larger smaller normal text version of this page

Revision [1915]

Last edited on 2009-04-14 17:48:01 by AlStillero [Link to TemplateImagesWalkthrough]
Additions:
~-[[TemplateImagesWalkthrough How to insert images in your message template]]

Revision [1914]

Edited on 2009-04-14 17:45:30 by AlStillero [minor edits]
Additions:
==[[PhplistDocumentation phpList Documentation]] » [[MessageFunctionsInfo Message functions]] » ==
In phpList a template is re-usable HTML code with all the standard layout and text elements of your message. For a newsletter template this would typically consist of the title heading, a logo, at the top part, and the preferences and unsubscription links at the bottom part. A template does not include the contents of the message, as this would change for each edition of the message. It should however include the 'placeholder' [CONTENT] which is used to insert the contents of the message later on.
1. the top part, which in phpList corresponds to the template top area
Select the top part -as described above- and copy/paste it in the editing window of the 'create template' page of the phpList admin module, using the 'source button/icon' of the FCKeditor toolbar.
The bottom part starts where the content part ends. Copy/paste it under the [CONTENT] placeholder in the editing window of the 'create template' page of the phpList admin module, using the 'source button/icon'.
Finally, create a new message in phpList (click [[SendMessageInfo send a message]] from the main page), copy and paste the middle part of your HTML code in the editing window of the content tab, again using the 'source button/icon'.
To facilitate user tracking, you can add [USERID] to your template which will be replaced by an identifier for a user. This will only work when sending the email as HTML. You will need to set up some URL that will receive the ID. Alternatively you can use the built-in user tracking of phpList . To do this add [USERTRACK] to your template and an invisible link will be added to the template to keep track of views of the message. See [[MessageTracking message tracking]].
With templates and the way they are rendered in email and webmail clients, you enter a world of mostly unwritten and changing rules you will need to discover by trial and error. As a general rule, keep your template simple. Or else, test it thoroughly on as much different webmail, email clients, browsers and platforms as you can.
- First try a very simple template (just a coloured title for the header and some coloured text for the footer. If that works, continue building from there.
**Note**: Templates are only used for HTML messages. The contents of HTML messages will be parsed to generate a text message. If you are not satisfied with the way phpList does this and if you prefer more control over your text message, you can enable '//manual text part//' in config.php. This will display a separate window on the message content tab where you can type your text message.
**Tip**: When it comes to unsupported HTML tags and CSS style elements, Outlook 2007 is currently one of the most restrictive email clients. So if you make sure your messages are correctly rendered in Outlook 2007, you'll have a fairly good chance other email clients will do so too.
- [[http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa338201.aspx#Word2007MailHTMLandCSS_Word2007CSSSpecification Word 2007 HTML and CSS Rendering Capabilities in Outlook 2007]] - by Microsoft Developers Network
Deletions:
==[[PhplistDocumentation Phplist Documentation]] » [[MessageFunctionsInfo Message functions]] » ==
In PHPlist a template is re-usable HTML code with all the standard layout and text elements of your message. For a newsletter template this would typically comsist of the title heading, a logo, at the top part, and the preferences and unsubscription links at the bottom part. A template does not include the contents of the message, as this would change for each edition of the message. It should however include the 'placeholder' [CONTENT] which is used to insert the contents of the message later on.
1. the top part, which in phplist corresponds to the template top area
Select the top part -as described above- and copy/paste it in the editing window of the 'create template' page of the phplist admin module, using the 'source button/icon' of the FCKeditor toolbar.
The bottom part starts where the content part ends. Copy/paste it under the [CONTENT] placeholder in the editing window of the 'create template' page of the phplist admin module, using the 'source button/icon'.
Finally, create a new message in phplist (click [[SendMessageInfo send a message]] from the main page), copy and paste the middle part of your HTML code in the editing window of the content tab, again using the 'source button/icon'.
To facilitate user tracking, you can add [USERID] to your template which will be replaced by an identifier for a user. This will only work when sending the email as HTML. You will need to set up some URL that will receive the ID. Alternatively you can use the built-in user tracking of phplist. To do this add [USERTRACK] to your template and an invisible link will be added to the template to keep track of views of the message. See [[MessageTracking message tracking]].
With templates and the way they are rendered in email and webmail clients, you enter a world of mostly unwritten and changing rules you will need to discover by trial and error. As a general rule, keep your template simple. Or else, test it thouroughly on as much different webmail, email clients, browsers and platforms as you can.
- First try a very simple template (just a colored title for the header and some colored text for the footer. If that works, continue building from there.
**Note**: Templates are only used for HTML messages. The contents of HTML messages will be parsed to generate a text message. If you are not satisfied with the way phplist does this and if you prefer more control over your text message, you can enable '//manual text part//' in config.php. This will display a separate window on the message content tab where you can type your text message.
**Tip**: When it comes to unsupported HTML tags and CSS style elements, Outlook 2007 is currently probably one of the most restrictive email clients. So if you make sure your messages are correctly rendered in Outlook 2007, you'll have a fairly good chance other email clients will do so too.
- [[http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa338201.aspx#Word2007MailHTMLandCSS_Word2007CSSSpecification Word 2007 HTML and CSS Rendering Capabilities in Outlook 2007]] - by Microsoft Development Network

Revision [1913]

Edited on 2009-04-14 17:32:08 by AlStillero [note on unsupported css/html tags in outlook 2007]
Additions:
- Also keep in mind that some webmail providers may change/strip some elements of HTML messages. For instance, style declarations might be removed. It is therefore advisable to use embedded/inline styles.
- Run some tests to see how your messages are rendered in popular email clients (Thunderbird, Outlook 2007, Outlook Express, Eudora, etc.), and webmail providers (Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, etc.), using different browsers.
**Note**: Templates are only used for HTML messages. The contents of HTML messages will be parsed to generate a text message. If you are not satisfied with the way phplist does this and if you prefer more control over your text message, you can enable '//manual text part//' in config.php. This will display a separate window on the message content tab where you can type your text message.
**Tip**: When it comes to unsupported HTML tags and CSS style elements, Outlook 2007 is currently probably one of the most restrictive email clients. So if you make sure your messages are correctly rendered in Outlook 2007, you'll have a fairly good chance other email clients will do so too.
For more info:
- [[http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2007/01/10/microsoft-breaks-html-email-rendering-in-outlook/ Microsoft Breaks HTML Email Rendering in Outlook 2007]] - by Kevin Yank (Sitepoint)
- [[http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa338201.aspx#Word2007MailHTMLandCSS_Word2007CSSSpecification Word 2007 HTML and CSS Rendering Capabilities in Outlook 2007]] - by Microsoft Development Network
- [[http://www.campaignmonitor.com/css/ Guide to CSS support in email clients (2008)]] - by Campaign Monitor
Deletions:
- Also keep in mind that some webmail providers may change/strip some elements of HTML messages. For instance, style declarations might be removed. It is therefor advisable to use embedded/inline styles.
- Run some tests to see how your messages are rendered in popular email clients (Thunderbird, Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, etc.), and webmail providers (Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, etc.), using different browsers.
**Note**: Templates are only used for HTML messages. The contents of HTML messages will be parsed to generate a text message. If you are not satisfied with the way phplist does this and if you prefer more control over your text message, you can enable 'manual text part' in config.php. This will display a separate window on the message content tab where you can type your text message.

Revision [1168]

Edited on 2007-06-03 15:15:50 by AlStillero [added link to "TemplateImagesWalkthrough"]
Additions:
In PHPlist a template is re-usable HTML code with all the standard layout and text elements of your message. For a newsletter template this would typically comsist of the title heading, a logo, at the top part, and the preferences and unsubscription links at the bottom part. A template does not include the contents of the message, as this would change for each edition of the message. It should however include the 'placeholder' [CONTENT] which is used to insert the contents of the message later on.
Images in your template will be included (embedded) in the emails. Any reference to an image that does not start with """http://""" can (and should) be uploaded for inclusion in the email. It is advised to use few images and make them very small. If you upload your template, you will be able to add your images. References to images to be included should be from the same directory, ie and not See also [[TemplateImagesWalkthrough How to include images in templates]].
Deletions:
In PHPlist a template is a re-usable HTML page with all the standard layout and text elements of your message. For a newsletter template this would typically comsist of the title heading, a logo, at the top part, and the preferences and unsubscription links at the bottom part. A template does not include the contents of the message, as this would change for each edition of the message. It should however include the 'placeholder' [CONTENT] which is used to insert the contents of the message later on.
Images in your template will be included (embedded) in the emails. Any reference to an image that does not start with """http://""" can (and should) be uploaded for inclusion in the email. It is advised to use few images and make them very small. If you upload your template, you will be able to add your images. References to images to be included should be from the same directory, ie and not

Revision [1017]

Edited on 2006-12-20 02:23:36 by AlStillero [minor edit]
Additions:
To facilitate user tracking, you can add [USERID] to your template which will be replaced by an identifier for a user. This will only work when sending the email as HTML. You will need to set up some URL that will receive the ID. Alternatively you can use the built-in user tracking of phplist. To do this add [USERTRACK] to your template and an invisible link will be added to the template to keep track of views of the message. See [[MessageTracking message tracking]].
Deletions:
To facilitate user tracking, you can add [USERID] to your template which will be replaced by an identifier for a user. This will only work when sending the email as HTML. You will need to set up some URL that will receive the ID. Alternatively you can use the built-in user tracking of phplist. To do this add [USERTRACK] to your template and an invisible link will be added to the template to keep track of views of the message. Remember you should enable the 'clicktracking' setting in configure.php in order to use this feature.

Revision [994]

Edited on 2006-12-07 03:07:11 by AlStillero [Some edits and additions]
Additions:
Select the top part -as described above- and copy/paste it in the editing window of the 'create template' page of the phplist admin module, using the 'source button/icon' of the FCKeditor toolbar.
Finally, create a new message in phplist (click [[SendMessageInfo send a message]] from the main page), copy and paste the middle part of your HTML code in the editing window of the content tab, again using the 'source button/icon'.
Additionally to [CONTENT], you can add other placeholders, like [FOOTER] and [SIGNATURE] to insert the footer information and the signature of the message, but they are optional. You can further personalize your template (or message content) by adding custom placeholders based on the user's attributes. See [[Placeholders Placeholders]] for more info.
To facilitate user tracking, you can add [USERID] to your template which will be replaced by an identifier for a user. This will only work when sending the email as HTML. You will need to set up some URL that will receive the ID. Alternatively you can use the built-in user tracking of phplist. To do this add [USERTRACK] to your template and an invisible link will be added to the template to keep track of views of the message. Remember you should enable the 'clicktracking' setting in configure.php in order to use this feature.
Images in your template will be included (embedded) in the emails. Any reference to an image that does not start with """http://""" can (and should) be uploaded for inclusion in the email. It is advised to use few images and make them very small. If you upload your template, you will be able to add your images. References to images to be included should be from the same directory, ie and not
**Note**: If you add images to the __content__ of your messages, they need to include a complete URL, and will not be included/embedded in the email.
With templates and the way they are rendered in email and webmail clients, you enter a world of mostly unwritten and changing rules you will need to discover by trial and error. As a general rule, keep your template simple. Or else, test it thouroughly on as much different webmail, email clients, browsers and platforms as you can.
- First try a very simple template (just a colored title for the header and some colored text for the footer. If that works, continue building from there.
- Keep in mind that email clients are not web browsers. Most email clients will be able to display simple HTML and CSS styles, nothing fancy. So, when designing your production template, keep it simple, and do not use the most advanced CSS and HTML standards.
- Run some tests to see how your messages are rendered in popular email clients (Thunderbird, Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, etc.), and webmail providers (Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, etc.), using different browsers.
**Note**: Templates are only used for HTML messages. The contents of HTML messages will be parsed to generate a text message. If you are not satisfied with the way phplist does this and if you prefer more control over your text message, you can enable 'manual text part' in config.php. This will display a separate window on the message content tab where you can type your text message.
Deletions:
Select the top part -as described above- and copy/paste it in the editing window of the 'create template' page of the phplist admin module, using the 'source button/icon'.
Finally, create a new message in phplist (click '''send a message''' from the main page), copy and paste the middle part of your HTML code in the editing window of the content tab, again using the 'source button/icon'.
Additionally to [CONTENT], you can add [FOOTER] and [SIGNATURE] to insert the footer information and the signature of the message, but they are optional.
To facilitate user tracking, you can add [USERID] to your template which will be replaced by an identifier for a user. This will only work when sending the email as HTML. You will need to set up some URL that will receive the ID. Alternatively you can use the builtin usertracking of phplist. To do this add [USERTRACK] to your template and an invisible link will be added to the email to keep track of Views of the email.
Images in your template will be included (embedded) in the emails. Any reference to an image that does not start with "http://" can (and should) be uploaded for inclusion in the email. It is advised to use only few images and make them very small. If you upload your template, you will be able to add your images. References to images to be included should be from the same directory, ie and not
**Note**: If you add images to the content of your messages (when you send it), they need to include a complete URL, and will not be included in the email.
- First try a very simple template (just a colored title for the header and some colored text for the footer. See if that works.
- Keep in mind that email clients are not web browsers. Most email clients will be able to display simple HTML and css styles, nothing fancy. So, when designing your production template, keep it simple, and do not use the most advanced CSS and HTML standards.
- Run some tests to see how your messages come out with popular email clients (Thunderbird, Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, etc.), and webmail providers (Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, etc.), using different browsers.
**Note**: Templates are only used for HTML messages. If you are not satisfied with the way phplist parses the contents of the HTML message to generate a text message, you can enable 'manual text part' in config.php. This will display a separate window on the message content tab where you can type your text message.

Revision [984]

Edited on 2006-12-04 08:58:31 by AlStillero [some edits and additions]
Additions:
>>**Example**
.... or use inline styles (recommended)....
==Placeholders==
Additionally to [CONTENT], you can add [FOOTER] and [SIGNATURE] to insert the footer information and the signature of the message, but they are optional.
==User Tracking==
To facilitate user tracking, you can add [USERID] to your template which will be replaced by an identifier for a user. This will only work when sending the email as HTML. You will need to set up some URL that will receive the ID. Alternatively you can use the builtin usertracking of phplist. To do this add [USERTRACK] to your template and an invisible link will be added to the email to keep track of Views of the email.
==Images==
Images in your template will be included (embedded) in the emails. Any reference to an image that does not start with "http://" can (and should) be uploaded for inclusion in the email. It is advised to use only few images and make them very small. If you upload your template, you will be able to add your images. References to images to be included should be from the same directory, ie and not
**Note**: If you add images to the content of your messages (when you send it), they need to include a complete URL, and will not be included in the email.
- Also keep in mind that some webmail providers may change/strip some elements of HTML messages. For instance, style declarations might be removed. It is therefor advisable to use embedded/inline styles.
Deletions:
>>
.... or use inline styles ....
- Also keep in mind that some webmail providers may change/strip some elements of HTML messages.

Revision [980]

Edited on 2006-11-30 02:02:25 by AlStillero [some edits]
Additions:

test contents of your html message to be pasted
in: Send a Message -- Content tab

1. the top part, which in phplist corresponds to the template top area
3. the bottom part, which corresponds to the template bottom area.
==Template top part==
The top part is your HTML code starting from the title tag till where the middle part content should start.
Select the top part -as described above- and copy/paste it in the editing window of the 'create template' page of the phplist admin module, using the 'source button/icon'.
Make sure you add the [CONTENT] placeholder at a convenient place at the end of the top part of your code.
==Template bottom part==
The bottom part starts where the content part ends. Copy/paste it under the [CONTENT] placeholder in the editing window of the 'create template' page of the phplist admin module, using the 'source button/icon'.
Deletions:
contents of your html message

1. the top part, which in phplist corresponds to the template header area
3. the bottom part, which corresponds to the template footer area.
==Template header==
The top part is your HTML code starting from the title tag till where the middle part content should start. Notice that the upper part of the header is not included. Phplist will add it later on.
Select the header part -as described above- and copy/paste it in the header editing window of the 'create template' page of the phplist admin module, using the 'source button/icon'.
Make sure you add the [CONTENT] placeholder at a convenient place towards the end of the header part of your code.
==Template footer==
The footer is the part starting where the content ends till the closing body tag. Do not include the closing tag. PHPlist will do that automatically.
Select the footer part -as described above- and copy/paste it in the footer editing window of the 'create template' page of the phplist admin module, using the 'source button/icon'.
Usually you would add some placeholders to the footer, like [PREFERENCES] and [UNSUBSCRIBE].

Revision [979]

Edited on 2006-11-29 16:59:08 by AlStillero [minor edit]
Additions:
Finally, create a new message in phplist (click '''send a message''' from the main page), copy and paste the middle part of your HTML code in the editing window of the content tab, again using the 'source button/icon'.
Deletions:
Finally, create a new message in phplist, copy and paste the middle part of your HTML code in the editing window of the content tab, again using the 'source button/icon'.

Revision [975]

Edited on 2006-11-28 07:41:36 by AlStillero [Edits and additions]
Additions:
>>


Untitled Document
---------- Start of template header part ----------





My Newsletter


[CONTENT]
---------- End of template header part ----------
contents of your html message

---------- Start of template Footer part ----------
If you want to change your preferences, please use [PREFERENCES]
If you want to unsubscribe, please use [UNSUBSCRIBE]
Visit us at [WEBSITE]

---------- End of template Footer part ----------


>>Let's say you designed your template in your favorite HTML editor, included some text to serve as an example and saved it as a HTML file.
==Template header==
Select the header part -as described above- and copy/paste it in the header editing window of the 'create template' page of the phplist admin module, using the 'source button/icon'.
Make sure you add the [CONTENT] placeholder at a convenient place towards the end of the header part of your code.
==Template footer==
Select the footer part -as described above- and copy/paste it in the footer editing window of the 'create template' page of the phplist admin module, using the 'source button/icon'.
Usually you would add some placeholders to the footer, like [PREFERENCES] and [UNSUBSCRIBE].
==Message Content==
==A few suggestions==
- First try a very simple template (just a colored title for the header and some colored text for the footer. See if that works.
- Keep in mind that email clients are not web browsers. Most email clients will be able to display simple HTML and css styles, nothing fancy. So, when designing your production template, keep it simple, and do not use the most advanced CSS and HTML standards.
- Also keep in mind that some webmail providers may change/strip some elements of HTML messages.
- Run some tests to see how your messages come out with popular email clients (Thunderbird, Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, etc.), and webmail providers (Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, etc.), using different browsers.
**Note**: Templates are only used for HTML messages. If you are not satisfied with the way phplist parses the contents of the HTML message to generate a text message, you can enable 'manual text part' in config.php. This will display a separate window on the message content tab where you can type your text message.
Deletions:
Let's say you designed your template in your favorite HTML editor, included some text to serve as an example and saved it as a HTML file.
Select the header and footer part -as described above- and copy/paste these in de header and footer editing windows of the create template page of phplist, using the 'source button/icon'.
Be sure to insert the [CONTENT] placeholder at the end of the header part of your code.
A few suggestions:
- First try a very simple template (just a colored title for the header and some colored text for the footer. See if that works.
- Keep in mind that email clients are not web browsers. Most email clients will be able to display simple HTML and css styles, nothing fancy. So, when designing your production template, keep it simple, and do not use the most advanced CSS and HTML standards.
- Also keep in mind that some webmail providers may change/strip some elements of HTML messages.
- Run some tests to see how your messages come out with popular email clients (Thunderbird, Outlook, Outlook express, Eudora, etc.), and webmail providers (Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, etc.), using different browsers.

Revision [970]

Edited on 2006-11-28 05:16:01 by AlStillero [First draft]
Additions:
==[[PhplistDocumentation Phplist Documentation]] » [[MessageFunctionsInfo Message functions]] » ==
====Templates====
//This pages describes how to build a template. Note that this is a first draft.//


In PHPlist a template is a re-usable HTML page with all the standard layout and text elements of your message. For a newsletter template this would typically comsist of the title heading, a logo, at the top part, and the preferences and unsubscription links at the bottom part. A template does not include the contents of the message, as this would change for each edition of the message. It should however include the 'placeholder' [CONTENT] which is used to insert the contents of the message later on.


Let's say you designed your template in your favorite HTML editor, included some text to serve as an example and saved it as a HTML file.
Now open the HTML file in a text editor and split it in 3 parts:
1. the top part, which in phplist corresponds to the template header area
2. the text contents part, which corresponds to the message contents that is to be inserted later on.
3. the bottom part, which corresponds to the template footer area.

The top part is your HTML code starting from the title tag till where the middle part content should start. Notice that the upper part of the header is not included. Phplist will add it later on.

The footer is the part starting where the content ends till the closing body tag. Do not include the closing tag. PHPlist will do that automatically.

Select the header and footer part -as described above- and copy/paste these in de header and footer editing windows of the create template page of phplist, using the 'source button/icon'.

Be sure to insert the [CONTENT] placeholder at the end of the header part of your code.

Finally, create a new message in phplist, copy and paste the middle part of your HTML code in the editing window of the content tab, again using the 'source button/icon'.


A few suggestions:
- First try a very simple template (just a colored title for the header and some colored text for the footer. See if that works.
- Keep in mind that email clients are not web browsers. Most email clients will be able to display simple HTML and css styles, nothing fancy. So, when designing your production template, keep it simple, and do not use the most advanced CSS and HTML standards.
- Also keep in mind that some webmail providers may change/strip some elements of HTML messages.
- Run some tests to see how your messages come out with popular email clients (Thunderbird, Outlook, Outlook express, Eudora, etc.), and webmail providers (Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, etc.), using different browsers.

**Related pages**
~-[[MessageFunctionsInfo Message functions]]
~-[[SendMessageInfo Send a message]]
~-[[Placeholders Using placeholders]]
Deletions:
[[PhplistDocumentation Phplist Documentation]]
=====Title of the page =====
//This page is a **template** intended for documentation of **official phplist features**. This page belongs to CategoryTemplate (which contains more handy templates). To create a phplist **documentation** page, [[http://docs.phplist.com/DocumentationTemplate/clone clone this page]], replace the title with a meaningful one and replace this paragraph with the actual page content.//

Revision [969]

The oldest known version of this page was created on 2006-11-28 05:06:36 by AlStillero [Templates Info]
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