How do I include a CSS file with HTML email that I send from a Perl CGI script?

Question

I am using following code to create and send email through CGI perl. The images get attached properly, but the css files do not.

  my $msg = new MIME::Lite(
            From    => $from,
            To      => $to_list,
            Subject => "My subject",
            Type    => 'text/html',  # 'multipart/mixed'
            Data    => $body
           );
 $msg->attach(Type => 'multipart/mixed',      Path => $DOCS_URL . "/fonts-min.css");
 $msg->attach(Type => 'multipart/mixed',      Path => $DOCS_URL . "/eat.css");
 $msg->attach(Type => 'multipart/mixed',      Path => $DOCS_URL . "/site_styles2.css");
 $msg->attach(Type => 'multipart/mixed',      Path => $DOCS_URL . "/calendar_layout.css");
 $msg->attach(Type => 'multipart/mixed',      Path => $DOCS_URL . "/errnacc.css");
 $msg->attach(Type => 'image/png',    Path => $DOCS_URL . "/separator.gif");
 $msg->attach(Type => 'image/png',    Path => $DOCS_URL . "/trans_pixel.gif");
 $msg->attach(Type => 'image/png',    Path => $DOCS_URL . "/itg_side.gif");

 $msg->send();

The images get attached properly, but the css files are not attached at all. Any idea what 'Type' should be used to attach CSS files? Or is there any other problem?

Oleksandr Tymoshenko · Accepted Answer · 2009-07-31 23:34:39Z

7

I believe text/css should be OK

answered Jul 31, 2009 at 23:34

Oleksandr Tymoshenko

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Comments

ndp · Accepted Answer · 2009-08-02 22:34:45Z

6

From my tests, many email clients simply remove all the head elements before displaying an email message. Therefore, using external style sheets isn't feasible if you have to support a wide range of email clients.

My advice is to include styling directly into the HTML, as painful as that is.

answered Aug 2, 2009 at 22:34

ndp

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1 Comment

larelogio Over a year ago

Including the css in the html is quite simple if you're doing it inside a Perl program.

AmbroseChapel · Accepted Answer · 2009-08-02 00:01:20Z

2

I have to say, if what you're trying to do with your script is send HTML-formatted email, even if you get the CSS files sent as attachments, it's not going to work.

The only way to do this with any confidence at all is to send HTML with all external files linked using absolute URLs. And even then it won't work the way you expect it to.

answered Aug 2, 2009 at 0:01

AmbroseChapel

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1 Comment

larelogio Over a year ago

This may not work for someone reading the message off-line or with on-the-fly access disabled.

Jérôme Verstrynge · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-26 05:31:46Z

2

Try using inline css ...it works (see http://www.tizag.com/cssT/inline.php)

edited Aug 26, 2011 at 5:31

Jérôme Verstrynge

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answered Oct 1, 2010 at 9:21

ramkumar

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Comments

ppant · Accepted Answer · 2010-10-01 09:59:17Z

0

I think you already got your answer but in my opinion good way is, instead of putting html code directly, use some html based mail envelope having message and placeholders in separate html file and then parse and replace placeholders so that you can use CSS easily and i think it will be easy to maintain too.

answered Oct 1, 2010 at 9:59

ppant

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user3698061 · Accepted Answer · 2014-08-19 00:16:21Z

0

just came across same issue. you may try this tool, http://templates.mailchimp.com/resources/inline-css/ remember to save the copy of original template in case you need to update

answered Aug 19, 2014 at 0:16

user3698061

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