We'd like to compose email messages that users can download and open in Outlook.  If we use the standard html options, we can only fill in the "to", "subject", "message", etc. but not attachments.

We'd like to be able to fill in the entire email (including attachment files) generate a file(msg format?) and have the user open the file through the browser (in outlook) to review/send on their own.

To do this, it seems we need to be able to save the the message in msg format.  So the question becomes, any idea if/when you guys will support this? Any idea if there's another way to do what I'm trying to do without it?

Thanks for your time.

Phil

Sorry, I forgot to add that I have experimented with saving emails in .eml file format and serving opening them in outlook or opening via web download.

Whenever I open them in Outlook I get an exception:

"Can't open file: XXXX. The file may not  
exist, you may not have permission to open it, or it may  
be open in another program. Right-Click the folder that  
contains the file, and then click properties to check your  
permissions for the folder"  

I googled around and cannot find a solution - uninstalling Google desktop was a suggestion but I'm on a brand new image with barely anything installed - no google desktop.

I think if I have this issue then our customers may have the same issue. I'm sure that it "works fine" for you guys, but there's obviously something odd happening.  Any thoughts?

Phil

I've done a fair bit more testing and here's what I have:

by default on a number of systems, .eml files open in Outlook express -this is the default, even if you've never set up outlook express.

So, users who use lotus or outlook will be prompted to setup outlook express and asked to set it as their default mail viewer. 

I have tried every setting possible for the filetype mapping of .eml to get it to open correctly in Outlook with no luck whatsoever. In fact, when someone forwards me an email as an attachment, it is an .eml file, but when I save it to disk (from the attachments list) through outlook it saves as an msg file.

So, it appears that .eml by default doesn't open in the user's default email application. Secondarily, I cannot get .eml files to open in Outlook correctly.

For these reasons, either I need a different extension that will somehow work with Outlook with an eml format or I need to use msg format.

Any ideas?

Phil

Hi Phil,

You can parse both eml and msg files using Aspose.Network. But currently, generating or saving in msg format is not supported.

Unfortunately, eml file are only supported in Outlook Express. Microsoft Office Outlook cannot open eml files.

I will talk with the development team about saving in msg format, whether its feasible to include this feature in coming releases.

Is it possible that you generate the eml file and your users download that eml file, open in outlook express, review and send. Or Microsoft Outlook is a must (may be due to integration with another system)?

"Can't open file: XXXX. The file may not  
exist, you may not have permission to open it, or it may  
be open in another program. Right-Click the folder that  
contains the file, and then click properties to check your  
permissions for the folder" 

This message may come when the file is opened by some program and the objects are not disposed.

Thanks for your quick response.

I'm quite certain that my original message about an error with outlook opening eml files can be ignored because outlook just doesn't support it. Sorry for the extra issue.

Our user base is diverse and uses a variety of email clients.  If all clients opened eml format files without issue, I'd be quite satisfied.  As it is, the functionality required is very similar to clicking "mailto" in a web page- the default email client should open a new email with some information prepopulated. In our case, this information (Attachments in particular) cannot be prepopulated using the "mailto" mechanism.

All information seem to indicate that we need the ability to generate .msg files for our outlook users and .eml files for outlook express (not sure about lotus users) - basically giving them the option of selecting which format they require.

Any idea is this is possible or what the timeframe might be?

Thanks again for your help.

Phil

So, the requirement is to let the users review/modify the email in their installed email clients. I will discuss the possibility of saving in msg format with the developers and keep you posted about it.

Untill then, there are 2 alternates on my mind.

1. The Outlook Express program is included in all Windows systems. If users can configure the account one time only, they can review/update using Outlook Express. Since, msg files can be opened in Microsoft Outlook and having Microsoft Outlook means that you also have Outlook Express.
2. Instead of downloading message files to the user machines, may be you can provide a web interface for reviewing/editing email and attachments. This might take some time to implement.

I don't mean to bother, but I wanted to check in and ask if there was any feedback yet. 

Option 1 doesn't work with our diverse user base. We implemented option 2 several years ago and believe Aspose.Network and generating msg files is a better option for us.  Option 2 has problems because of any combination of the following:

• SPAM filters get mad because the email comes from us (more customers and more users means a higher chance we get on someone's spam list), or because the reply-to and/or from address have domains that don't match the sending domain (our users are not necessarily in our organization).
• User has no log of their outgoing email unless we cc/bcc them

I'm sure this is a tough problem to solve- and Aspose has a definite competetive advantage being able to parse Outlook msg files. Just hoping to extend it a little further.  Thanks for your help.

Phil

Hi

Is there a commitment on that feature request?

I too need to save an Outlook message created by my application to disk.

My scenario is the following:

1. The application creates a new mail message filling destination, subject, body, attachments, ...
2. The user must review elements of the e-mail
3. The user must click the Send button
4. The message must be persisted into the send items of the users

Outlook Express is not an option here, Neither the web interface.

Hi,

We are also looking for this:)

Anyone know a time estimate?

Thanks!

Hello,

I am evaluating the Aspose.Network.dll.
I need to save my eml files to msg.

For now, it is (unfortunately) not supported.

I only consider purchasing this, if saving to msg is possible.

Can you please inform me about the estimated time this will be available?

Greetings, Marcel

Hello, Marcel,

The saving to msg feature is still under development. It is not supported now. I will keep you posted about the status of the development.

Cheers,