How to format emails in HTML?

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Level 3

660 points

How to format emails in HTML?

Hi. I've tried to format a letter using Mail but it appears to lack many editing capabilities such as bullets, inserting horizontal lines, etc. I was wondering if there is another way around this? I tried creating a letter in Word then pasting it into Mail, but the formatting then seems to be inconsistent, depending upon the email program that receives it.

On the other hand, I found that Entourage emails are true WYSIWYG, i.e. whatever I format there is how people see it when they receive it in Mail, Outlook, Yahoo, Google, etc.

Comments?

(Here's the problem. I like everything else about Mail, except for the formatting!)

MacBook Pro with lots of extra stuff, Mac OS X (10.5), iPhone in pocket, iPod in car, Adobe everything

Posted on Dec 16, 2007 9:25 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 16, 2007 9:47 AM in response to J Michael

I assume you mean rich text formatting in Leopard Mail? Make sure rich text is selected as a message format in mail>preferences>composing>message format.

Enabling rich text formatting in Leopard Mail will also help when you copy and paste a web page or part of a web page onto a new email as the html format of that web page will be better preserved. Actually that is one of the new features in Leopard Mail.

Hope this helps

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Answer 2

J Michael Author

Level 3

660 points

Dec 16, 2007 12:51 PM in response to Pascal Bouvier

Sorry, I should have been more clear. The problems I was referring to are a result of using Rich Text Formatting in Apple Mail in Leopard (and in earlier versions as well). The amount of formatting is extremely limited; basically font type/size/color, and even that seems to be inconsistent when sending an email to other email programs. And you can't do things like bullet lists, numbered lists, inserting horizontal lines, etc.

It seems to me that so-called HTML editors, such as the one used in Entourage and even in Yahoo Mail, are more robust, flexible, and consistent. I'm not complaining - okay, I guess I am - but I'm hoping that it's due to user error (me)!

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Answer 3

Dec 16, 2007 1:05 PM in response to J Michael

I see. Yes you are correct! Basically the amount of formatting is limited. IMHO email is for quickly exchanging text messages - even faster is IM mind you 😉 - so I guess it is not a platform for design such as the web as become, hence html as a language for the web. And yes again, you are correct, entourage or yahoo mail will give you a tad more robust editing package. What you gain in editing functionality in the body of an email you will loose in the integration with the OSX. As an example, and it is not a trivial one, Leopard Mail will give you great integration with Spotlight for searching within emails and mailboxes, which Entourage or Yahoo Mail will not. I guess you can't get a win/win here.

In other words, it is not due to user error 😉

hope this helps

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Answer 4

J Michael Author

Level 3

660 points

Dec 16, 2007 1:40 PM in response to Pascal Bouvier

Actually, Entourage fully integrates with Spotlight. I just don't like their calendar and to-do functions.

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Answer 5

Dec 16, 2007 2:21 PM in response to J Michael

the formatting then seems to be inconsistent, depending upon the email program that receives it.

Exactly! Please don't send HTML or Rich Text emails. Not all email programs render HTML emails without the tags. So a properly written email that is guaranteed to be easily readable by all recipients will not be dependent on formatting, and will be plain text. For example,

o To do bullets, you can use the letter 'o'.
o To insert a horizontal line, use hyphens.

-----------------------------------------

<pre style="line-height:50%">
__
( )
\/ ASCII ribbon campaign
/\ against HTML email
/ \
</pre>

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Answer 6

J Michael Author

Level 3

660 points

Dec 17, 2007 6:52 AM in response to Mr.Lobotomy

Actually, it works fine with Entourage, Outlook, and Yahoo Mail, all of which use HTML editors. Even Apple Mail seems to 'read' these exactly the way they were created.

The problem is that Apple Mail because it uses Rich Text, not HTML. Do (a) the amount of formatting available is limited, and (b) it does has an inconsistent look when received by Outlook, Entourage, Yahoo Mail, Google Mail, etc.

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