Mac OS 10.5 Mail app hints - 'To Do' items in Gmail via IMAP

Finally I've cut some time to post Mac OS hints. I would like to begin with the most frequently using app which is Mail.


One of the Mail features which was presented in Mac OS 10.5 was the ability to add Notes and To Dos for email messages, it's especially useful feature if you have iPod Touch or iPhone as you can sync your 'notes' and 'to do' items between your Mac and iPhone / iPod Touch. 


It works really simple and effective - whenever you need to take any action about a particular email you add 'to do' item by right mouse button click anywhere in a message or even use a text in a message as a text for 'to do' item. By adding 'to do' items you get a list of them, for each item you can set a date, due date, priority or status 'done'.


Now be aware that if you use Gmail as your email service provider you will face with an issue which up to date both Apple and Google hasn't addressed, which is a conflict between how Mail and Gmail treats adding, editing 'To Do' items via IMAP protocol. Basically there is only one way, which may help you to handle with this conflict.

1. Go to Mail preferences --> Composing --> Create Notes and 'To Do's items in: On My Mac.
2. Close Mail and log into Gmail via browser, go to Settings and then either go to 'Labs' and specify 'Enable' for 'Advanced IMAP controls, then go to 'Labels' and uncheck 'Show' for 'Apple Mail To Do' items OR simply delete this item. Close your browser and get back to Mail.