170 lines
7.9 KiB
Markdown
170 lines
7.9 KiB
Markdown
- Stylesheets are included automatically, place them wherever in the dir
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- Autoprefixer is there to help
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- use SASS, LESS or postcss.
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# Responsive HTML email signature(s)
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### Let's punch email clients in the stomach!
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When you need some basic responsive email signatures that work on mobile.<br/>
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...and your colleagues need them too.<br/>
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...but you don't want to deal with tables and inline styles.
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## Preview
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Here's how the samples look:
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## Read the docs in other languages
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[Read the docs in Korean!](/README_kor.md)
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## Motivation
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Let's make writing HTML emails & email signatures easier. We won't fix all email clients, but we can surely make our lives easier with some neat automation. <br/>
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See a fairly comprehensive rant on the subject (and not only) [in this article](http://fadeit.dk/blog/post/html-emails-and-email-signatures-how-hard-can-it-be).
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## What does it do
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- [x] config-based template generation
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- [x] allows generating multiple templates (for your colleagues too!)
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- [x] transforms linked (`<link>`) CSS into inline styles
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- [x] embeds local `img[src]` into the template (base64).*
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- [x] minifies the template
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- [x] media queries for mail clients that support them
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- [x] can build templates from multiple sources
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- [x] watches HTML/CSS files for changes and re-builds
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**Some mail clients don't support them, so an external URL might be a good idea. Also, some clients might complain about the size, so keep an eye out.*
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## Getting started
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```bash
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$ npm install
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$ gulp # By default, HTML & CSS files in './src' will be watched for changes
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```
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Take a look at `src/light/` for an example. Copy / Paste, rename it and change `src/light/conf.js` to suite your needs. Run `gulp` to build the templates (into `/dist`).
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## Template structure (examples)
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There are 2 examples of template structures, one for the `light` email template and one for the `dark` one.
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Here's how the dark one looks:
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```bash
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./src
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├── dark
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├── conf.js # Template strings, logo, etc.
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├── dark.css # Stylesheet.
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├── footer.inc.html # Contact info & logo
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├── head.inc.html # 'Responsive' CSS goes here
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├── signature-reply.inc.html # Simplified signature (loads head)
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├── signature.html # Full signature (loads head/footer)
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```
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Here's how the light one looks:
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```bash
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./src
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├── light
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├── conf.js # Template strings, logo, etc.
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├── footer.inc.html # Contact info & logo
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├── full-mail.html # Body + signature
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├── head.inc.html # 'Responsive' CSS goes here
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├── signature-reply.inc.html # Simplified signature (loads head)
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├── signature.html # Full signature (loads head/footer)
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```
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Files are included via [gulp-preprocess](https://www.npmjs.com/package/gulp-preprocess).
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There's one convention you have to keep in mind: `all files that you wish to include should follow the *.inc.html format`. The gulp task ignores `*.inc.html` files, but will try to process & create email templates from all `.html` files.
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You are of course encouraged to change the default structure for your use case.
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## Overview of the build process
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The diagram below shows what happens to your email templates.
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Each folder in 'src' is considered a `template group`. A template file will be generated for each of the configuration objects you add have in the template group -> `conf.js`.
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## CSS Support
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Remember, it's HTML mails, so you need to check a big-ass table to find out nothing's gonna work.
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See [this](https://www.campaignmonitor.com/css/) for more info. [Gulp-inline-css](https://www.npmjs.com/package/gulp-inline-css) is being used to convert whatever CSS you throw at it to inline styles, but it probably won't handle everything.
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Some bonuses of using `gulp-inline-css`: many css props will be converted to attributes. For example, the 'background-color' prop will be added as 'bgcolor' attribute to table elements.
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For more details take a look at the [inline-css mappings](https://github.com/jonkemp/inline-css/blob/master/lib/setTableAttrs.js).
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## Usage with different e-mail clients
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### Thunderbird
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There are several Thunderbird plugins which can automatically insert signatures when composing e-mails. We recommend [SmartTemplate4](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/thunderbird/addon/smarttemplate4) as one of the options. It can use different templates for new e-mails, replies and forwarded e-mails.
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### Apple Mail / OS X (oh boy)
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#### Solution 1
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- Open Mail.app and go to `Mail` -> `Preferences` -> `Signatures`
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- Create a new signature and write some placeholder text (doesn't matter what it is, but you have to identify it later).
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- Close Mail.app.
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- Open terminal, then open the signature files using TextEdit (might be different for iCloud drive check the article below).
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```
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$ open -a TextEdit ~/Library/Mobile\ Documents/com~apple~mail/Data/V3/MailData/Signatures/ubiquitous_*.mailsignature
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```
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- Keep the file with the placeholder open, close the other ones.
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- Replace the `<body>...</body>` and it's contents with the template of your choice. *Don't remove the meta information at the top!*
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- Open Mail.app and compose a new mail. Select the signature from the list to test it out.
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**NB**: Images won't appear in the signature preview, but will work fine when you compose a message.
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####Solution 2
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You can also open the HTML files in `/dist` in a browser, CMD + A, CMD + C and then paste into the signature box. This won't copy the `<html>` part or the `<style>` part that includes media queries. Follow the guide if you want it.
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#### Troubleshooting
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If solution #1 doesn't work, you can repeat the steps and lock the signature files before you open Mail.app again.
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Lock Files:
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```
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$ chflags uchg ~/Library/Mail/V3/MailData/Signatures/*.mailsignature
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```
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If you want to do changes later, you have to unlock the files:
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```
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$ chflags nouchg ~/Library/Mail/V3/MailData/Signatures/*.mailsignature
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```
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If you are using iCloud drive or having problems with it, you might also want to check [this article](http://matt.coneybeare.me/how-to-make-an-html-signature-in-apple-mail-for-el-capitan-os-x-10-dot-11/).
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### Outlook 2010 Client for Windows 7
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#### Solution 1
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- Open Outlook 2010 and go to `File > Option > Mail > Signature`
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- Create new signature (with a placeholder for your convenience)
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- Open signature folder using CMD
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> As the AppData folder is hidden, I'd recommend you to opne it via CMD.
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```
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cd AppData\Roamin\Microsoft
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start Signatures
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```
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- Within this folder, find a file named with your placeholder then right click this file and select edit.
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- Replace it with your HTML and save
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- Open Outlook again and check your signature
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#### Solution 2
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Unfortnately, Outlook 2010 client dosen't support HTML file import features for your email template. But you can add your own signatures by simple Copy and paste like **Solution 2** above.
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- Open built html file on `/dist` folder and Ctrl A + C
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- Open Outlook 2010 and go to `File > Option > Mail > Signature`
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- Create new signature and paste copyed one
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> **NB**: base 64 will not be shown on Outlook 2010 client. So, I recommend to use external url if you want to use images.
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===================
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<br/>
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<a href="http:fadeit.dk"><img src="http://fadeit.dk/src/assets/img/brand/fadeit_logo_full.svg" alt="The fadeit logo" style="width:200px;"/></a><br/><br/>
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####About fadeit
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We build awesome software, web and mobile applications.
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See more at [fadeit.dk](http://fadeit.dk)
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