Use Emacs to compose emails for Gmail web interface

Use Emacs to compose emails for Gmail web interface

[Jorge]

Hi.  I use Gmail's web interface.  In the long run I may change to an Emacs
mail client, but I am out of time right now and Gmail has been working very
well.

The one irritation is that every time I compose an email, I type `c' in Gmail
(to open compose), then C-a (to select all), C-c , change focus to Emacs, C-M-y
(which I have bound to clipboard-yank), M-x delete-trailing-whitespace, edit
the email, C-x h, C-M-w (which I have bound to clipboard-kill-ring-save), change
focus to gmail, C-v.

Is there a quicker way?

It would be better if Gmail worked with the Firefox extension `It's all text',
which it used to; but since Gmail moved to the "new compose experience" it
doesn't work anymore.

Regards
--
The sooner we fight global heating the lesser the cost
--
http://overpopulationisamyth.com/

Re: Use Emacs to compose emails for Gmail web interface

[James Freer]

On Wed, Sep 18, 2013 at 5:57 PM, Jorge <1gato0a@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi.  I use Gmail's web interface.  In the long run I may change to an Emacs
> mail client, but I am out of time right now and Gmail has been working very
> well.
>
> The one irritation is that every time I compose an email, I type `c' in Gmail
> (to open compose), then C-a (to select all), C-c , change focus to Emacs, C-M-y
> (which I have bound to clipboard-yank), M-x delete-trailing-whitespace, edit
> the email, C-x h, C-M-w (which I have bound to clipboard-kill-ring-save), change
> focus to gmail, C-v.
>
> Is there a quicker way?
>
> It would be better if Gmail worked with the Firefox extension `It's all text',
> which it used to; but since Gmail moved to the "new compose experience" it
> doesn't work anymore.

You may like to try Gmelius which will give you a wider compose and
reply window, and remove all adds, chat etc.

I tend to use the Gmail UI for mailing lists like this where one can
have loads of replies and the conversation keeps all topics together.
I find Alpine works very well with Emacs as the editor... configured
remotely (i.e. not downloading headers) suits the frequent linux
release schedule. T'Bird and Evolution I found far too slow. Like you
I don't have a lot of time for setting up so this suits me. Mutt and
the Emacs email clients take too long to set up for me.

james

Re: Use Emacs to compose emails for Gmail web interface

[Jorge]

On Wed, Sep 18, 2013 at 1:57 PM, Jorge <1gato0a@gmail.com> wrote:
> [...] every time I compose an email, I type `c' in Gmail (to open compose),
> then C-a (to select all), C-c , change focus to Emacs, C-M-y (which I have
> bound to clipboard-yank), M-x delete-trailing-whitespace, edit the email,
> C-x h, C-M-w (which I have bound to clipboard-kill-ring-save), change focus
> to gmail, C-v.

I have eased the problem with some Emacs Lisp.  The following is in my .emacs:

(global-set-key "\C-x\C-g" 'gmail)
(setq gmail-temp-file (make-temp-file "gmail"))
(defun gmail-enter ()
  "Visit gmail-temp-file, delete all text in it, yank the X
clipboard, delete trailing whitespace, go to beginning of
buffer."
(interactive)
(find-file gmail-temp-file)
(delete-region (point-min) (point-max))
(clipboard-yank)
(delete-trailing-whitespace)
(goto-char (point-min)))

(defun gmail-leave ()
"Copy the whole buffer to the X clipboard, kill it."
(interactive)
(clipboard-kill-ring-save (point-min) (point-max))
(save-buffer)
(kill-buffer))

(defun gmail (prefix)
  "Without prefix argument: call gmail-enter.
With prefix argument: call gmail-leave"
  (interactive "P")
  (if prefix
      (gmail-leave)
    (gmail-enter)))

Did I do anything wrong?

Regards

Re: Use Emacs to compose emails for Gmail web interface

[Jorge]

On Wed, Sep 18, 2013 at 9:03 PM, Jorge <1gato0a@gmail.com> wrote:
> I have eased the problem with some Emacs Lisp.  The following is in my .emacs:

I've made it more general:

(global-set-key "\C-xg" 'clipboard-get)
(global-set-key "\C-xp" 'clipboard-put)
(setq clipboard-temp-file (make-temp-file "clipboard_for_emacs"))
(defun clipboard-get ()
  "Visit clipboard-temp-file, delete all text in it, yank the X
clipboard, delete trailing whitespace, go to beginning of
buffer."
(interactive)
(find-file clipboard-temp-file)
(delete-region (point-min) (point-max))
(clipboard-yank)
(delete-trailing-whitespace)
(goto-char (point-min)))

(defun clipboard-put ()
"Copy the whole buffer to the X clipboard, kill it."
(interactive)
(clipboard-kill-ring-save (point-min) (point-max))
(save-buffer)
(kill-buffer))

Did I do anything wrong?

Regards

Re: Use Emacs to compose emails for Gmail web interface

[Menelaos Maglis]

Jorge <1gato0a@gmail.com> writes:


> It would be better if Gmail worked with the Firefox extension `It's all text',
> which it used to; but since Gmail moved to the "new compose experience" it
> doesn't work anymore.
>

This is what usually happens with proprietary closed software.
Some design decisions are made that brake nicely working interfaces 
(e.g. "It's all Text") and the users have no control.

I have seen this http://oldcompose.com/ that returns the old compose
design to GMail and supposed to work again with "It's all Text" plugin.

I have not tried it. You may and report the results.

Best regards,

Menelaos Maglis

Re: Use Emacs to compose emails for Gmail web interface

[James Freer]

On 10/20/13, Menelaos Maglis <mmaglis@metacom.gr> wrote:
> Jorge <1gato0a@gmail.com> writes:
>
>
>> It would be better if Gmail worked with the Firefox extension `It's all
>> text',
>> which it used to; but since Gmail moved to the "new compose experience"
>> it
>> doesn't work anymore.

Yes it does. Well... the recent change from last week end allows it
too - that's when I noticed it. I didn't like the standard interface
and thus use the Basic html one. I have the Gmelius addon which gets
rid of the adverts.

The basic html is similar to the old one... Firefox's ItsAllText works
perfectly with emacs as the editor. I didn't like 'new compose
experience' at all but like the setup I've got now. I use the UI for
email as it has the conversations which is excellent for lists, and
use Alpine remotely for other email addresses.

Try it.

james

Re: Use Emacs to compose emails for Gmail web interface

[Emanuel Berg]

Menelaos Maglis <mmaglis@metacom.gr> writes:

>> It would be better if Gmail worked with the Firefox
>> extension `It's all text', which it used to; but
>> since Gmail moved to the "new compose experience" it
>> doesn't work anymore.
>
> This is what usually happens with proprietary closed
> software.  Some design decisions are made that brake
> nicely working interfaces (e.g. "It's all Text") and
> the users have no control.

What does it matter what Gmail does? Gmail is for people
who like Gmail. If you don't like Gmail, but Emacs, you
can use the Emacs message mode to compose, the ~/.mailrc
file to keep an address book, and Gnus or Rmail to
read/organize.

If this is something you would like to do, but are
hesitant as to *how*, this list is here to help.

There is no point being frustrated what other people do
or do not.

-- 
Emanuel Berg, programmer-for-rent. CV, projects, etc at uXu
underground experts united:  http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573

Re: Use Emacs to compose emails for Gmail web interface

[Menelaos Maglis]

Emanuel Berg <embe8573@student.uu.se> writes:

> Menelaos Maglis <mmaglis@metacom.gr> writes:
>
>>> It would be better if Gmail worked with the Firefox
>>> extension `It's all text', which it used to; but
>>> since Gmail moved to the "new compose experience" it
>>> doesn't work anymore.
>>
>> This is what usually happens with proprietary closed
>> software.  Some design decisions are made that brake
>> nicely working interfaces (e.g. "It's all Text") and
>> the users have no control.
>
> What does it matter what Gmail does? Gmail is for people
> who like Gmail. If you don't like Gmail, but Emacs, you
> can use the Emacs message mode to compose, the ~/.mailrc
> file to keep an address book, and Gnus or Rmail to
> read/organize.

Well this discussion was about someone who _likes_ GMail but
prefers to edit the mail body in Emacs. Something that was 
possible with the firefox extension that got broken by a 
GMail change. Hence his fustration.

>
> If this is something you would like to do, but are
> hesitant as to *how*, this list is here to help.

I use GMail when my Gnus is not around.
When I get the time I will switch away from GMail to a 
self-hosted email solution altogether.

>
> There is no point being frustrated what other people do
> or do not.

I was by no means furstrated. Simply pointing out the perils
of using proprietary closed software.

Re: Use Emacs to compose emails for Gmail web interface

[Emanuel Berg]

Menelaos Maglis <mmaglis@metacom.gr> writes:

> I use GMail when my Gnus is not around.

Yes, if you want that mobility it is a problem to have
Gnus do it.

I stopped worrying a long time ago about mails when I'm
not at my computer. Because the mails always involved
some problem or something that had to be done, and I
could never do that anyway without my computer, so when
I'm away from my computer now, I don't care about it one
bit.

You know people waiting for the bus? They are constantly
fiddling with their "smart"phones, their neck down the
screen, completely stressed, and unaware of everything
that goes on. No one can convince me they are actually
doing productive work... This is just a neurosis they
have. Like smoking in the old days (has to do
*something* with your fingers!).

I'm not saying you are like that, I'm saying a lot of
people are.

-- 
Emanuel Berg, programmer-for-rent. CV, projects, etc at uXu
underground experts united:  http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573

Re: Use Emacs to compose emails for Gmail web interface

[Dan Espen]

Jorge <1gato0a@gmail.com> writes:

> Hi.  I use Gmail's web interface.  In the long run I may change to an Emacs
> mail client, but I am out of time right now and Gmail has been working very
> well.
>
> The one irritation is that every time I compose an email, I type `c' in Gmail
> (to open compose), then C-a (to select all), C-c , change focus to Emacs, C-M-y
> (which I have bound to clipboard-yank), M-x delete-trailing-whitespace, edit
> the email, C-x h, C-M-w (which I have bound to clipboard-kill-ring-save), change
> focus to gmail, C-v.
>
> Is there a quicker way?
>
> It would be better if Gmail worked with the Firefox extension `It's all text',
> which it used to; but since Gmail moved to the "new compose experience" it
> doesn't work anymore.

Yes, there is a quicker way.
You do all that but don't have time to set up Emacs?

I use fetchmail and pop to pull email to my local q.


-- 
Dan Espen

Re: Use Emacs to compose emails for Gmail web interface

[Jorge]

On Wed, Sep 18, 2013 at 2:07 PM, Dan Espen <despen@verizon.net> wrote:
> I use fetchmail and pop to pull email to my local q.
I you pull your email with pop then:
1) If you leave it in the server, it will be disorganized, because your mail
client won't tell the server when you delete email or move it between folders
(in Gmail, labels).
2) If you delete it from the server, then you cannot easily access it from
other computers.

I could pull email with IMAP, but I am afraid that the Gmail label concept
(one message can be in several labels) would not map well into emacs.  Suppose
message `m' is in Gmail labels `l_1' and `l_2'.  In emacs I will see l_1 and
l_2 as folders, and both will have a copy of m.  If I am in l_1 and move m to
l_3, will that work right?  Will m now be in l_2 and l_3?  And, what if
I want m to be only in l_3?  In fact, how can I easily see from
Emacs which labels a message has?

Regards

[the previous version of this email did not go to the list]

Re: Use Emacs to compose emails for Gmail web interface

[James Freer]

On Thu, Sep 19, 2013 at 5:32 PM, Jorge <1gato0a@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Wed, Sep 18, 2013 at 2:07 PM, Dan Espen <despen@verizon.net> wrote:
>> I use fetchmail and pop to pull email to my local q.
> I you pull your email with pop then:
> 1) If you leave it in the server, it will be disorganized, because your mail
> client won't tell the server when you delete email or move it between folders
> (in Gmail, labels).
> 2) If you delete it from the server, then you cannot easily access it from
> other computers.
>
> I could pull email with IMAP, but I am afraid that the Gmail label concept
> (one message can be in several labels) would not map well into emacs.  Suppose

Just use the All Mail folder... labels I think are set from there. I
skip the Inbox with a filter.

james

Re: Use Emacs to compose emails for Gmail web interface

[Suvayu Ali]

On Thu, Sep 19, 2013 at 01:32:38PM -0300, Jorge wrote:
> 
> I could pull email with IMAP, but I am afraid that the Gmail label concept
> (one message can be in several labels) would not map well into emacs.

Gmail labels map to IMAP folders.  So if a message has multiple labels,
they appear in multiple folders for you.  IMAP essentially sees
duplicates in different folders.  Unless you edit both messages, the
state changes (read, flagged, etc) map transparently back to Gmail.  I
personally choose to one label as important to me, and follow the
corresponding folder.  In case you do edit these copies, they just
appear twice on Gmail.  I don't recall what Gmail does then, in the
worst case you see the same message multiple times in the conversation
view.

Hope this helps,

-- 
Suvayu

Open source is the future. It sets us free.

Re: Use Emacs to compose emails for Gmail web interface

[Dan Espen]

Jorge <1gato0a@gmail.com> writes:

> On Wed, Sep 18, 2013 at 2:07 PM, Dan Espen <despen@verizon.net> wrote:
>> I use fetchmail and pop to pull email to my local q.
> I you pull your email with pop then:
> 1) If you leave it in the server, it will be disorganized, because your mail
> client won't tell the server when you delete email or move it between folders
> (in Gmail, labels).
> 2) If you delete it from the server, then you cannot easily access it from
> other computers.

Guess I'm old fashioned.
One computer is plenty for me.
I pull from multiple servers and organize all in one place of my own.

> I could pull email with IMAP, but I am afraid that the Gmail label concept
> (one message can be in several labels) would not map well into emacs.  Suppose
> message `m' is in Gmail labels `l_1' and `l_2'.  In emacs I will see l_1 and
> l_2 as folders, and both will have a copy of m.  If I am in l_1 and move m to
> l_3, will that work right?  Will m now be in l_2 and l_3?  And, what if
> I want m to be only in l_3?  In fact, how can I easily see from
> Emacs which labels a message has?

With GNUS, I hit "t" which shows all headers.
Don't know anything about labels.

-- 
Dan Espen