HTML Newsletter in gMail

Neville310 · 06-13-2005, 11:41 AM

Information on how Gmail renders HTML newsletters seems like an advance topic. My Google searches and queries have not resulted in a bounty of information. My research has only returned generic advice on creating html emails for other webmail viewers (not great advice either). People have not expounded on these advance topics since Gmail is a novelty for techies.

In my trial and error exercises, Gmail does not have the same particularities found in Yahoo, Hotmail, or AOL Webmail. Gmail conforms less to HTML standards than the other webmail clients. Indeed, it now has rich text support, yet my questions are beyond this topic.

In my tests, it does not apply inline CSS styles for font-family and font-size attributes; and limits span tag support in similar useage. Gmail seems to override these attributes with its own style sheet.

My questions relate to Gmail’s HTML render engine. Does it support CSS, Font tags, or span tags? What CSS attributes does it not support? What approach works best for setting the font and size (CSS, font, or span)? Where do I place an inline style sheet (in head tags or body tags)?

This information would help me adapt my HTML newsletter for Gmail. I am hoping to find someone familiar with creating HTML newsletters and Gmail HTML engine.

Btw
Gmail has already been switched to simple HTML view.

Neville310 · 06-14-2005, 05:02 PM

Information on how webmail clients process HTML newsletters is scarce. The information is often outdated too. Webmail client developers update or retract their support for HTML with the change in the wind. So I began documenting my trial and error process. I even captured the HTML created by webmail scripts. Then dissected it looking for patterns. My summary is crude.

If people show interest in the discussion, then I will continue updating the summary. This summary will help me determine when Google upgrades Gmail and the related changes on my end. It may give you valuable insight too, yet it is not written for universal comprehension. Please feel free to clarify or expound on any point; or send me a pm with your deduction. Hopefully, the information will begin to take shape, where everybody could gain some value from it.

'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Gmail
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Removes ID selectors
Removes class selectors
Removes inline stylesheets
Removes font-family from inline styles
Keeps font-size in inline styles
Convert all colors from hexadecimal to RGB. e.i. rgb(192, 192, 192)
Removes <html>, <head>, and <body tags>.

WORKAROUNDS
Use inline styles
Use font tags for Gmail stripping font-family from inline styles

'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Hotmail
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Merges inline stylesheet with its own external stylesheet
Removes font-family from inline styles
Does not support positioning use tables
Remove margins from div elements
Convert all colors from hexadecimal to RGB. e.i. rgb(192, 192, 192)
Applies inline stylesheet within the <body> tag
Remove border attribute with inline styles
Removes <html>, <head>, and <body tags>

WORKAROUNDS
Place Inline stylesheet within the body tags
Place border attributes in the stylesheet as class or id

'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Yahoo
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Merges inline stylesheet with its own external stylesheet
Applies inline stylesheet within the <body> tag
Removes <html>, <head>, and <body tags>

WORKAROUNDS
Use tables

'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
' AOL Webmail
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Merges inline stylesheet with its own external stylesheet
Removes inline stylesheets
Does not apply styles to the body element

WORKAROUNDS
Wrap the content in a div and apply style attributes to it.

06-13-2005, 11:41 AM	#1 (permalink)
Neville310 Noogle Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	HTML Newsletter in gMail Information on how Gmail renders HTML newsletters seems like an advance topic. My Google searches and queries have not resulted in a bounty of information. My research has only returned generic advice on creating html emails for other webmail viewers (not great advice either). People have not expounded on these advance topics since Gmail is a novelty for techies. In my trial and error exercises, Gmail does not have the same particularities found in Yahoo, Hotmail, or AOL Webmail. Gmail conforms less to HTML standards than the other webmail clients. Indeed, it now has rich text support, yet my questions are beyond this topic. In my tests, it does not apply inline CSS styles for font-family and font-size attributes; and limits span tag support in similar useage. Gmail seems to override these attributes with its own style sheet. My questions relate to Gmail’s HTML render engine. Does it support CSS, Font tags, or span tags? What CSS attributes does it not support? What approach works best for setting the font and size (CSS, font, or span)? Where do I place an inline style sheet (in head tags or body tags)? This information would help me adapt my HTML newsletter for Gmail. I am hoping to find someone familiar with creating HTML newsletters and Gmail HTML engine. Btw Gmail has already been switched to simple HTML view.

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06-14-2005, 05:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
Neville310 Noogle Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Information on how webmail clients process HTML newsletters is scarce. The information is often outdated too. Webmail client developers update or retract their support for HTML with the change in the wind. So I began documenting my trial and error process. I even captured the HTML created by webmail scripts. Then dissected it looking for patterns. My summary is crude. If people show interest in the discussion, then I will continue updating the summary. This summary will help me determine when Google upgrades Gmail and the related changes on my end. It may give you valuable insight too, yet it is not written for universal comprehension. Please feel free to clarify or expound on any point; or send me a pm with your deduction. Hopefully, the information will begin to take shape, where everybody could gain some value from it. '--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ' Gmail '--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Removes ID selectors Removes class selectors Removes inline stylesheets Removes font-family from inline styles Keeps font-size in inline styles Convert all colors from hexadecimal to RGB. e.i. rgb(192, 192, 192) Removes <html>, <head>, and <body tags>. WORKAROUNDS Use inline styles Use font tags for Gmail stripping font-family from inline styles '--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ' Hotmail '--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Merges inline stylesheet with its own external stylesheet Removes font-family from inline styles Does not support positioning use tables Remove margins from div elements Convert all colors from hexadecimal to RGB. e.i. rgb(192, 192, 192) Applies inline stylesheet within the <body> tag Remove border attribute with inline styles Removes <html>, <head>, and <body tags> WORKAROUNDS Place Inline stylesheet within the body tags Place border attributes in the stylesheet as class or id '--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ' Yahoo '--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Merges inline stylesheet with its own external stylesheet Applies inline stylesheet within the <body> tag Removes <html>, <head>, and <body tags> WORKAROUNDS Use tables '--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ' AOL Webmail '--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Merges inline stylesheet with its own external stylesheet Removes inline stylesheets Does not apply styles to the body element WORKAROUNDS Wrap the content in a div and apply style attributes to it.

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