Setting gmail as default email client in 11.10

[gpw797]

Looks like prior fixes don't work in 11.10 anybody have a fix? Why the heck isn't this a standard option now?

[haqking]

Looks like prior fixes don't work in 11.10 anybody have a fix? Why the heck isn't this a standard option now?

because not everyone uses gmail.

What is your problem ? you are trying to set it as default in thunderbird or you have installed evolution and trying to set it as default.

Be more specific

[Prince Valiant]

I think that gpw797 is referring to this: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/ubunt...ent-in-ubuntu/ .

The difficulty is that there is no way to add one's own options: all that can be done is to choose from the installed applications (e.g Thunderbird). What we (I think) would both like to do is have the default mail app button in the Unity dash point to gmail.com. At least, that's what I want; and the phrasing in the title of gpw797's post is the same as in the articles describing what I just mentioned.

I don't know (yet) how to fix this.

-Val

[gpw797]

because not everyone uses gmail.

What is your problem ? you are trying to set it as default in thunderbird or you have installed evolution and trying to set it as default.

Be more specific

more specific > want to set gmail as default email client so when you click mailto etc.. it opens up gmail in web interface not a separate email client.

[gpw797]

Correct...

I think that gpw797 is referring to this: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/ubunt...ent-in-ubuntu/ .

The difficulty is that there is no way to add one's own options: all that can be done is to choose from the installed applications (e.g Thunderbird). What we (I think) would both like to do is have the default mail app button in the Unity dash point to gmail.com. At least, that's what I want; and the phrasing in the title of gpw797's post is the same as in the articles describing what I just mentioned.

I don't know (yet) how to fix this.

-Val

[Prince Valiant]

Here's a workaround; it's not very elegant and will disable the convenient use of Thunderbird.
Go to the website I referenced, as you'll need the code provided there. Now, run nautilus as root: Alt+F2, then type

gksu nautilus

go to user-->share-->applications, within the nautilus window that opens.

Find the Thunderbird application shortcut. Right-click, and open it's properties. This is where you need the website info. Get the string that launches the shell script (/home/geek/open_mailto.sh %s), edit it for your username, and put it into the command line in the Thunderbird preferences window, instead of the command that launches Thunderbird (this is why Thunderbird won't work conveniently).

I changed the icon as well; I just Googled a gmail icon to go instead of the Thunderbird icon (click on the icon in the preferences box).

Now, download and follow the instructions on the site for placing the shell script. I edited the script to open my inbox with chrome; my changes are below.

#!/bin/sh

google-chrome https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox

Note that you launch Chrome with the command 'google-chrome', not 'chrome'.

I didn't care to have mailto links work, so I didn't try to achieve that. If you want that, it'll take some more finagling.

Have fun!
-Val

P.S. If that helps, please change your thread to say [SOLVED].

[markbl]

Looks like prior fixes don't work in 11.10 anybody have a fix? Why the heck isn't this a standard option now?

Why the heck has Ubuntu removed the "Custom" option? This constant dumbing down at the expense of usability is really peeving me.

And they really should have added a gmail option by now anyhow, as the OP says.

[wildkiev]

sudo apt-get install gnome-gmail

That'll add Gmail as an option in system-info
expanding on the [SOLVED] answer in http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1390756

[epicwiki]

Looks like prior fixes don't work in 11.10 anybody have a fix? Why the heck isn't this a standard option now?

install gnome 3, then look for a package called gnome-gmail, that will have you sorted

[rajohns08]

once installed go to applicatons > system tools > system settings > system info