how to make and send a HTML email from Mail.app?

[cb911]

hi,

i just want to find out how to send a HTML email from Mail.app. or more specifically all i want to do is send an email with a picture from the 'net linked to it. basically instead of attaching the image, it gets the image off the net when you read the email.

also - is it possible to have an image in your signature through Gmail?

i've got an email from someone who's using Hotmail, and view it in Raw Source in Mail.app, you can see that it's somewhat HTML - but i've got to have a closer look to see what i can find out...

if anyone knows how to do this, i'd really appreciate the help.

 

[cb911]

anyone? someone?

well now i don't want to just send an email with a picture linked to it... i want to send a complete HTML email.

i've been sending out emails from Mail.app with some text, then a picture, then more text.... and just yesterday i saw that when that's viewed in Outlook it doesn't show it correctly. it shows the first bit of text but then the picture and anything after it (including text) is an attachment, so i just ends up with lots of .txt and .jpeg attachments.

well i'm sick of that not displaying properly on Outlook or Gmail/Hotmail - so i want to make it into a HTML email. anyone know how to do that? i've searched the 'net for this when i first posted with no luck - hopefully someone here has done this before...

well thanks for any help.

 

[mkrishnan]

well now i don't want to just send an email with a picture linked to it... i want to send a complete HTML email.

Unfortunately, you basically CANNOT, at least with Panther and below. I don't even think you could make the e-mail in an HTML editor and then drag it into Mail.app, because it wouldn't have its content type set as html. Well, that probably is possible, but I'm guessing it would require some Applescripting mojo. Sorry!

 

[ChrisFromCanada]

You will have to go with either mozilla thunderbird or Microsoft Outlook.

 

[Logik]

having HTML in email is a waste. too easy to make things look like they're from who they aren't. not to mention in a lot of cases it opens up a lot of security risks. at least viewing the html email, sending in most cases isn't as bad but regardless i hate getting html mail, just put a link to the image in the email and send it. seems like the safer route for you and your contacts.

 

[crees!]

Apple Emails

I'd like to know what Apple uses to send out their emails.

 

[mkrishnan]

I'd like to know what Apple uses to send out their emails.

Fair point! But I'll bet it isn't anything like a consumer app. It's probably made in something along the lines of Dreamweaver and then some kind of server-side app creates the mails and sends them out. I seriously doubt anyone is BCC'ing you and four million of your friends on the Apple e-mails from Mail.app....

Nonetheless, when the argument that not supporting HTML mail is a "feature" is combined with Apple's choice of formats, there is some level of pot-calling-the-kettle-black going on.

 

[ravenvii]

Well, no HTML in Mail in Panther is hilarious (with the ability to view HTML email, why not the ability to create one?), the Mail.app in Jaguar doesn't have HTML compatibility at all.

With that said, Mail.app in Tiger will be greatly improved, with a new interface and - you guessed it - HTML email-sending capability.

 

[cb911]

okay, i guess i'll give Thunderbird a try. and now even more reason i can't wait for Tiger to arrive. thanks for the help.

i'm curious - what security risks are there from sending HTML emails? how is reading a HTML email any different from viewing a web page? no security risks there unless you're not firewalled off...

i would just have a link to a picture or movie clip, but some of my friends can't use the internet from their work where they check their email. and as i mentioned above if i attach a picture and then type more text, attach another picture - it just ends up having .txt and picture attachments. HTML is the only way i can think to get around this problem.

 

[CanadaRAM]

okay, i guess i'll give Thunderbird a try. and now even more reason i can't wait for Tiger to arrive. thanks for the help.

i'm curious - what security risks are there from sending HTML emails? how is reading a HTML email any different from viewing a web page? no security risks there unless you're not firewalled off....

What makes you think that a firewall protects you from anything in a Web page? By opening the page you have explicitly invited it in past your firewall.

When you open a Web page, you are executing HTML code, including any Java or Javascript that is on the page, and you are loading any graphics or other files embedded on the page, which may be enclosed with the email, on the sender's server, or on any other Web server in the world. In addition, your browser has already communicated back to the outside web server(s) your IP address, the make and version of your web browser, the time and date, possibly the contents of web "bugs" (tracking numbers that can be used to verify that you have opened that specific message) and the contents of any cookies that the server has permission to read.

When you open (or even Preview) an HTML email, then you have also executed all of the above.

The point with HTML email is when it is opened, the recipient does not have the option to choose whether they want to "visit" that server or not. It happens automatically unless they use the security preferences of their mail program to turn off images, links to external servers, Java and/or Javascript on incoming emails --- of course if they do, they might not see your image(s) and signature either.

Thanks
Trevor
CanadaRAM.com

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I hope they never add HTML capability to Mail.app...

He...ck I wouldn't mind if they removed the ability to view received HTML mail...

 

[cb911]

why is everyone so afraid of HTML email? it's only the same as viewing a web page? i understand you don't have control of what server Mail.app may contact - but if you don't know who the email is from just don't open it, delete it - simple.

now why would you want HTML removed from Mail? force everyone to use Thunderbird?! may as well remove Java/JavaScript and all that other nasty stuff from Safari as well while they're at it...

well i have tried Thunderbird - it's da bomb.