Injecting html into asp.net string for e-mail

Question

Currently I'm sending an HTML e-mail I'm creating out of asp.net strings is outputting links as plain text rather than hyperlinks, which is what I'm going for. The code for generating the e-mail string looks like this:

 Uri link = new Uri("http://www.somesite.com");

string body = "Plus, you may wish to bookmark " + link + " for your rate comparison needs."

string subject = Resources.Email.VerificationEmailSubject;

Email.SendEmail(email, subject, body);

   public static void SendEmail(string toAddress, string subject, string body)
    {
        try
        {

            MailMessage mailMessage = new MailMessage();
            mailMessage.To.Add(new MailAddress(toAddress));
            mailMessage.Subject = subject;
            mailMessage.IsBodyHtml = true;
            mailMessage.Body = body;

            using (SmtpClient smtpClient = new SmtpClient())
            {
                smtpClient.Send(mailMessage);
            }
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            LogManager log = new LogManager();
            log.LogError(typeof(Email), ex);
        }
    }

What is the simplest way to do this?

Thanks!

Edit 1:

Tried -

string emailContent = "Plus, you may wish to bookmark <a href='" + link + "'>www.comparsave.com</a> for your rate comparison needs.";

Viewing the email source, the string is being html encoded by asp.net to render as plain text in html: < and > are being replaced by "& gt;" "& lt;" etc. How to stop asp.net from doing this??

Edit 2:

Okay, figured it out! Will post the answer later when I have time. Thanks all!

can you also post the code calling that method?

shriek
– shriek

2012-05-30 18:32:13 +00:00
Commented May 30, 2012 at 18:32 — shriek
– shriek, Commented May 30, 2012 at 18:32

woz · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-30 17:19:31Z

3

If it's an HTML email, do this:

"<a href='" + link + "'>" + link + "</a>"

answered May 30, 2012 at 17:19

woz

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9 Comments

valen Over a year ago

This gives me: Plus, you may wish to bookmark <a href='comparasave.com/'>www.comparsave.com</a> for your rate comparison needs.

woz Over a year ago

That <a> tag should disappear when the email arrives in your inbox, and you should just see link, as long as you are sending it as HTML.

valen Over a year ago

I'm viewing it as a .mht file in internet explorer. Any idea if this would be giving it problems?

woz Over a year ago

I don't know what .mht is, but yes, probably. Can you try looking at it in your email (Outlook, Gmail, etc.)?

valen Over a year ago

Viewed it in outlook...same problem :(

|

jrummell · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-30 17:22:59Z

1

Use a template and insert your links into it. E.g.

const string template = "Plus, you may wish to bookmark <a href='{0}'>{0}</a> for your rate comparison needs."

string htmlEmailBody = String.Format(template, link);

answered May 30, 2012 at 17:22

jrummell

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Comments

valen · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-30 18:40:18Z

0

The solution was to use Html.Raw from within a cshtml file acting as the email template. For some reason I wasn't able to call Html.Raw in the cs file posted above.

answered May 30, 2012 at 18:40

valen

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