[kent m]

Hello,

How is it best to create an email message that displays as html in an email app? I don't think Mail can create messages like this and importing html docs into a Mail message only attaches the doc to the message, rather than display in in the message...

I have to make a newsletter mailer for my knitting group and this seems to be the best way to send stuff out...

Thanks very much,
Kent

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by kent m

Hello,

How is it best to create an email message that displays as html in an email app? I don't think Mail can create messages like this and importing html docs into a Mail message only attaches the doc to the message, rather than display in in the message...

I have to make a newsletter mailer for my knitting group and this seems to be the best way to send stuff out...

Thanks very much,
Kent

Look at MIME Multipart message formatting. Create an HTML page with an inline stylesheet, images hosted on a server, and create a plaintext version. Combine the two together in a scripting language (such as PHP or Perl) separated by a unique boundary ID, and send the email through your script.

If you have access to a machine with SpamAssassin installed, send yourself a copy first so you can check out the spam score of your message.

[kent m]

Wow! Okay, I was hoping for a pointer to an app that would do this. This a bit above my ability... :-)

Thanks though!

[Love Calm Quiet]

If you code your message in HTML (keep page structure fairly simple for some receiving mail apps), then view it in Safari, you can hit Command-i and Safari will send it to your Mac's mail app, opening it as a new doc.

Careful: although you CAN edit the text, it tends to mung-up the spacing in hard-to-predict ways. You can, however modify the SUBJECT line (which otherwise is the TITLE of the web page you're sending.

ANY web page you are viewing in Safari may be mailed that way.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Love Calm Quiet

If you code your message in HTML (keep page structure fairly simple for some receiving mail apps), then view it in Safari, you can hit Command-i and Safari will send it to your Mac's mail app, opening it as a new doc.

Careful: although you CAN edit the text, it tends to mung-up the spacing in hard-to-predict ways. You can, however modify the SUBJECT line (which otherwise is the TITLE of the web page you're sending.

ANY web page you are viewing in Safari may be mailed that way.

The problem with doing that is that I don't think it sends a plaintext equivilent, and what OS X Mail will render doesn't necessarily ensure that the email will appear as expected in other email clients.

[Love Calm Quiet]

It's generally pretty darn close in rendering - except in systems like hotmail where they treat images as blocks and ignore/distort absolute positioning. (which is why I suggested simple layouts.

I've never checked it out (not having used plaintext-only reader in a while), but I've yet to get a complaint (out of hundreds of recipients) that it's not reading right.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Love Calm Quiet

It's generally pretty darn close in rendering - except in systems like hotmail where they treat images as blocks and ignore/distort absolute positioning. (which is why I suggested simple layouts.

I've never checked it out (not having used plaintext-only reader in a while), but I've yet to get a complaint (out of hundreds of recipients) that it's not reading right.

It supports things (such as black backgrounds) which other mailers do not.