Email client not working properly? You don't say...

November 24, 2008 4:43 PM

I created an Automator Workflow to do a daily automatic offsite backup of my documents. The only snag is that when I get my mac's Mail program to send the email to my gmail account, most of the time the message just sits in the outbox and doesn't actually send; but sometimes it starts sending right away. What gives?
posted by GleepGlop to Computers & Internet (7 answers total)

OK, so what does the offsite backup have to do with the e-mail?
posted by kindall at 6:14 PM on November 24, 2008

Response by poster: Well, if anyone knows a way to circumvent the email problem, the offsite backup is what I am trying to do.
posted by GleepGlop at 6:27 PM on November 24, 2008

Let me try again. How is the e-mail problem stopping you from doing the offsite backup? What program are you using with Automator to do the actual backup (not the e-mail)? I assume the e-mail is a status report you want to send after the backup is complete?
posted by kindall at 9:48 PM on November 24, 2008

Response by poster: I have the Automator set to take my documents folder, zip it, open mac mail, send the zip to my gmail account in an email attachment, and voila. Offsite backup. Googling leads me to understand that I am not the only one with this email just sitting in the outbox problem, but I have yet to figure out how to fix it.
posted by GleepGlop at 10:01 PM on November 24, 2008

I do something like this for a few files in OS X, but I don't use Automator or the Mail application to do it. I just use a cronned shell script that:

(1) tars and zips the folder.
(2) encrypts the tar archive with openssl.
(3) uses mutt to mail the attachment to me with the subject "My Docs from DATE".

The key line is:

mutt -s "My-Docs-from-$TODAYDT" -a tarredfile.tar.gz.aes [e-mail]

It's silent/headless that way, no Automator or UI. The rare times I need the file (it's a backup, right?) I download it and decrypt with openssl.

It's run every day for years, never stalls. The folder varies from 2-200Mb.

posted by rokusan at 10:17 PM on November 24, 2008

If you don't care about encryption, of course, you can skip that part and just mail a tarred-up file. But e-mail is inherently non-secure. :)
posted by rokusan at 12:31 PM on November 25, 2008

Response by poster: That script stuff is over my head unfortunately... Apparently send mail hasnt worked for Automator since version 1.0... I'll have to just get the script to stop at the send point and click it manually...
posted by GleepGlop at 3:48 PM on November 29, 2008