Send raw HTML messages from Mail.app

Sep 05, '03 10:25:00AM

Contributed by: Anonymous

Those of us who have tried to email HTML for display in a recipient's email client know how futile the effort is. Generally, only custom or specialized apps can modify the MIME headers of outgoing messages in the precise way to make the body of the email the HTML source code, rather than just contents to be reformatted into HTML colors, sizes and entities. Now most people use MailPictures (referenced in a previous hint, but that download link is no longer valid) to add X-Faces and custom photos to their emails within Mail.app, but there is also a (new and slightly obscured) feature that allows you to send raw HTML emails -- gloriously welcome for those who need to test or send out such HTML newsletters for themselves.

Here's what to do:

  1. Install MailPictures 2.4
  2. Open the MailPictures settings under Mail -> Preferences -> MailPictures (this may be offscreen under the » toolbar icon)
  3. Check "Enable MailPictures" and select the Advanced tab
  4. Check "Show Options in Compose Window"

Next time you create a new mail message, you will see three checkboxes: Add Mailpicture, Add X-Face, and -- taadaa! -- Message is raw HTML. Enjoy!

[robg adds: Yes, I know we'll see some comments on the evils of HTML-encoded email, but if you have a legitimate need for HTML coded email, it's been quite difficult to do in Mail.app until now...]

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