Gmail use command-line to check for new messages

bash script for checking your gmail accounts

(This is probably one of the scripts that I use the most)
Having multiple gmail accounts can be usefull, however opening your browser, logging in and out (multiple times) is annoying, especially when there wasn't really a new email.

This bash script checks your gmail accounts, and reports how many new messages are in your inbox. Also, it activates your ScrLock led on your keyboard (really, when did you use that button anyway...?).

To get the led function working, you might have to do this first:

lxer@local:~$  xmodmap -e 'add mod3 = Scroll_Lock'

or add it to modmap: nano ~/.Xmodmap , add mod3 = Scroll_Lock

#! /bin/bash
# checking for new emails @ gmail

# created by Lxer 2008
#

# check your modifier keysettings:  xmodmap
# to get scroll lock led working: xmodmap -e 'add mod3 = Scroll_Lock'
#  or add it to modmap: gedit ~/.Xmodmap ,  add mod3 = Scroll_Lock

# to have this script running in the background and checking
# it  repeatedly, use:
#   sudo watch --interval=300 gmail &> /dev/null &
# or set as cronjob
#
#####################
# replace these with your account settings :
username=( username1 username2 username3 )
passwd=( pass1 pass2 pass3 )
tempfile="/var/tmp/gm/"

#########
a=0
for (( i = 0 ; i < ${#username[@]} ; i++ )) ; do
   wget -q -P $tempfile https://${username[$i]}:${passwd[$i]}@mail.google.com/mail/feed/atom
   if [ -f $tempfile"atom" ]; then
      email=`sed -n -e 's/<\/*fullcount>//pg'  $tempfile"atom"`
   if [ "$email" != "0" ]; then
      echo -e "New emails: \033[1m $email \033[0m  account: \033[1m ${username[$i]}  \033[0m"
      sed -n -e 's/< \/*summary>/\r/pg' $tempfile"atom"
      a=1
   fi
   rm $tempfile"atom"
else
   echo $name3 : Login failed.
fi
done

# print url for easy access
if [ $a -eq 1 ]; then
   echo "http://www.gmail.com"
fi

#blinkenlight
if [[ $EUID -eq 0 ]]; then # only if root
   if [ $a -eq 1 ]; then
      ledcontrol set s5 on
   else
      ledcontrol set s5 off
   fi
fi

Save this file as, for example, 'gmail' and put it in your /usr/bin folder (and make it executable). A cronjob can be used to run this script like every 5 minutes or so.