search should not reset the selected source (in the mailboxes pane) to All Messages (optionally?)

Previously, the default was to stay in the same mailbox, but that didn't work well for most of the initial searches. It is possible to hold down ⌥ to stay in the current mailbox, but unfortunately this is not a good solution for the Mailbox Search shortcut ⌥⌘F, so that one is hardcoded to All Messages for now. There is also a toolbar button where ⌥ could work, but it doesn't due to a bug (I fixed it today).

I guess MailMate could choose to stay in the currently selected mailboxes when more than 1 mailbox is selected, but that may also be a confusing mixed behavior. I'll think about that.

Note: When you lose your selection like this then try to go “Back in History” using ⌘[.

Ah, so that explains why this hasn't bugged me until sometime fairly recently.

I think this discussion gives further weight to the idea of a preference option, like Spotlight has. I can see how some people wouldn't like what I like; on the other hand, to me it is maddening to have my selections un-made.

This applies not just to MM, but to any app which takes it upon itself to unselect something I have selected. Together with what to do when the user manually changes the source list selection with an active search, this is an area in which Mac apps are wildly inconsistent. iTunes, Mail, Xcode...

Personally, I like Xcode's way the best (talking Xcode 3 here). When you select something in the source list, and then do Cmd-Opt-F, it does not modify the selection. Furthermore, when you then change the selected sources, it does not change your search criteria. You can gradually adjust each of those things to refine the search and zero in on what you need.

I think that this shows the most respect for the user--even though small, the acts of selection-making and inputting search criteria represent work by the user. Discarding that work at the whims of the computer is presumptuous at best and maddening at worst.

Mail, iTunes, and Finder get it varyingly wrong, IMO.

MM is better; it does give you the option to gradually refine both--you can progressively edit the search criteria, and also change the sources you are searching. That is great.

It is only at the start of a new search that I find MM's behavior lacking. I would like the option to tell MM 'look, you non-sentient collection of machine instructions: I'm a human, and I know what I am doing, so don't undo any of my explicit actions'.

I guess that's basically saying what I said before using different words, though, so I will leave it at that. ;-)

Or, you know, even a "Search in Selected Mailboxes" (Cmd-Opt-Shift-F) would be fine... I would just get used to always using that command instead of the current one.

Such a solution would use up one more valuable keyboard shortcut, but would have zero ambiguity...

Please add this feature soon.

I tried to use Spotlight for a quick - that's no good sign.