10.8.5 email compatibility problems

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Level 1

17 points

10.8.5 email compatibility problems

Since updating to 10.8.5 I am having problems using Mac Mail. First of all, iCloud drafts are created but do not automtically disappear after being sent; they must be deleted at least once, often several times for them to go away.

More importantly, emails created using Custom Stationary are being received on Windows machines as all broken apart, missing or moved pictures and attachments, and so disoriented that my people are complaining about having to put the puzzle pieces of my email back to gether again. When they forward the email back to me it looks normal. On a windows machine, they are all chopped up.

Is there any help for these problems?

Thanks in advance!

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion, 21.5 Inch, Mid 2011

Posted on Sep 24, 2013 7:11 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 24, 2013 7:34 AM in response to NN2RL

How an email is displayed is up to the recipient. If a recipient's email client is not configured to display custom stationary, fonts, images, etc. then there is nothing you can do to force their email client to display the format you want them to use. Stop using custom stationary.

If format and layout are important to you then send your email as a pdf attachment.

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Answer 2

NN2RL Author

Level 1

17 points

Sep 24, 2013 8:26 AM in response to BobTheFisherman

I understand what you are saying completely, thanks. Sending a formatted PDF attachment is not how I want clients to receive info from me as most never bother to open those.

I am able to create and 'email a copy' of a Word document in Windows that arrives nicely at the recipient's end, but is there a similar process using Pages or Open Office? I can't find it.

What I have done is create the email in Word, send a copy to my Mac email address in Word and then copy and paste the content into my Mac's mail custom format. That worked well until the latest 10.8.5 update and now I've got a real mess. Any suggestions?

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,541 points

Sep 24, 2013 6:07 PM in response to NN2RL

Quit Mail. Force quit if necessary.

Back up all data. That means you know you can restore the Mail database, no matter what happens.

Triple-click the line below on this page to select it:

~/Library/Mail/V2/MailData/Envelope Index

Copy the selected text to the Clipboard (command-C). In the Finder, select

Go ▹ Go to Folder

from the menu bar. Paste into the box that opens (command-V), then press return.

A Finder window will open with a file selected. Move the selected file to the Desktop, leaving the window open. Other files in the folder may have names that begin with "Envelope Index". Move those files, if any, to the Trash.

Log out and log back in. Relaunch Mail. It should prompt you to re-import your messages. You may get a warning that the index is damaged and that Mail has to quit. Click OK.

Test. If Mail now works as expected, you can delete the file you moved to the Desktop. Otherwise, post your results.

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Answer 4

NN2RL Author

Level 1

17 points

Sep 25, 2013 6:46 AM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks Linc for your suggestion. I proceded as you suggested and all went as expected, but I am not sure what if anything has changed. What am I supposed to see?

Robb

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Answer 5

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,541 points

Sep 25, 2013 7:51 AM in response to NN2RL

Do drafts still fail to be removed automatically?

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Answer 6

NN2RL Author

Level 1

17 points

Sep 25, 2013 7:58 AM in response to Linc Davis

Haven't noticed that they are sticking inside the Drafts folder, but I UNCHECKED the Preference for storing drafts on the server for this mail account...it had been checked before this morn.

My real main concern was how stationary was being handled and received at a recipient's email box. Doing the procedure you outlined above would help that issue?

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Answer 7

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,541 points

Sep 25, 2013 8:23 AM in response to NN2RL

No. From the Mail menu bar, select

Edit ▹ Attachments ▹ Always Send Windows-Friendly Attachments

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Answer 8

NN2RL Author

Level 1

17 points

Sep 25, 2013 8:31 AM in response to Linc Davis

This has always been checked in all my mail settings.

The problem I see is that when I open a Word document in Pages and I copy and paste it's content, Mail reformats and makes smaller the text, stripping out bullets or numbered lists and hyperlinks. I don't know what happens to cause this, but it is not a smooth copy and paste.

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Answer 9

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,541 points

Sep 25, 2013 8:38 AM in response to NN2RL

The only way you can completely control the way an emailed document will look to the recipient is by sending it as a PDF attachment. That's what I suggest.

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Answer 10

NN2RL Author

Level 1

17 points

Sep 25, 2013 8:39 AM in response to Linc Davis

I understand...I'm not happy about that, but it is what it is. Thank you for your assistance.

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