Problem forwarding HTML emails

[tilenius]

I've had this problem in Entourage 2004 and unfortunately it's still in Entourage 2008. I think it's a bug, or else bad design, but maybe it's something I'm doing??

Here's the deal: I get a really nicely formatted HTML email, complete with graphics, from a professional source (newsletter, company, etc.) I want to share it with colleagues. I hit FORWARD and suddenly instead of the nicely formatted HTML, it loses the graphics completely and displays HTML tags in brackets -- i.e., the full URL's.

How can I forward a message with HTML graphics??

This really makes me look unprofessional when I try to pass along info. It's worse than forwarding on a BlackBerry.

HELP!! Totally unacceptable. In Outlook I can forward the same emails fine, no problem, but they just turn into tag gibberish on Entourage.

BTW, I do have my default format set to HTML in the preferences.

 

[Adam Bailey]

I've had this problem in Entourage 2004 and unfortunately it's still in
Entourage 2008. I think it's a bug, or else bad design, but maybe it's
something I'm doing?? Here's the deal: I get a really nicely formatted
HTML email, complete with graphics, from a professional source
(newsletter, company, etc.) I want to share it with colleagues. I hit
FORWARD and suddenly instead of the nicely formatted HTML, it loses the
graphics completely and displays HTML tags in brackets -- i.e., the full
URL's. How can I forward a message with HTML graphics??

Entourage is not capable of composing (or Forwarding) complex HTML messages
in its message body. You can get around this by choosing "Forward as
Attachment" from the Message menu, which will send the message intact (and
display inline on some of your recipients' email programs).

 

[tilenius]

Wow, thanks for the info, Adam. I cannot believe that here it is 2008 and Entourage cannot handle complex HTML. Big time feature suggestion.

That makes sense, though, as I tried doing a COPY and PASTE and it got all confused, too.

I really hope Microsoft will add support for complex HTML composition. While I don't plan on doing that myself, to be able to copy & paste HTML and/or forward complex HTML emails is a pretty big requirement these days! I cannot believe how lame it is that they didn't improve this!

Outlook handles this fine. Geesh, I am seriously going to look at ripping out Exchange server and using Gmail with Apple's MAIL product.

Please, Microsoft, will you get a clue and invest in Entourage!!!!???!!!

To not support HTML today when it's been supported in other mail clients for over a decade is pretty sad.

Anyway, thanks for the workaround, Adam. Good to know. At least that will do in emergencies. But I think it looks pretty lame to have to send it as an attachment. Better than nothing, but I'm really going to look hard at Apple apps.

I'm just very, very disappointed that Entourage isn't closer to Outlook.

 

[Adam Bailey]

Wow, thanks for the info, Adam. I cannot believe that here it is 2008 and
Entourage cannot handle complex HTML. Big time feature suggestion.

The good news is, Entourage 2008 had a very significant under-the-hood
update to its HTML display engine - moving from Tasman (the old Internet
Explorer engine) to WebKit (the Safari engine). Display and composition may
be apples and oranges, but it's also possible we're one major step closer to
Entourage's ability to compose complex HTML in a future version.

 

[Joel_Russo]

Thanks for the workaround Adam. But I'm with tilenius. That is very unsatisfactory. I upgraded from 2004 to 2008 in part because I was hoping this problem had been solved. Also, I was hoping you could actually import .pst from Outlook.

Joel Russo
http://www.m1marketing.com

 

[RobinFH]

Thanks for the tip, and it does work, but it is a very clumsy work-around. I like the Entourage format and features, except for the HTML issue. I have a large address book and folder structure, so I am reluctant to change to a different program, but as I run my own business I would appreciate being able to send out real HTML e-mails, and being able to forward the same to my team, many of whom use Windows machines. Oh, well, Macs come off second best again!

 

[snappertheslapper]

The good news is, Entourage 2008 had a very significant under-the-hood
update to its HTML display engine - moving from Tasman (the old Internet
Explorer engine) to WebKit (the Safari engine). Display and composition may
be apples and oranges, but it's also possible we're one major step closer to
Entourage's ability to compose complex HTML in a future version.

Another issue with forwarding the email as an attachment is that .eml
files are inherently tricky for corporates to allow into their mail
infrastructures and are often blocked due to potential security risks
- and rightly so. As a security consultant myself I know many
organizations here in NZ which undertake this security measure.

Granted the email can be released upon request, but it WILL be blocked
every time it's sent, by design. Of course unless you can become
trusted and whitelisted - which is not always too difficult for
someone in my business.

For someone like myself who uses Entourage for business purposes this
is a major headache and I have to agree with other comments on this
thread - a major disappointment with 2008.

HTML email is surely now the most common mail format globally and yet
us Mac users are stranded.......

Darren

 

[Adam Bailey]

Another issue with forwarding the email as an attachment is that .eml
files are inherently tricky for corporates to allow into their mail
infrastructures and are often blocked due to potential security risks
- and rightly so. As a security consultant myself I know many
organizations here in NZ which undertake this security measure.

That's ridiculous, .eml couldn't be more inoccuous. They may as well block
..txt attachments.

 

[sf_creatives]

Here is my workaround:

Print as PDF

Choose File
Print...
PDF drop down menu
Select - "Edit List"
Hit the + Plus sign
Choose Applications: Microsoft Office 2008: Entourage: ok

Now when you want to forward an HTML attachment go to

File : Print : PDF Menu : Entourage

This will put an PDF attachment into your new mail message. Send away.
The only drawback I see is that you'll still have your email headers...

Good luck. When you get sick of Entourage give Apple Mail a shot, its far more stable and integrated.