Content: New Template: Text Message

Content: New/Edit Template: Text Message

For a step-by-step guide to making content, see Creating Content -- Overview.

Text Message

The plain-text contents of this message.

Text copied and pasted from word processing programs such as Word may include extra characters, so it should be pasted into a plain-text editor first before being copied into the Text Message box.

If your content also includes an HTML message, your message will be sent out with both text and HTML. This kind of message is called multipart-alternative format, and it ensures that recipients who can read HTML see only HTML, but those who can't see the plain text message.

Additional message header and footer information may be added to the message if enabled in Utilities: List Settings: Web Created Content: Insert Headers and Footers.

Button Options

Show More

Click to increase by ten the number of lines visible in the message body.

Show Less

When visible, click to decrease by ten the number of lines visible in the message body.

Import File

Imports an HTML file into your HTML message body. File types not in HTML format cannot be imported.

Make sure your imported HTML uses complete paths, not relative paths, to images. Example:

Wrong:

/img/lyris.gif

Right:

http://www.lyris.com/img/lyris.gif

NOTE The Import File feature should not be used to attach documents to the message; use New Attachment

HTML to Text

Converts an HTML message into text. Any formatting that was applied in the HTML Message tab is lost in the Text Message tab; however, special characters will appear before and after text to indicate that it was formatted. For example:

*Text that had Bold formatting will have asterisks before and after it, like this.*

_Text that was in Italics will have underscores before and after it, like this._

NOTE If you already have a text body, converting the HTML to text will overwrite the preexisting text body.

Understanding Template Fields

If you create editable regions in your template, and then choose HTML to Text in your text message, template fields will be created automatically. If you then create content from that template, the template fields will change when you fill in the editable regions. You can see how this works by following the steps below:

1. In the left Navigation bar, click Content, click View Templates, and then click Create New Template.

2. Type a Template name, Description, and Subject.

3. Click the HTML Message tab. In the HTML Editor, type "Special Deals for the Month of ".

4. Highlight the text, and click the Format box and choose Heading 2.

5. Click the Specify Editable Regions tab, and then click the text to make it an editable region.

6. Click the Text Message tab, and then click the HTML to Text button.

The text is surrounded by tags which indicate that it is an editable template field:

** Special Deals for the month of **

7. Click the Save button.

8. In the left Navigation bar, click View content, and then click the Create From Template button.

9. Find the template you just saved, and then click its Select command.

10. Type a Content name and Description.

11. Click the Fill in Editable Regions tab.

12. Click the text to make it available in the mini-editor.

13. At the end of the sentence, type "February."

14. Click the Preview button.

In the Preview window, you can see that the word "February" was added to the HTML Message. Because the editable region contained a template field for text, "February" is also added to the Text Message.

Insert Field

Insert Field gives you the option to insert:

Mail merge fields (e.g., email address, first name)