Check out Build an Automator Quick Action To Snooze Email at YouTube for closed captioning and more options.
function run(input, parameters) {
// set up applications
var Mail = Application("Mail");
Mail.includeStandardAdditions = true;
var Reminders = Application("Reminders");
var SystemEvents = Application('System Events');
// get the selected messages
var messages = Mail.selection();
// loop through all messages
for(var i=0;i<messages.length;i++) {
// get the subject, sender and message id
var subject = messages[i].subject();
var sender = messages[i].sender();
var id = messages[i].messageId();
// prompt for subject modifications and the snooze time
var dialogResult = Mail.displayDialog('Email Snooze Reminder Title',
{ defaultAnswer: subject + ' from ' + sender,
buttons: ['4 PM Today', '4 Hours From Now', 'Cancel'],
defaultButton: '4 PM Today',
cancelButton: 'Cancel',
withTitle: 'Mail Snooze' });
// calculate the due date time
var due = new Date();
if (dialogResult.buttonReturned == '4 PM Today') {
due.setHours(16);
due.setMinutes(0);
due.setSeconds(0);
} else if (dialogResult.buttonReturned == '4 Hours From Now') {
due.setHours(due.getHours() + 4);
} else {
return; // cancelled, so quit
}
// get the new title
reminderTitle = dialogResult.textReturned;
// create a new reminder and add it
var newReminder = Reminders.Reminder({ name: reminderTitle, body: "message://<"+id+">", dueDate: due});
Reminders.lists.byName("Email Snooze").reminders.push(newReminder);
}
// send a Control+Command+a to archive the selected messages
SystemEvents.keystroke('a', { using: ['control down', 'command down'] });
}
Your excellent “Snooze Email” program is a real help, even for this 85 year old. Thank you for making the instructions so clear and understandable. The service you offer is a real blessing. Brad
I tried this but got an error: “Can’t get object”, when running the Javascript. I wonder what went wrong.
I figured this out. The script assumes that a Reminder list “Email Snooze” already exists. I needed to create this list first for it to work.
Wei: Yes, I say that at 5:52.
Hi, what a helpful thing I was looking for a long time! Thanks a lot and greetings from Germany!
Just one thing: I tried to set the reminder at 9pm in the script, which doesn’t work. It still shows me 4pm. How to change this?
Jörg: Look at the script carefully. You have to change those things in several places.
This looks like a great convenience. Assuming I install the script on both computers, will I encounter any issues if I access my three email accounts from two computers, a laptop and an iMac?
Lawrence: It should act just like if you did these steps manually on one computer. Try it and see.
This looks like a great convenience. Assuming I install the script on both computers, will I encounter any issues if I access my three email accounts from two computers, a laptop and an iMac?
Thanks Gary.
Oops, I hit the wrong button.
This is fantastic. I would however, like to set reminder to 9am the following day (as one of the options). I can see how to edit the time but not the date. Any ideas anyone?
Jonathan: Try to add + 1 to the line:
var due = new Date()
That’s excellent thank you. I tried other things, but not that!
Found it. I had to change “due.setHours(16) to (21). Thanks!
This is awesome!! How do I fix: The action “Run JavaScript” encountered an error: “Error: Error: Automator Workflow Runner (WorkflowServiceRunner, Email Action Required) is not allowed to send keystrokes.”?
Dean: Did you allow permissions like I show in the video?
Hi Gary
Its very useful tool, however what do I have to add to the script if I want to define specific Date & Time ?
Thanks and greeting from Israel
Eyal: The first line where the “due” variable is set you can put a specific date there using JavaScript. But if you want a while interface to appear to ask you pick a time and a date, that will take a lot of work. Probably best to just use the Reminders app unless you are a good coder.
I get an execution error – Error: Error: Can’t get object.
I have allowed permission & verified
Mail is listed under reminders.
I script runs & get the dialog box with the email info and displays correctly, then it does not matter which of the two buttons I select it come up with this error.
Under Accessibility mail was not listed so I added. I tried to close mail and it refuse to close and would not allow the system to reboot. Eventually mail closed, so I rebooted
Still get this error.
Scott: You just need to check and recheck everything. If you still can’t get it to work, perhaps find a programmer friend who can help you debug it firsthand.
Hi Gary, great solution! I work with groups in my reminder, so the script wouldn’t be run, if the list are lying in a group. Have you a tip for me, how the code line must look like, with a group-path?
Cheers, from Germany
Marco: I don’t think Groups will make a difference. But try it and see. You can check out the documentation in Script Editor to try something different, but it will take work.
Hi Gary,
I was experimenting to add a “This Saturday” button but my JavaScript knowledge is very limited. May you just give me a hint how to calculate the variable starting from today (the time may be the same) ? The way I tried it doesn’t work :(
My code example inside ‘smaller-than’ and ‘greater-than-signs’ disappeared. Here it is: due.setDate((6 – due.getDate())*24); I was tempting to calculate the difference from the value of today’s weekday and Saturday (6)…
Thomas: Maybe use .getDay() and get the current day of the week, subtract that from 6 to get how many days to add.
Gary: Thanks for your help. I finally found a way to get my mail snoozed until a special weekday. This code replaces the “4 Hours From Now” section in your example:
} else if (dialogResult.buttonReturned == ‘Until Saturday’) {
var dueDay = 6;
var diff = due.getDay() – dueDay;
if (diff > 0) {
due.setDate(due.getDate() + 6);
} else if (diff < 0) {
due.setDate(due.getDate() + ((-1) * diff))
}
Fantastic! Now I can delete Spark which keeps losing my emails.
Re:
Jonathan: Try to add + 1 to the line:
var due = new Date()
I couldn’t get this to work, so I made this change:
if (dialogResult.buttonReturned == ‘9 AM Tomorrow’) {
due.setDate(due.getDate() + 1);
due.setHours(09);
due.setMinutes(0);
due.setSeconds(0);
This seems to work.
The automation has started looping; I deleted it and put in a new one with no changes but it repeats the dialogue several times before archiving the email and then quitting. I end up with a pile of identical reminders.
Ben: Are you selecting a message before running it?
This is good. I’ve been looking for something like this. Thank you.
Question though. Is it possible to change things in that java script to have it ask you the date and time on when you’d like it to be sent?
Thank you again.
Brian: Yes, it will just take a lot more work to build that. If you are an experienced programmer, it should be no problem. If not, you may want to team up with a coder to get it done.