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Creating a Template E-mail Message

Novell Cool Solutions: Feature
By Tay Kratzer

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Posted: 13 Nov 2003 		 

This article explains three approaches that allow users to use a template/boilerplate e-mail message. The instructions for the first two approaches were all tested and devised using the GroupWise 6.5.1 client.

Creating a *.VEW Template File

In the GroupWise Windows client do the following:

  1. Select File|New|Mail as if you are composing a new message


  2. Fill in the subject of the message (you can also fill in the TO, CC and BC lines if needed.)


  3. Fill in the message body


  4. From the view that you are composing the message in, select File|Save View


  5. Make sure to save the *.VEW file as a "Custom View with Text". You can save the *.VEW file wherever you would like, the Windows desktop works just fine as shown in Figure 1.



  6. When prompted for a view name, you may keep the default of "Mail" or you can choose a new name for the view.

In order to use the *.VEW template file you can do one of two things:

  1. Click on the *.VEW file, it will pop up into a GroupWise compose view with your template text. Make sure GroupWise is running when you do this. It works better this way.


  2. In the GroupWise Windows client, from the Main Window select File|Open View. Browse and select the *.VEW template file.

Notes: Recipients of this message that are using the GroupWise Windows client, WebAccess and Wireless clients, and the GroupWise cross-platform client (in Beta when this article was written) will all see the text of a message sent using this method of using a template.

Creating a *.HTML File
  1. Create a message in an HTML editor. Don't do anything fancy, just use text.


  2. Save the file as a *.HTML file (*.HTM is not good enough).
In order to use the *.HTML template file do the following:
  1. Select File|New|Mail as if you are composing a new message.


  2. Fill in the TO line and the CC and BC lines as needed.


  3. DO NOT PUT ANYTHING IN THE MESSAGE BODY


  4. Attach the *.HTML file as the first attachment to the mail message. You can attach other files if needed.

Notes: Recipients of this message that are using the GroupWise Windows client and the WebAccess client using a desktop grade OS will see that the *.HTML will be used as the message body of the message. Users using the GroupWise wireless clients, or the GroupWise cross-platform client will see the *.HTML file is an attachment, not the message body.

Using Formativ Templates and Stationary

Advansys Corporation makes a GroupWise Windows client add-on product called "Formativ". One of the many Formativ applet solutions are the Template and Stationary applets. You can find out more about Formativ at http://www.advansyscorp.com.

Here is a link to some screen shots of example Formative applets

Tay Kratzer
http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/gwmag/trenches/kratzer.html
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