HTML emails and line length

antares · 22-11-2005, 09:47

I am trying to solve a problem with sending HTML messages
using Sendmail at at my paid for hosting website.

I am not certain about the cause but your input would be
appreciated.

It appears that when I send a multipart/alternative message
using MIME
there is a problem with the message after it has been
transmitted and is subsequently displayed on MUA screens.

The plain text version displays correctly and also the first
part of the HTML message BUT when you get into the <BODY>
section of the HTML the decoded lines are so long they reach
the end of the display window (i.e. I think over 1024 bytes)
and the software is inserting an ! mark at the wrap position
which causes the message to display incorrectly in MUAs such
as Outlook Express and also web based MUAs. This is
especially true if the ! mark occurs in a link - the whole
link may not work

I am not sure if it is Sendmail, the mailserver, IE or my HTML plug-in (XStandard free d/l) or some
other gateway causing these problems.
I have seen long limes sent through other gateways but I
have never seen the ! mark inserted too.

I wonder if you can configure the server to stop
inserting the ! mark or wrap the lines at less than 1024
bytes
to stop the insertion of the ! mark.

Your thoughts on this would be much appreciated.
Antares

**monaghan** · 22-11-2005, 11:09

What does the raw html mail message show when viewed in a text only browser, that will tell you whether a mail gateway is pre-processing the message or whether the mail client is reformatting it.

antares · 22-11-2005, 13:29

The XStandard plug-in is actually an xhtml input window with a text only viewer built in and this ! mark fault only shows up after the mail has been sent from the plug-in window via Sendmail and not before.
It first shows up in OutlookExpress and web-based email sites in the message source.

**monaghan** · 22-11-2005, 13:51

You need to view the message in a text only mail client, this will show you whether sendmail is adding something.

Do you get the same result if you send the mail to different servers ? This will tell you whether it's your mail gateway or the recieving end doing the changes.

Sendmail has a maximum line length setting and uses a "!\n" as a seperator for long lines, this I think defaults to 990 but can be configured in the sendmail.cf. Until you know which mail gateway is doing the you don't know whether the problem is yours or someone else's.

Don't tweak your sendmail.cf unless you really understand what you're doing otherwise you're in for big problems if you get it wrong.

I'd suggest the real solution is to send sensible length lines

antares · 22-11-2005, 14:13

The plain text version of the email displays correctly displays correctly and the lines wrap at about 50-129 characters with no visible ! marks.

But the <BODY> section extends to full screen width with a ! mark inserted at the end of the line. These ! marks are visible in the raw markup displayed in OExpress.

I have NO control over the line length at all. The lines wrap to plug-in window of 75 characters before sending.
I have tried inserting <P>, CRLF sequences, \n etc but the lines wrap wherever they want.

antares · 22-11-2005, 14:17

I will see if I can try a different mail server.

**monaghan** · 22-11-2005, 14:58

A different mail server may not be the solution, if you're getting a problem with sendmail, then potentially you could have the same problem if your recipient is behind a similiarly configured sendmail server.

I'd work on getting the mail plugin you're using to break the lines at a more realistic length.

**monaghan** · 24-11-2005, 17:38

Did you resolve your problems ?

Perhaps you could write a short article sharing with others what you did and why ?

22-11-2005, 09:47	#1 (permalink)
antares Newbie Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 4 iTrader: 0 / 0%	HTML emails and line length I am trying to solve a problem with sending HTML messages using Sendmail at at my paid for hosting website. I am not certain about the cause but your input would be appreciated. It appears that when I send a multipart/alternative message using MIME there is a problem with the message after it has been transmitted and is subsequently displayed on MUA screens. The plain text version displays correctly and also the first part of the HTML message BUT when you get into the <BODY> section of the HTML the decoded lines are so long they reach the end of the display window (i.e. I think over 1024 bytes) and the software is inserting an ! mark at the wrap position which causes the message to display incorrectly in MUAs such as Outlook Express and also web based MUAs. This is especially true if the ! mark occurs in a link - the whole link may not work I am not sure if it is Sendmail, the mailserver, IE or my HTML plug-in (XStandard free d/l) or some other gateway causing these problems. I have seen long limes sent through other gateways but I have never seen the ! mark inserted too. I wonder if you can configure the server to stop inserting the ! mark or wrap the lines at less than 1024 bytes to stop the insertion of the ! mark. Your thoughts on this would be much appreciated. Antares

22-11-2005, 11:09	#2 (permalink)
monaghan Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Herts, UK Posts: 1,028 iTrader: 1 / 100%	What does the raw html mail message show when viewed in a text only browser, that will tell you whether a mail gateway is pre-processing the message or whether the mail client is reformatting it. __________________ Alex Monaghan - Monaghan Consultants Ltd Web hosting, ADSL, IT & Database consultancy Custom Web hosting on UK or USA servers using Linux (cPanel) or Windows (DotNetPanel) Mobile Phone Ringtones, Logos, Java Games & more

22-11-2005, 13:51	#4 (permalink)
monaghan Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Herts, UK Posts: 1,028 iTrader: 1 / 100%	You need to view the message in a text only mail client, this will show you whether sendmail is adding something. Do you get the same result if you send the mail to different servers ? This will tell you whether it's your mail gateway or the recieving end doing the changes. Sendmail has a maximum line length setting and uses a "!\n" as a seperator for long lines, this I think defaults to 990 but can be configured in the sendmail.cf. Until you know which mail gateway is doing the you don't know whether the problem is yours or someone else's. Don't tweak your sendmail.cf unless you really understand what you're doing otherwise you're in for big problems if you get it wrong. I'd suggest the real solution is to send sensible length lines __________________ Alex Monaghan - Monaghan Consultants Ltd Web hosting, ADSL, IT & Database consultancy Custom Web hosting on UK or USA servers using Linux (cPanel) or Windows (DotNetPanel) Mobile Phone Ringtones, Logos, Java Games & more

22-11-2005, 14:58	#7 (permalink)
monaghan Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Herts, UK Posts: 1,028 iTrader: 1 / 100%	A different mail server may not be the solution, if you're getting a problem with sendmail, then potentially you could have the same problem if your recipient is behind a similiarly configured sendmail server. I'd work on getting the mail plugin you're using to break the lines at a more realistic length. __________________ Alex Monaghan - Monaghan Consultants Ltd Web hosting, ADSL, IT & Database consultancy Custom Web hosting on UK or USA servers using Linux (cPanel) or Windows (DotNetPanel) Mobile Phone Ringtones, Logos, Java Games & more

24-11-2005, 17:38	#8 (permalink)
monaghan Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Herts, UK Posts: 1,028 iTrader: 1 / 100%	Did you resolve your problems ? Perhaps you could write a short article sharing with others what you did and why ? __________________ Alex Monaghan - Monaghan Consultants Ltd Web hosting, ADSL, IT & Database consultancy Custom Web hosting on UK or USA servers using Linux (cPanel) or Windows (DotNetPanel) Mobile Phone Ringtones, Logos, Java Games & more

22-11-2005, 13:29	#3 (permalink)
antares Newbie Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 4 iTrader: 0 / 0%	The XStandard plug-in is actually an xhtml input window with a text only viewer built in and this ! mark fault only shows up after the mail has been sent from the plug-in window via Sendmail and not before. It first shows up in OutlookExpress and web-based email sites in the message source.

22-11-2005, 14:13	#5 (permalink)
antares Newbie Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 4 iTrader: 0 / 0%	The plain text version of the email displays correctly displays correctly and the lines wrap at about 50-129 characters with no visible ! marks. But the <BODY> section extends to full screen width with a ! mark inserted at the end of the line. These ! marks are visible in the raw markup displayed in OExpress. I have NO control over the line length at all. The lines wrap to plug-in window of 75 characters before sending. I have tried inserting <P>, CRLF sequences, \n etc but the lines wrap wherever they want.

22-11-2005, 14:17	#6 (permalink)
antares Newbie Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 4 iTrader: 0 / 0%	I will see if I can try a different mail server.

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HTML emails and line length

HTML emails and line length

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