[development] HTML emails

[Matt Connolly]

That's a great spec for constructing multi part messages, but it  
doesn't really go in to HTML at all.

Is there a standard, for example, for using content-inline-disposition  
links to use an attached image in the html document?

Does HTML email conform to HTML3 HTML4 XHTML1.0, etc?


Anyway, I agree that the data should remain structured for as long  
possible. Perhaps drupal can detect if there's a string (or array of  
strings) then it's an old school email, or if it's a keyed array of  
attributes, then construct the multipart message, using drupal render  
to a default theme or theme function (perhaps specified by a '#theme'  
key).

-Matt


On 20/07/2008, at 8:15 PM, Sean Burlington wrote:

>
> Well there's this
>
> http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc1341/7_2_Multipart.html
>
> and there's the fact that over half of emails sent are html formatted
>
> ;-)
>
>> Why should we encourage that?  As far as I'm concerned, we  
>> shouldn't.  That said, there may well be advantages to switching to  
>> drupal_render() for email messages.  I am in general a big fan of  
>> structured data remaining structured for as long as possible.  The  
>> benefit, however, would not be for HTML mail but for, say, easier  
>> email attachments.  That such a move would make it easier to send  
>> HTML email as well, well, that's a side effect I suppose we can  
>> live with.
>
> I have just been working on an email that I need Drupal to send  
> which include both tabular data and a graph
>
> In Drupal 5 the mimemail module worked a treat for this.
>
> Yes I had to work at getting the formatting to work consistently -  
> but then what's new - it's just another dimension to cross browser  
> support.
>
> It would be really useful to have the ability to more easily send  
> formatted mail - the more ways too cleanly hook into Drupal's email  
> sending process the better.
>
> I don't like HTML email - but I don't dictate my preferences to  
> clients.
>
> If they want formatted email with company logos and and 3 pages of  
> legal disclaimers - I may try to inform them of alternatives - but  
> if its what they want and they're paying - it's what I'll provide.
>
>
>
>
> -- 
>
> Sean Burlington
>
> www.practicalweb.co.uk
>