How to Make New Stationery for Mail (Getting Started)
This post will outline everything someone will need who wants to start designing new Stationery for Mail in OS X Leopard. Hopefully, this will turn into an ongoing series about Stationery in Mail.
First Attempt at Skinning the Air Mail Stationery
What you will need to create new Stationery for Mail:
- OS X 10.5 Leopard
- XCode Installed
- Photoshop (or other Image Editor capable of editing .jpg and transparent .png)
- HTML / XML Editor
- Package Maker (installed w/ XCode)
Do not overwrite existing files. If you wish to the modify existing files, backup the originals before changing anything!
The default Stationery you see in Mail is stored in a folder at the following location:
/System/Library/Application Support/Apple/Mail/Stationary/Apple/Contents/Resources/
If you navigate to this folder, you will notice a file called TableofContents.plist. This file contains the XML necessary for Mail.app to list the Categories of Mail Stationery.
Notice how each Category has it’s own Folder? By default there are Announcements, Birthday, Photos, Sentiments, and Stationery Folders. If you click on one of these folders, you will see it has it’s own directory structure: /Announcements/Contents/Resources. You will find the the actual stationery in the Resources folder for a specific Category.
There are two oddball files among the Stationery, another TableofContents.plist and an English.lproj Folder (I imagine for others running Leopard in other languages this folder may change, can someone confirm?). TableofContents.plist here is another XML document that lists the Category’s Stationery in a format Mail.app can understand. Does anyone know what the Stationery ID parameter in this file might be for? How can I create a new Stationary ID or a new piece of Stationery? The English.lproj folder contains a file called DisplayName.strings. In this file there is a comment that says: “Stationery category name as appears in the stationery selection pane in the New Message window after clicking Show Stationery toolbar item.”
If you go back to the Resources folder and Ctrl+Click on a .mailstationery file, you can select Show Package Contents from the menu. This will open the Stationery’s Directory Structure which is the same: /Stationary/Content/Resources/. Here you will find the files that make up a piece of Stationery in Mail.
There will most likely be the following basic files:
- bg_pattern.jpg : The Background Image
- top.jpg : Header Image
- bottom.jpg : Footer Image
- content.html : The HTML Template
- Description.plist : The XML File Necessary for Interactivity in Mail.app
- English.lproj folder : Contains DisplayName.strings (file that names the Stationery for Mail.app)
- thumbnail.png : The Thumbnail for the Selection Screen in Mail
Photo Stationery may have the following:
- Mask1.png : The Mask for Drop Zones
- placeholder1.jpg : The Placeholder Image for Drop Zones
- banner.jpg : Usually the Background for the Masked Drop Zones
- frames.png : The Template for the Drop Zones
The Workflow:
Do not overwrite existing files. If you wish the modify existing files, backup the originals before changing anything!
- Create New Folder for “Custom” Stationery in the Resources folder, give it the Directory Structure /Content/Resources/
- In this folder, make a file called TableofContents.plist. You will need to enter XML data here for the Individual Stationery inside the “Custom” Category. Project Folders and eventually Packages will go in this folder. An English.lproj folder with DisplayName.strings (for the Category name) must be in this folder as well.
- Make a New Folder for the new Stationery and give it the same directory structure: /Content/Resources/
- This is the folder you will place the HTML template (content.html), XML template (Description.plist), all images, and the English.lproj folder with DisplayName.strings (Name of the individual Stationery)
- Use Package Maker to create a Package for the Stationery (must have .mailstationary as a filename and the correct Directory Structure)
- Backup TableofContents.plist in /System/Library/Application Support/Apple/Mail/Stationary/Apple/Contents/Resources/
- Add new lines in TableofContents.plist for the new Category
Can anyone tell me what that the Stationery ID is for in TableofContents.plist and how to create unique Stationery IDs for new Stationery and is this necessary?
If anyone ends up creating new Stationery because they read this tutorial, I would gladly post custom templates on iUseApple.com.
What did you learn in this post?
Or did it leave you with further questions?
Comment here to Ask Steve Blue!
Written by Steve Blue
steveblue@iuseapple.com
Klaus Bjarner
Quote: “There are two oddball files among the Stationary, another TableofContents.plist and an English.lproj Folder (I imagine for others running Leopard in other languages this folder may change, can someone confirm?).”
I am running Leopard with danish as language, and I have a additional da.Iproj folder a long side an English.Iproj.
Kind regards
Klaus
Oct 30th, 2007 2:33 am
Justin
I just accidently realized that if you click on the background of the “Bamboo” or “Daisies” templates, it cycles through colors. Thought that might be of interest.
Oct 30th, 2007 2:48 pm
CHRIS
just a pointer on the spelling of stationery . . . with an ‘e’
……. hope you don’t take offense, dude!
cheers, Chris
Oct 31st, 2007 1:53 pm
steveblue
Wow, fixed the post. Missed the spelling error in the rush to get Leopard posts out… Sorry everyone.
Nov 1st, 2007 6:18 am
Bakari
This would make a great video tutorial for those of us who don’t quite as much knowledge of XTM and HTML. I worked it on some, but could quite finish it. But thanks for posting it.
Nov 1st, 2007 9:49 pm
weta
Try…
designing your html stationary in, say Dreamweaver
open it up in Safari
comedown to File / Mail contents of this page (command i)
which then opens your html page in mail
save as stationary
bingo !!
Nov 2nd, 2007 5:07 am
kp
weta,
I tried what you said with Google’s home page.
Went to create a new message, clicked “Show Stationery” selected the custom one… the mail message “hung” (nothing clickable) for over a minute.
great tip but unfortunate bug.
Nov 2nd, 2007 9:24 am
steveblue
Something could be missing in your TableofContents.plist arguments.
Nov 2nd, 2007 10:23 am
Avery Z Chipka
The Stationary ID string is used to place a UUID which allows the system to tell the difference between stationary files. The UUID must be formated properly and not being used elsewhere in the system, a good way to create one properly is with and application like UUID Generator. Which can be downloaded at http://mac.softpedia.com/get/Developer-Tools/UUID-Generator.shtml
Although a UUID is not required at this time it is good programming practice to include one.
The English.Iproj folder and any other folder ending in .lproj is a folder that contains resources valid only for a specific language setting. Everyone on this board is seeing English.lproj because we all selected English as our default language during install. If you want your stationery to support multiple languages you will need to include these. I also noticed you left out how to have the stationery auto set the greeting name, your name, and your personal email address based on your address book. Drop me a line if you want those details added, or I can provide them and you can add them in.
Nov 3rd, 2007 7:40 pm
hugh
I have managed to create new stationary templates. However i am still trying to figure out how to change the stationary ID tags if anyone wants a sample of my email send me your email address.
Hugh
Nov 4th, 2007 3:44 pm
Miguel
The Stationary ID tells Mail.app if it has already got this template in its “Personal” library (don’t really know where this is really stored in the file system). If the ID is already present, it won’t load the new stationary but rather use the first one that was preloaded on it (when you just double click on an .mailstationery file.)
The best way to create an Stationery ID is to use the Terminal. Just open a window and type the command:
> uuidgen
Copy and past its output.
Cheers!
Nov 10th, 2007 5:02 am
Ron
Try…
designing your html stationary in, say Dreamweaver
open it up in Safari
comedown to File / Mail contents of this page (command i)
which then opens your html page in mail
save as stationary
bingo !!
Weta,
I like your solution, it’ s simple & fast. But in Mail, the pictures will not show. How come?
Ron
Nov 13th, 2007 5:00 am
steveblue
Did you save the images as .jpg or .png?
Steve
Nov 13th, 2007 7:54 am
Ron
Hello Steve,
I’ve tried both. When I first publish the page and than do the same, It works properly. I think Safari cannot find the right resources?
Ron
Nov 15th, 2007 2:20 am
crisware
Hi Steve Bleu (in french)
well by where to start !!
First I am begginer in many things…
I bought yesterday latest imac 24″ with leopard 10.5 already updated this night to 10.5.1 and would like do my own email stationeries and customize it …
I already Have Flash 7 dreamweaver 7 photoshop but no Xcode as well as Package Maker … so is possible to do the job without it ??
then if I do copy one existing my.mailstationery and work with it that is possible ???
or necessary to have Xcode ??? and if necessary where to found it ?? is it a freeware ? and where to download ???
If papy is not silly guess if something like an html page ??
so is it possible to do it without top,bottom,letter and bg-background !!
you open dreamweaver do your design having already is own headleter or logo(top)
as well as the design (background) and background letter and at least on footer (bottom) what you want as address,phone,email,website link and so on….
is ti mad or is it possible to do such ????? and why not adding flash animation :-))))
cause if yes would use my design of my website (animated logo) some backgrounds and background musics to do my owm emails stationeries in accordance my website… have a look to http://crisware.free.fr/site.html to see what I am looking for…
Thanks alot Steveblue and compliments your job
With Friendly
Chris
crisware@free.fr
Nov 17th, 2007 5:44 am
crisware
Oops … papy is pertubated :-))
I forgot to notice you that I am french mac user
and I have a lot of languages.Iproj not only French.Iproj or English.Iproj
but a lot !!
If you are interesting I can send you a screenshots … let me know
Bye
Chris
Nov 17th, 2007 5:48 am
steveblue
Crisware,
You can copy the Mail Stationary files and edit them, just be sure to back up the originals.
Only certain Stationaries use headers and footers. It is possible to do without, but stick to the nomenclature that is already established i.e. bg_pattern.jpg : The Background Image.
XCode is on the Leopard Install DVD in the Additional Installs folder or can be downloaded from Apple for free. You need Package Maker for the final steps.
As far as flash animations, not so sure if they will work but try it out and get back to me. If flash animations do not work, try animated .gif (not sure of either).
Dreamweaver will be a fine html editor for adjusting or creatign templates. I would suggest updating to CS3 though, as soon as Adobe issues the promised “fixes” for Leopard.
You will see as many language folders as you have languages installed. The reason I didn’t see any except English is because I used Monolingual to delete extra languages I don’t use to save disk space on my MacBook Pro.
I like your website. Are you an Artist living in France? I am an Electronic Artist in Syracuse, NY USA. I am interested in conversing with other Artists across the World. If you would like to start corresponding about Art, please email me at steveblue@iuseapple.com.
Kind regards,
Steve
Nov 17th, 2007 10:21 am
crisware
Good Evening Steve ,
Woah !! you answered me…. thanks a lot !!
there is so many sites you would like ask and reply
that many times you have any reply :-((((
Well by now will follows your advice and will download
Xcode form apple site….
then will do by now my first trial for an custom email template
using traditional way with html codes and gif or jpg pics
and if you permit will send it to you to check is working well or not
secondly will do an elaborate email template with background design
elaborated
and finallly will do an flash eamil template with my animated logo
some my backgrounds and sounds… what that will do ????
Have a good night and once more thanking you your answer… merci Steve
Chris
crisware@free.fr
http://crisware.free.fr
Nov 17th, 2007 6:16 pm
Soraya
Hi, I’ve created a corporate stationary for my company, and would like to set it as a default stationary for all new emails (and not having to manually apply it every time).
Do you know if this is possible?
TIA, S.
Nov 21st, 2007 5:28 am
joemart1951
Hay Soraya,
I would love to see your corporate stationary example.
I am wanting to do the same thing.
Joe
Dec 21st, 2007 11:56 am
James
Stationeries are available through Limewire it seems. I edit to make more…
Dec 26th, 2007 1:07 pm
sam
How do you change the bg_pattern.jpg for stationary so it stays a one image and not a repeated small section of the image used?
Feb 27th, 2008 6:40 am
Aldo
I have created a html file that i can use as a template. comes up perfect. i cant type anything in the mail. wont let me. Is this something i can fix.
May 28th, 2008 1:30 am