I really am not usually a moron. I had checked and double checked all this. Yes, I turned it on in Gmail but somehow the port number was wrong==should have been 993, not 994.
While that at least enabled the connection, it got me back to the same problem I had when I set the device up as a POP server, which is why I changed to IMAP in the first place. I started getting this error again:
Email+ Error KBF Indigo email: Error connecting to IMAP server:
[AUTHENTICATIONFAILED] Invalid credentials (Failure) Just to be sure I had the right credentials, I logged in manually to this Gmail account in the browser and then re-entered the password that got me into Gmail on my computer. Still got the error.
There is an online link to clear any Captcha authentication requirement which I did but that didn't help. This is the link if anyone is interested:
https://accounts.google.com/DisplayUnlockCaptchaFinally I saw a reference somewhere to enabling less secure apps. Once I enabled that in Gmail guess what... it worked! The device now shows success. I deleted all the email in that mailbox and sent a new one and Indigo saw it, checked the triggers and deleted it. , But what a pain.
My understanding is IDLE opens a connection and eliminates the need to poll so I turned that back on. Email+ was silent in the log until I sent a new message, and it saw it immediately and processed it correctly. Just as a last test, I changed the parameters of the trigger to fire in the daytime and turn off a light next to me. Worked like a charm.
The only thing what was not perfect was this. I have to give a little intro, however. I'm accessing the Mini via Screen Share and there is a really irritating bug the affects M-1 machines where the screensaver comes on and you cannot turn it off. Clickthis link to read more about it:
https://www.cultofmac.com/732846/avoid-m1-mac-screensaver-bug/ I found a way to work around it--if you close and re-open the screen share, the login screen appears. Don't log in, because that will just get you to the screensaver. Instead tell the Mac to Sleep and then press a key and the screensaver is gone.
Why am I tellng you this? Because the first test email I sent with the changed trigger came in just before the machine went to sleep and when it woke up that email wasn't processed. Then I sent a second one, and Email+ picked it up instantly but only deleted that one, leaving the first one in the Inbox. SO, I just turned on process all emails and that got rid of it. Since I'm only using this mailbox for this purpose that probably makes sense.
Anyway, thanks for your help. A really irritating process of getting past all these roadblocks.