Sending html emails with JavaScript

Question

I'm creating a form (using only HTML and JavaScript) that sends emails. I want to insert a simple HTML table inside the body of the email. Something like this:

<table border=1> <tr><td>blabla</td></tr> </table>

After I click on the "Send" button a JavaScript function is called which sends the email via URL and the POST data appears in my email client - Outlook (which is okay for me) but there is a problem with the formatting. The data in body of the email is in plain text.

Is there any other way to do this only with JavaScript?
Is it necessary to use some kind of server-side scripts (like PHP or others) to format it properly?

If you can set MIME type and content type, in other words if you can set header data, than you can do this without using server side code. — Vladimir Bozic, Feb 26 '13 at 13:10
@Vladimir I'm using
if that's what you mean. I'm trying to avoid server-side code. — szamfirov, Feb 26 '13 at 13:19
See https://stackoverflow.com/questions/247245/is-it-possible-to-add-an-html-link-in-the-body-of-a-mailto-link/247395#247395 — Eduardo Cuomo, Dec 28 '18 at 13:52

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 26 '13 at 13:23

You can use JavaScript mailto function. Try this, hope it'll help you

<div id="mailBody"><table border=1> <tr><td>blabla</td></tr> </table></div>
<input type="button" onclick="sendMail();">

Under the script tag

function sendMail()
{
   var mailBody=document.getElementById('mailBody').innerHTML;
   window.location="mailto:yourmail@domain.com?subject=hii&body="+mailBody;
}

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 26 '13 at 13:35

If you want to use only the java script to send HTML email try like below...

But i have NOT Recommended this type of Mail sending....

Sending HTML Email by Javascript :

function SendEmail()
{
    var outlookApp = new ActiveXObject("Outlook.Application");
    var nameSpace = outlookApp.getNameSpace("MAPI");
    mailFolder = nameSpace.getDefaultFolder(6);
    mailItem = mailFolder.Items.add('IPM.Note.FormA');
    mailItem.Subject = "Me";
    mailItem.To = "me@me.com";
    mailItem.HTMLBody = "<table border=1> <tr><td>blabla</td></tr> </table>";
    mailItem.display(0);
}

if you want to just send a email as plain text by javascript then try like below...

Sending Plain Text by Javascript :

window.open('mailto:test@example.com?subject=subject&body=Testing Email');

Better you use a Server Side Coding to Send a email

I didn't downvote your answer, but I imagine it's because this would only work when you've got both Internet Explorer and 0utlook, a limitation that you failed to mention. — Martijn, Feb 27 '13 at 06:55
It does not work on any *browser*, only on the pile of rubbish called Internet Explorer. — connexo, Dec 05 '19 at 15:13

score -1 · Answer 3 · edited Dec 28 '18 at 13:52

-1

What are the < characters are like in if you look at the source? if they are like < or < then you need to disable encoding on these. Also, you need to set formatting to HTML mail. Sorry I am not a PHP guy but I guess you will need server side code for that.

edited Dec 28 '18 at 13:52

Eduardo Cuomo

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answered Feb 26 '13 at 13:07

Subliminal Hash

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How can I disable the encoding? Is this something to do with the
option?
– szamfirov Feb 26 '13 at 13:11
did you look at the source to confirm the < characters are like the ones I said? – Subliminal Hash Feb 26 '13 at 13:23
I tried with both < characters and did not work. I tried also with the appropriate url encoding for < (%3C) – szamfirov Feb 26 '13 at 13:34
Try @Tapas's answer. Sounds good to me.. – Subliminal Hash Feb 26 '13 at 18:08

Sending html emails with JavaScript

3 Answers3