Development Custom GMail Vacation Auto-Responder Using IMAP

Discussion in 'Software' started by khallaf, 14 Jun 2009.

?

How much was it useful to you?

Poll closed 14 Jul 2009.
  1. Very

    100.0%
  2. Interesting

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  3. Good to know

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  4. Neutral

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  1. khallaf

    khallaf What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    14 Jun 2009
    Posts:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Last edited: 21 Jun 2009
  2. ch424

    ch424 Design Warrior

    Joined:
    26 May 2004
    Posts:
    3,112
    Likes Received:
    41
  3. khallaf

    khallaf What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    14 Jun 2009
    Posts:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    What it does add...

    Aside from the IMAP how-to fiasco, which many people could very well be interested in, this is mostly a commercial/administration issue.

    You see, Gmail has an auto-responder. Correct. But:

    1- It replies in the name of the account owner. If you are well-delved enough into Gmail and Google Apps Hosted Domains, you would have known that many if not all Google Apps owners use nicknames/groups instead of real accounts. Why? Money! It costs 50 USD/annually per account. You wouldn't be paying those only to get the auto-reply in the name of the otherwise-had-been-group/nickname! Right?

    I know I'm using a one "From:" only in my code, but this is a commercial standard; to have a business-wide from address auto-replying during vacations and holidays. Besides, the code is there for you to manipulate it. With few tweaks, you could do it as if the reply is coming from the group/nickname address.

    2- Gmail's auto-responder does not allow you - even with the time-setting add-on from Google Labs - to specify the exact time , in my code up to the second, when the auto-responder will stop by itself. It only allows you to set a start day, and an end day.

    That's what it is about, in essence. Still, the code itself could be used in many other ways, not limited to auto-replying.

    BR,

    Khallaf
     

Share This Page