Auto reply to email with rich text mail

Here's a very simple way of doing what you are asking for, if only you don't mind using [GUI Scripting|http://www.macosxautomation.com/applescript/uiscripting/index.html]. Set up a rule in Mail to trigger the following script, which should then automatically reply to each appropriate incoming message by pasting into the corresponding outgoing message the rich text content of a TextEdit document saved as "AutoReply.rtf" on your Desktop (although the location of that file can easily be changed).

I have commented out the line “send” (in green below) so that you can test the script without actually sending any message.

*using terms from application "Mail"*
* on perform mail action with messages theMessages for rule theRule*
* set theFile to alias (((path to home folder) as text) & "Desktop:AutoReply.rtf")*
try
--Copy the content of the TextEdit document to the clipboard:
* tell application "TextEdit"*
* open theFile*
* delay 0.5*
activate
* tell application "System Events"*
* keystroke "a" using command down* -- select all
* keystroke "c" using command down* -- copy
* end tell*
* close front document*
* end tell*
--Reply with Mail:
* tell application "Mail"*
* repeat with eachMessage in theMessages*
* set newMessage to reply eachMessage with opening window*
* tell newMessage*
* set visible to true*
* delay 0.5*
activate
--Paste the content of the clipboard into the current message:
* tell application "System Events"*
* keystroke "v" using command down*
* keystroke return & return*
* end tell*
* delay 0.5*
--send -- send the current message
* end tell*
* end repeat*
* end tell*
* end try*
* end perform mail action with messages*
*end using terms from*

Let me know if anything doesn't work as expected (this is only a beta version 😉 )

Message was edited by: Pierre L. (nothing essential)

Of course, if you prefer to avoid GUI Scripting and have the script run in the background, you might just use the TextEdit document as an email attachment.

Oops… I am going to check the script again.

Message was edited by: Pierre L.

I've checked the script again. It seems to work properly most of the time (at least with OS X 10.6.5). I think one-second delays (instead of 0.5-second delays) would be a good way to insure it always works flawlessly.
Thanks for your feedback.
Good luck!

Message was edited by: Pierre L.

Another idea. Why not a Mail rule which would copy certain incoming emails into a special smart mailbox, with a Folder Action script attached to that mailbox in order to automatically reply to the emails it contains? Just an idea. I didn't try it (yet)…

Message was edited by: Pierre L.

4pack wrote:
Ah b **ks to it. Unbelievably this is just too much like hard work...

Not sure what your script looks like, but this auto-reply script (set up as a Mail Rule) replies in Rich Text (from http://macscripter.net/viewtopic.php?id=34041) :

<pre style="
font-family: Monaco, 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;
font-size: 10px;
font-weight: normal;
margin: 0px;
padding: 5px;
border: 1px solid #000000;
width: 720px; height: 340px;
color: #000000;
background-color: #E6E6EE;
overflow: auto;"
title="this text can be pasted into the AppleScript Editor">
using terms from application "Mail"
on perform mail action with messages theMessages for rule theRule
tell application "Mail"
repeat with thisMessage in theMessages
set theName to extract name from sender of thisMessage
if exists reply to of thisMessage then
set theAddress to reply to of thisMessage
else
set theAddress to extract address from sender of thisMessage
end if
set theNewMessage to make new outgoing message
tell theNewMessage
make new to recipient at end of to recipients with properties {name:theName, address:theAddress}
set visible to false
set subject to "Re: " & subject of thisMessage & "- Change of address"
set sender to "My Name <myusername@mydomain.com>"
set content to "Dear " & theName & ",

This is an automated reply. Your message has been forwarded to my new e-mail address. For future reference, please update your records by replacing my former address myoldusername@myolddomain.com with my new address mynewusername@mynewdomain.com .

Thankyou,
Me"
end tell
delay 5
send theNewMessage
tell thisMessage
set was replied to to true
end tell


end repeat
end tell
end perform mail action with messages
end using terms from</pre>