Insert jpg pics into body (not attachment) of msg?

Discussion of features in Mozilla Thunderbird
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TimDeaton
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Joined: September 21st, 2005, 4:55 pm

Insert jpg pics into body (not attachment) of msg?

Post by TimDeaton »

Is it possible to insert jpg pics (or even pdf's) into the body of an email, so that the recipient would see the picture when they open the message?

I've been able to hit "PrintScreen" and paste the result into the message body. If I just want part of the screen-capture, then I can paste the screen-capture into Excel, crop it, then select the underlying cells and paste that into the message body. But if I want to send someone a photo, I haven't figured out how to make that show up in the body of the message.

(I take it that there are several ways pics can be done, because I've received many messages with pics in them, and some I can forward to others, and some I can't. Some appear with the pic as an attachment (yet also displayed in the body), and some display the pic and have no attachment listed.)

I guess I'd really like two things. First is to be able to insert my own pics so that they're visible in the message body, but also have an attached file that the recipient can save. Second, is to be able to forward similar messages that I've received.

Thanks for any help.
Tim
Tim Deaton
Jercro
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Joined: November 20th, 2005, 8:46 pm

Post by Jercro »

You should be able to just drag the file into the open email and have it show in the email. I have done this so know it works.
If that doesn't work for you, open the picture in your image editor and copy the picture into the clipboard, then paste it into the email.
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zoriv
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Post by zoriv »

Is it possible to insert jpg pics (or even pdf's) into the body of an email, so that the recipient would see the picture when they open the message?

Open your compose window, and click where you want to insert your image. Then, in the path menu of compose window click" insert a link, anchor, image, horizontal line or table"(This icon is placed next to "Insert emoticon face" icon). In the drop menu click "image" . Now the image properties manager will lead you how to finish the job.
TimDeaton
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Joined: September 21st, 2005, 4:55 pm

Post by TimDeaton »

Okay. I don't know what I did wrong before, but I can now get a picture file into the body of the message. (I tried both suggestions above, and they both worked fine. The second suggestion also made it easier to alter the size of the visible picture in the body of the message.) Whatever I did before, when I tried to paste or drag a picture and drop it into the body of the message, I ended up with an attachment (and nothing in the message body). With what I just did, the pic appears in the body, with no attachment. And I can save the received image as a separate file if I want to.

But recently I got an email with some pictures in the form of attachments, but they also were displayed in the body of the message. When I tried to forward that message, it lost all its pictures. Is there a way currently, or is there an improvement in the works, that would allow me to forward that message with the pictures intact?

Also, I tried using another program (SendPhotos v4) to get pictures into an email, but it only works with Outlook & Outlook Express. When I asked them about making it work with Mozilla-based email programs, I got this reply:
----- start quote -----
We have looked into the integration of SendPhotos with just about every
email program out there, including Thunderbird, Mozilla, Netscape, and
Opera, and to our great disappointment have found these programs to be
very limited in what they offer API-wise to help integration. None can
be programmatically commanded to open a new email with formatted (HTML)
contents. Netscape has a bug open since 1997 (!) which possibly could
make integration possible but any attempt to fix the issue has been
postponed by their developers.

As much as we like the email programs you mentioned, as much we are
disappointed by the lack of efforts from these groups to create an
extended set of interface functions, beyond plug-ins, to allow software
companies like us to integrate with their solutions.

Best wishes,
Mike Kronenberg
SendPhotos, Inc.
----- end quote -----

Is there anything in the works to make it easier for third parties like this to access Thunderbird? (Or does this need to be in a separate issue?)

Thanks,
Tim
Tim Deaton
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zoriv
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Post by zoriv »

(I tried both suggestions above, and they both worked fine. The second suggestion also made it easier to alter the size of the visible picture in the body of the message.)

OK, I think we've helped you partly to solve your problem.

But recently I got an email with some pictures in the form of attachments, but they also were displayed in the body of the message. When I tried to forward that message, it lost all its pictures.

Is there a way currently, or is there an improvement in the works, that would allow me to forward that message with the pictures intact?

The only way I know is to 'Save all" attachments and later to apply theTimDeaton's or zoriv's instructions "Insert jpg pics into body (not attachment) of msg?"in forward window. Maybe you won't be satisfied of the answer, but these are the posibilities given by TB in the time being. I should be glad if anybody gives you better answer.
Jercro
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Joined: November 20th, 2005, 8:46 pm

Post by Jercro »

This is a real problem with Tb. I have the same problem forwarding messages with images in them. Tb always drops the images. Saving images and creating a new email totally defeats the use of forwarding email. I've tried forwarding inline as well as with attachments, both drop the images. I think part of the problem is the way Tb handles html. When I try to send a message with images, Tb ask if I want to send as Plain text or Html or Both. You need to check Send as Html in order to keep the formatting of the forwarded email, and Tb keeps an image box in the email, but drops the image.
If a fix for this problem is not forthcoming, I will probably have to go back to Outlook as my email client, as a lot of the email I receive needs to be forwarded to another department and haveing to re-do the email defeats the whole purpose.
TimDeaton
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Joined: September 21st, 2005, 4:55 pm

Post by TimDeaton »

The closest I've come to a solution so far is to print the email to a pdf file, and then attach the pdf to another message. But a lot of folks don't have the ability to print to pdf. Even for those who do, that makes it difficult (if not impossible) for the recipient to get the picture back into a picture format again.

It would be nice if someone who works on TB or on extensions for TB would chime in with info on what might be in the works for future upgrades, or with info about extensions that might help.
Tim Deaton
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