Send Complex HTML X 2.04 (Problem w Groups)

[Robert Easey]

I downloaded Paul Berkowitz's (fantastic) "Send Complex HTML X 2.04" script
which allows you to create HTML files outside of Entourage and send them
successfully with Entourage. It really was just what I was looking for. I
thank him for making this available!

I thought this script was perfect (and it was on my tests) until I tried to
send to a group. When I try to send to a group I get this error: "Microsoft
Entourage got an error: Can't get group 1 whose name of it = "Test Group". "

I noticed the Read Me file mentions that you CAN send to groups, but this
was not the case for me. [using Entourage 2004 v11.2.1 and Mac OS 10.3.9
with Exchange 2003].

I tried to find a workaround and discovered that if I select the group in
the address book, then choose "Execute Script" it works, no error, e-mail
sent.

O.K. This works BUT (there's always a but...) this method does not allow me
to add a subject to the e-mail and unfortunately it automatically picks up
the name of the file and uses that as the subject (not what I want). I tried
re-naming the HTML file (to match the subject that I want) and that works
BUT (again a but...) it also appends ".htm" to the end of the new file name
and places that in the subject of the e-mail.

Again I discovered a work-around for this problem and that was to open the
HTML file in IE and then use the script's choice of attaching a web page
displayed in IE instead of pointing to the file. This does indeed pick up
the "Title" of the HTML doc (not the file name).

Now, I solved almost all problems (or at least found acceptable workarounds
any way) BUT, (again...) I noticed that launching the script from the
address book (using "Execute Script") results in sending out e-mails with
blank "To:" fields. In other words no recipient. I am very concerned that
this may result in my e-mails being filtered out by spam filters if there is
no name in the recipient field.

Oddly, if I do a test, addressing a new e-mail to the group, but do not run
the script (just send plain text instead of complex HTML) the e-mails arrive
with the name of the group in the "To:" field. This would work just fine
(but I really, really wish I could put the recipient's name on each e-mail,
but hide the other people in the group).

Again, I want to thank Paul Berkowitz for this excellent script. If anyone
can help me with the two "issues" (1. Error when sending to a group & 2.
blank TO: fields ) I would be eternally grateful.

 

[Paul Berkowitz]

The script does send to groups. I'm assuming you're starting out with a new
message window open in the front?

There are just two ways I know of that you'd get that error after entering a
group name in the To address box and then running the script:

1) You don't actually have a group of that exact name. To be safe, start
typing a couple of letters and then select the auto-completion. The Group
should appear in the box with a "double-blob" icon. Does it? You sure the
name of the group isn't just "Test" or something other than "Test Group"?

OR:

2) You have an Exchange account, and it's your default mail account, but the
group is located in your local address book "On My Computer"*. Entourage
11.2 (SR 2) changed the rules. AppleScripts looking just for a 'contact' or
a 'group' will only find it if it's in the address book associated with the
default mail account. If the default account is Exchange, it only finds
contacts in the Exchange address book. If the default mail account is POP or
IMAP, it only finds contacts and groups in the local address book. If this
is the problem, you'd get a similar error if you entered a local contact in
the To box as well. The workaround for this problem is currently to set your
default mail account (Tools/Accounts/Mail) to the appropriate account before
running the script.


(* or both vice versa - but don't do that. Groups created in Entourage on
Exchange address books will be lost when the Exchange cache is refreshed.)

Now, I solved almost all problems (or at least found acceptable workarounds
any way) BUT, (again...) I noticed that launching the script from the
address book (using "Execute Script") results in sending out e-mails with
blank "To:" fields. In other words no recipient. I am very concerned that
this may result in my e-mails being filtered out by spam filters if there is
no name in the recipient field.

Oddly, if I do a test, addressing a new e-mail to the group, but do not run
the script (just send plain text instead of complex HTML) the e-mails arrive
with the name of the group in the "To:" field. This would work just fine
(but I really, really wish I could put the recipient's name on each e-mail,
but hide the other people in the group).

When you have checked "Do not show addresses when sending mail" in the
group's box, then Entourage actually BCC's all the recipients and puts the
group's name, but the recipient's email address in the "To" field, in the
message each recipient actually gets. I really doubt that any spam filter
cares about display names - they only care about the email address here.
People can omit display names, or have any display name, it makes no
difference. Make yourself one of the group members, send to the group, and
check the message you receive. When you send from the address book the To
field no says "<undisclosed-recipients: ;>" . which is what many email
clients, including Outlook on Windows, do. (I'm actually amazed to see it
here when sent from Entourage.) I very much doubt if spam filters care
what's in the To field.

--
Paul Berkowitz
MVP MacOffice
Entourage FAQ Page: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/faq/index.html>
AppleScripts for Entourage: <http://macscripter.net/scriptbuilders/>

Please "Reply To Newsgroup" to reply to this message. Emails will be
ignored.

PLEASE always state which version of Microsoft Office you are using -
**2004**, X or 2001. It's often impossible to answer your questions
otherwise.

From: Robert Easey <[email protected]>
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.mac.office.entourage
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2005 09:05:18 -0600
Conversation: Send Complex HTML X 2.04 (Problem w Groups)
Subject: Send Complex HTML X 2.04 (Problem w Groups)

I downloaded Paul Berkowitz's (fantastic) "Send Complex HTML X 2.04" script
which allows you to create HTML files outside of Entourage and send them
successfully with Entourage. It really was just what I was looking for. I
thank him for making this available!

I thought this script was perfect (and it was on my tests) until I tried to
send to a group. When I try to send to a group I get this error: "Microsoft
Entourage got an error: Can't get group 1 whose name of it = "Test Group". "

I noticed the Read Me file mentions that you CAN send to groups, but this
was not the case for me. [using Entourage 2004 v11.2.1 and Mac OS 10.3.9
with Exchange 2003].

I tried to find a workaround and discovered that if I select the group in
the address book, then choose "Execute Script" it works, no error, e-mail
sent.

O.K. This works BUT (there's always a but...) this method does not allow me
to add a subject to the e-mail and unfortunately it automatically picks up
the name of the file and uses that as the subject (not what I want). I tried
re-naming the HTML file (to match the subject that I want) and that works
BUT (again a but...) it also appends ".htm" to the end of the new file name
and places that in the subject of the e-mail.

Again I discovered a work-around for this problem and that was to open the
HTML file in IE and then use the script's choice of attaching a web page
displayed in IE instead of pointing to the file. This does indeed pick up
the "Title" of the HTML doc (not the file name).

Now, I solved almost all problems (or at least found acceptable workarounds
any way) BUT, (again...) I noticed that launching the script from the
address book (using "Execute Script") results in sending out e-mails with
blank "To:" fields. In other words no recipient. I am very concerned that
this may result in my e-mails being filtered out by spam filters if there is
no name in the recipient field.

Oddly, if I do a test, addressing a new e-mail to the group, but do not run
the script (just send plain text instead of complex HTML) the e-mails arrive
with the name of the group in the "To:" field. This would work just fine
(but I really, really wish I could put the recipient's name on each e-mail,
but hide the other people in the group).

Again, I want to thank Paul Berkowitz for this excellent script. If anyone
can help me with the two "issues" (1. Error when sending to a group & 2.
blank TO: fields ) I would be eternally grateful.

 

[Robert C. Easey]

Thanks for the reply.
I do indeed use exchange for the default account and the group I created is
local "On My Computer". So I went and created a local POP account and now
the script does not give me the error. It sends the e-mail.

But ..... I still have a problem with the "To" field. I address the mail
with my group named "Test Group", (which includes myself in it to test it).
I run the script and when I receive the message it is addressed not to "Test
Group" but instead to the name of the sender. I verified that all people in
the "Test Group" see the same thing in the "To" field ("My Name"
<[email protected]> ). I tried several times - same thing. I also reproduced
the same problem on another Mac with a different account - same thing, the
senders name appears in the "To" field.

I do not get what you say I should:

When you have checked "Do not show addresses when sending mail" in the
group's box, then Entourage actually BCC's all the recipients and puts the
group's name, but the recipient's email address in the "To" field, in the
message each recipient actually gets.

Again any help is appreciated,
BOB

 

[Robert Easey]

Thanks for the reply.
I do indeed use exchange for the default account and the group I created is
local "On My Computer". So I went and created a local POP account and now
the script does not give me the error. It sends the e-mail.

But ..... I still have a problem with the "To" field. I address the mail
with my group named "Test Group", (which includes myself in it to test it).
I run the script and when I receive the message it is addressed not to "Test
Group" but instead to the name of the sender. I verified that all people in
the "Test Group" see the same thing in the "To" field ("My Name"
<[email protected]> ). I tried several times - same thing. I also reproduced
the same problem on another Mac with a different account - same thing, the
senders name appears in the "To" field.

I do not get what you say I should:

When you have checked "Do not show addresses when sending mail" in the
group's box, then Entourage actually BCC's all the recipients and puts the
group's name, but the recipient's email address in the "To" field, in the
message each recipient actually gets.

Again any help is appreciated,
BOB