe Archive, for a period of 30 days following installation, after which continued use requires purchase of an activation key (US$9.95). MailWing replaces Mail Saver. If you are using Mail Saver, the update to MailWing is automatic and your Mail Saver activation key is retained by MailWing.