Email Question

[Jim Miller]

For email I use Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, or Windows Live Mail in all of my computers.

I'm looking for a quick and easy way to create a signature that includes my QR code. So far, the quickest way I have found is to insert it as a photo image, size it, and position it next to my multiple-line signature.

Isn't there a way to have a signature and QR code automatically positioned into every new and reply email? I'm thinking there has to be an easy-click way to include a particular image (whether doc, jpg, pdf, tif, or other) in emails. I often receive emails with the sender's company logo under the signature, so there must an easy way to do it.

Any suggestions?

I'm really getting into these QR codes. New business cards have already been printed with a QR code that places all of my addressbook info on a smartphone's screen. The user can 'tap' to add me as a new contact in their addressbook, 'tap' for a mapping link, 'tap' for a web site link, and 'tap' to initiate a phone call. Also, QR codes that go straight to my web site (like the one under my name on the left of this post) are being made for the van windows in 10" black & white vinyl, and a couple of customers have already commented on the 24" QR code I posted in the shop window last week. That one was cut on my CMC. I thought about cutting one 40" square, but that might be overkill.

 

[Bob Doyle]

In Windows Mail it's tools, options, signature. then check add signatures to outgoing mail.

That puts a signature in all mail you create...

 

[Jim Miller]

That puts a signature in all mail you create...

Yes, I am familiar with that function, but is there a way to include anything other than text in those signatures? I couldn't find a way to add the QR code.

 

[j Paul]

a couple of customers have already commented on the 24" QR code I posted in the shop window last week. That one was cut on my CMC. I thought about cutting one 40" square, but that might be overkill.

Can't help you with your question Jim.
That is a great idea to cut the large QR code on the CMC. Show off your skills and the code at the same time. I LIKE IT!

I think there might be one coming to a front window near me, soon.

 

[pwalters]

Jim,

You should be able to insert an image/jpeg into your signature if you use Microsoft Word as your editor. Here is how to do it in 2003. Should be pretty similar in other versions.

http://email.about.com/od/outlooktips/qt/Insert_a_Graphic_Animation_in_Your_Outlook_Email_Signature.htm

 

[artfolio]

Pardon my ignorance but what is a QR code?

As an aside I don't think there is a "quick and easy" way to do anything much with Live Mail. I use it but regard it as a typical "computer nerd" product designed by the kind of people who, when asked to make a cup of coffee, start drawing up plans for a nuclear reactor to oil the water.

 

[Rick Bergeron - CPF]

Jim,

Follow Bob's instructions. In the "Edit Signature" area there should be a radio button for "Text" and a radio button for "File".

Create an HTML file that you want to use for your signature using your program of choice and include your QR image in that file and "SaveAs HTML". Then attach that file.

That should get you there.

 

[osgood]

Jim,
I have Outlook 2007 and can add an image/picture to a signature by clicking the button above the red arrow in the signature panel.

As others have said, the mail format needs to be html.

 

[Bill Henry-]

Pardon my ignorance but what is a QR code?

QR Codes are two dimensional bar codes which can be scanned directly into a Smart Phone that contains easily downloaded software.

The QR Code can contain information that links the user directly to your web site, your phone number, and a bunch of other things which I have no use for and don’t understand.

The QR Code itself can easily be created with a whole bunch of free online programs.

The idea, for example, is to have a QR Code pasted onto your store window so that someone with an iPhone or Android can capture it and get information about your business.

Mine is

Unfortunately, I don’t have a smart phone so I can’t test it. Anyone willing to swipe it and see if it works?

Do a Google Search and you’ll find out all kinds of neat stuff you can do with them.

http://qrcode.kaywa.com/
http://searchengineland.com/what-is-a-qr-code-and-why-do-you-need-one-27588/
http://www.servletsuite.com/servlets/qrcodetag.htm/

 

[Bob Doyle]

Bill, why does it say you are open 9pm to 6am?

I do like the "vote Obama or go home" quote at the end of your text though...

 

[CAframer]

Unfortunately, I don’t have a smart phone so I can’t test it. Anyone willing to swipe it and see if it works?

It works

 

[Bron]

"And for all you members of the inner circle ... " A Christmas Story.

 

[Jim Miller]

Bill, why does it say you are open 9pm to 6am?

I do like the "vote Obama or go home" quote at the end of your text though...

Cute, Bob. That'll make Bill get a smartphone and a QR app for sure.

Bill, it works for me, too. And your hours are correct. And there's no political admonition.

 

[Bob Doyle]

So is the information coded in the bar code or is it stored on a server somewhere? If on a server is there any way to get a traffic report for your QR code? And for the tin foil hat question, who else gets access to that traffic report?

Jim,

thanks a lot for telling Bill it worked... At least I might have had him wondering for an hour

 

[Jim Miller]

Rick, I have not been able to save any image under the "File" selection in the signature configuration box. I've tried .jpf, .pdf, html, and .doc. I can browse for the files OK, but then nothing appears in the email whenh I select that signature option.

It is fairly easy to insert a .pdf or .jpg inmage into the body of the email message, then size it and format the "text wrapping" so it can be dragged up, next to the signature lines.

But that's fifteen seconds worth of work. I guess I'll have to keep doing that.

Hey, how about a macro or something like that? I've never done anything like that, but is there a way to use a particular combination of keystrokes to 'paste' an image automatically, rather than having to locate and 'Insert' the file every time?

 

[Rick Bergeron - CPF]

Jim,

OOPS. Look 2 posts down for screenshots and procedure



Have you clicked the checkbox at the top in the Signature Settings area to "Add signatures to all outgoing messages" in addition to adding the signature file?

 

[Bill Henry-]

So is the information coded in the bar code or is it stored on a server somewhere? If on a server is there any way to get a traffic report for your QR code? And for the tin foil hat question, who else gets access to that traffic report?

I’ve only been fiddling with mine for a week, but as a newbie, my understanding that the information is stored entirely on the QR Code splotch.

When I generated the blob, they presented what looks like something that can get imbedded into an HTML document (? home page or index page ?) e.g.

[noparse]<img src="http://qrcode.kaywa.com/img.php?s=12&d=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.framersloft.com" alt="qrcode" />[/noparse]

“Kaywa” is the site on which I generated the code, and "http://www.framersloft.com" is my web address.

I haven’t had time to plop it into my web page, so I don’t know exactly what it does. It may or may not display the QR Code. You may still have to imbed the code as a .jpg or a .bmp image, I don't know yet.

A standard linear UPC code has around 20 bars so it potentially there can be over a million combinations. Since the QR Code is two dimensional and 29 rows and columns there could be up to 288 quadrillion bits of information stored in it, if I’ve done the math right.

 

[Rick Bergeron - CPF]

Add a Graphic or Animation to Your Signature in Outlook Express

Jim, Here is a link to a step by step with screenshots to do that

 

[Tex]

Microsoft Power Point

We use a combination of our company logo and a personalized signature line to sign off on our emails. Power Point is the program we use to combine them.

 

[Bron]

Jim,

I just tried on Mac Mail; copy and then just paste at the end of my signature in Mail Preferences; seems to work fine. I don't remember what they call preferences in Windows.

 

[RParrish]

Why do you really need a QR code in an email, all it is is a link and your at your computer all ready, easy enough to do in a signature line anyways. I just don't see the need for this application in an email....

 

[echavez123]

I'm looking for a quick and easy way to create a signature that includes my QR code ...

Any suggestions?

Yes. You can see my samples attached. Here is an outline for how to do it with Outlook.

1) Create your QR Code and save approx 1" x 1", at 72 dpi is small & sufficient.
2) Design your Signature - can be done completely as a picture file or a combination of text & QR code. Here is the simpler method:

- create a NEW message in HTML format.
- in the body of the email, type in your text
- insert a picture (ie, your QR code)

Now select the text and QR code and copy to paste buffer (<CTRL-A>, <CTRL-C>).

Exit out of the email you are creating. The goods are in your Paste Buffer!

3) Create the Signature:

Goto TOOLS -> OPTIONS > MAIL FORMAT -> SIGNATURE PICKER
to add new signature. Give it a name and Paste in the contents with a <CTRL-V>. Save it. Apply.

4) Test it. Create a new email, you should see your Signature with the QR Code applied immediately.

I used an older version of Outlook (2000), so it should work in all newer versions. I do not like the way the mail program positions the text and the QR code. So, I went into Photoshop and created the text and inserted the QR code over the top of the card layout. I saved it as a JPEG file, sized to 2" x 3 1/2" at 72 dpi, thereby keeping the file small. And did the same procedure with the picture file, COPY/PASTE to create the signature card.

Hope this is helpful.

 

[Bron]

Randy,

QR Codes save hand transcibing info, that can be ported from that email to the contacts DB in your phone. I don't own a laptop, so the phone has all of my contacts, notes, photos, etc..

As more of us use them, people will transfer contact info from phone to phone without wasting paper; business cards will still be needed for those not in the "inner circle" " Drink your Ovaltine".

 

[echavez123]

Why do you really need a QR code in an email, all it is is a link and your at your computer all ready, easy enough to do in a signature line anyways. I just don't see the need for this application in an email....

Randy,

This QR code is a matter of convenience. I have stacks of business cards in office drawers, wrapped with rubber bands. Now, I can have the equivalent plus more with a single scan of a QR code. Here are the immediate benefits after scanning:

1) I can place a phone call without punching in the number.
2) I can see a map of where the business is located
3) I can add the business/person as a contact to my phone list
4) I can visit their website

In addition, I dont have to do this now. The scan will be saved as history, which can be referenced at a later time. And BTW, I could have scanned it from a printout, a computer screen, or from a T-shirt. This is quick cheap advertising.

Finally, with all the time I can save, I can spend more time on the Grumble!

 

[Steve Collins]

I use Thunderbird (open source email client from Mozilla), which has support for signatures written in HTML. I don't have a QR code in mine, though I have thought of it, but I have used <img> tags successfully with it.

All you have to do is write some valid HTML, put it in a file and tell Thunderbird where the file is. Pretty easy.

 

[Jim Miller]

Why do you really need a QR code in an email, all it is is a link ....

A QR code can provide more than just a link. For example, if you scan the QR code on my business card, the same one I plan to put in emails, you get these choices with a 'tap' on your smartphone's screen:

1. Add to contacts list
2. Show map to location
3. Dial phone number
4. Send email
5. Go to web site

 

[RParrish]

Cool I am sold!

 

[Jim Miller]

Why do you really need a QR code in an email, all it is is a link ...

Randy, if you download an app for scanning barcodes, you sould be able to read this QR code, which was created for my business cards and emails, and then you can see all the options that come to your smartphone's screen:



If your phone can't read this fairly complex code in the small size shown here, click on it to open it to full size. I am using it in 1-1/4" square size, which (I was told) can be read by most smartphones.

I've tried several of the free QR code generators, and this web site is the one I like best, so far. It allows you to determine size, format, and all the details of the code that is created. For example, I chose to use error Code H, which means 30% of the codewords can be restored. I guess that is better than error codes L, M, or Q, which can restore smaller percentages of the codewords.

Also, after you create your QR code on this site, you can download it in "bulk", which gets a folder of it in several formats. Very handy.

 

[Jim Miller]

...I saved it as a JPEG file, sized to 2" x 3 1/2" at 72 dpi, thereby keeping the file small. And did the same procedure with the picture file, COPY/PASTE to create the signature card.

The procedure you outlined is familiar to me, and it worked well until it came to making the new signature. I created the signature as small .jpg, .pdf, .doc, and .cdr files. All of those formats will paste into the email body, but none of them will work to create a new signature in Windows Live mail. It has to be plain text or an html file.

I have succeeded in making html files of 1k size, according to the list of files in My Documents, but I can't get those to open in any program, nor can I get them to create a signature.

Rick's link to instructions will not open, but a google search brought up several instructions online for making a graphic signature in Windows Live Mail. I couldn't get any of those to work, either.

I'm sick of failing with this, so when I want to put a QR code into an email, I'll simply copy and paste a file into the body of it.

 

[Bron]

Jim,

I'm on an Egg tempera forum that doesn't have signatures, but you can paste one in; I have the file on my desktop where I can copy it quickly to paste into a post. PITA, but it works.

One of the problems of cutting edge, is sometimes you get "cut".

 

[Bob Doyle]

Jim, a 1K file sounds like it is a link at best.

Are you using an email program that is resident on your computer or are you using a browser based email site?

I have Windows Mail on my computer, is Windows Live Mail a Google Mail-esque web based mail server? If so then you may have to up load the file to their server before you can use it. Or maybe you could include an [image][/image] coding in the signature that directs the server to go to the qr site to get your image?

If Live Mail and Mail are the same thing, sorry I just don't know what Live Mail is

 

[Bron]

And here, to make all of you folks on the bleeding edge feel better, Duane Eddy, the 1st video on the left, doing Rebel Rouser on his new Gretsch guitar:



and for the rest of you:

http://www.gretschguitars.com/features/duaneeddy/

 

[RParrish]

If Live Mail and Mail are the same thing, sorry I just don't know what Live Mail is

Windows/Hotmail has been replaced with Live.

 

[Bob Doyle]

Windows/Hotmail has been replaced with Live.

So Hotmail, that's web based (internet server) right? Because Outlook is computer (desktop, laptop, local server) based. Maybe the image has to be uploaded to the server, or be on a site that is accessible to the server, like images here on the Grumble. My linking to a file on my computer does the grumble no good, so I would think linking to a file on my computer would be of no use to Google mail, Hotmail or any other web based mail server. There must be a way to upload a signature file to the server for Live Mail.

Windows Mail is on my computer, it is the Vista version of Outlook. My MIL uses Google Mail I could play with that and see how to upload a signature file to their server. But then I would have to explain why she has a signature on all her e-mail

I'm old tech, I don't like the idea of "cloud based" programs. This push to the "cloud" feels like we are going back to mainframes and terminals...

 

[Bill Henry-]

My MIL uses Google Mail I could play with that and see how to upload a signature file to their server. But then I would have to explain why she has a signature on all her e-mail

Do it anyway, then when she complains, tell her that her account has been hacked. For slight fee, you can remove it, then waive the fee, and you’ll look like a hero.

Score all the points you can with in-laws whenever you can.

Just as an exercise, I tried to place an image inside a “signature” file in the directory of Eudora (computer based). I cannot drag-and-drop, copy-and-paste, or link any QR images (or other kinds of images) from Photobucket using either IMG or HTML coding. The only thing Eudora’s signature field appears to accept is plain text. There may be a workaround, but I can’t find one.

 

[Rick Bergeron - CPF]

Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail are not the same app.

Windows Live Mail replaced Outlook Express. If you look at the version number, Windows Live Mail is essentially Outlook Express V14 that can access POP email and HTML email (hotmail) from within the same app.

Sorry about the link Jim. I fatfingered the code when I used the paste button and didn't check it before I lost the site.

 

[Jim Miller]

I have attempted the described signature trick in five of my computers, all of which use Microsoft email programs; Outlook, Outlook Express, and Windows Live Mail (replaced Outlook Express in Win7). All of these programs are resident in the computers, and none of them will enable me to build a signature using anything other than text. This sort of frustration is my penalty for knowing just enough about computers to be dangerous.

As I recall, the older email programs were more forgiving of such frivolities. Or maybe it has somethg to do wth my insane security settings, which I have not figured out how to locate, let alone change.

Edit: I just took two beautiful loaves of sourdough bread out of the oven. As far as I'm concerned, that is enough success for one day, 'cause my girl and I get to enjoy it all week.:smiley:

 

[echavez123]

I have attempted the described signature trick in five of my computers, all of which use Microsoft email programs; Outlook, Outlook Express, and Windows Live Mail (replaced Outlook Express in Win7). All of these programs are resident in the computers, and none of them will enable me to build a signature using anything other than text.

Jim,

In Msg #22 above, I provided instructions using Outlook.

Q? When designing the signature in the body of an HTML formatted email, are you able to insert your QR code, using INSERT -> PICTURE ...?

Q? If so, are you then selecting the text and the image, then copying to paste buffer?

Best to test that you do have it in the paste buffer. You can do this by opening a new Word file, and pasting in the contents of the buffer, ie, <CTRL-V>. You should be able to see your text and the QR code. If not, something was not done correctly in the first two steps.

Otherwise, you have verified you have the correct contents in the paste buffer. And proceed to the final step from Outlook:

TOOLS -> OPTIONS -> MAIL FORMAT -> SIGNATURE

Supply a name for the signature file, and when it asks you to enter the contents of the signature, do a <CTRL-V> to paste it in. You should see it there. If not, go have a beer.

If so, go have a beer.

 

[Jim Miller]

Q? When designing the signature in the body of an HTML formatted email, are you able to insert your QR code, using INSERT -> PICTURE ...?

Yes to all of the above.

TOOLS -> OPTIONS -> MAIL FORMAT -> SIGNATURE

Supply a name for the signature file, and when it asks you to enter the contents of the signature, do a <CTRL-V> to paste it in.

In Live Mail, we click on the unidentified icon in the upper-left corner of the screen, then "Options", "Mail", and select the "Signature" tab. There, we can initiate a new signature, name it, specify it as default (or not), and select "text" or "file". In the text box we can type, but nothing will paste into it. In the field for "file", we can browse to any graphic file, and its address will appear in the field.

So far, so good.

So, we try to apply that signature to an email: click "Insert", "Signature", and click on the name of the signature we created. But in the email, all we get is a square with the dreaded red "X".

Thanks, anyway. I appreciate your perseverance on this, but it's just not worth the frustration.

 

[echavez123]

Jim,

I dont use Windows Live Mail, but you indicated you tried to solve the signature problem with "Outlook, Outlook Express, and Windows Live Mail". I have only tested with Outlook, and it accomodates text/graphics in a signature file. Sorry, cant help with WLM.

 

[Kirstie]

I am probably one of the few people on earth to still primarily use Eudora, but here are the instructions for the Eudora mail client:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2093508_add-graphic-eudora-signature.html

Eudora is the best out of date dinosaur of a mail program going. Still love it.

However, users beware: This from the Eudora site:

Important Announcement about Mac Eudora and Apple OS X 10.7 "Lion"

June, 2011
In Mac OS X 10.7 "Lion", Apple has removed support for "Rosetta". It is Rosetta that allows Mac Eudora to continue to run under Mac OS X (up to and including OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard"). Once you upgrade to OS X 10.7, Mac Eudora will no longer function.

Let's repeat that:

Mac Eudora WILL NOT run under Mac OS X 10.7 and later.

Before upgrading to OS X "Lion", be sure to transfer all of your mail to another email client as you will no longer be able to access your mail using Mac Eudora.

So long and thanks for all the fish...

 

[Bob Doyle]

So long and thanks for the fish is in their email That's hysterical!! now I want to use Eudora...

 

[Steve Collins]

I used Eudora for a number of years but switched to Thunderbird a few years back. I really liked Eudora but wanted to get away from needing to pay for an email client.

I don't think of it as a dinosaur. It would be if it was no longer useful.

As an ex-Lotus software engineer, I try to avoid using Microsoft stuff as much as possible. Irrational bias, I'm sure, but I still have a bad taste in my mouth from being at the receiving end of their business practices years ago. So no Outlook or Live or whatever they call it now for me.

 

[Bob Doyle]

Steve, I loved AmiPro but was disappointed with WordPro. AmiPro was awesome. I was trying to write a manual and was able to have chapters, move them around with the tab feature update picture links automatically.... Couldn't do any of that with MS Word. Felt like I was being forced back into the AppleWorks days of green screens and plotting it out on paper before entering it in...

 

[Steve Collins]

Steve, I loved AmiPro but was disappointed with WordPro. AmiPro was awesome. I was trying to write a manual and was able to have chapters, move them around with the tab feature update picture links automatically.... Couldn't do any of that with MS Word. Felt like I was being forced back into the AppleWorks days of green screens and plotting it out on paper before entering it in...

AmiPro was great in its day, I totally agree. As for WordPro, I spent a few years in the early 90s working on OLE and ActiveX code for it and have to say it was the flakiest, quirkiest, most poorly designed body of code I ever had the misfortune to work on, bar none.

 

[Bob Doyle]

Tell me about it I was very adept at running AmiPro with assistive tech software, onscreen keyboards, head pointers, mouse keyboards and Dragon Dictate.

I order AmiPro for a guy in a wheelchair, tout it's benefits, and get WordPro. Every program I knew "lost focus" in WordPro. After three months of dickering around with it I dug out my AmiPro floppies and installed the real program on his system.

Was it the marriage with WordPerfect that killed Lotus? It went from sleek and clean to bloated and buggy.... It was at that point that I dreamed of switching to Macs...

 

[Pat Murphey]

...Was it the marriage with WordPerfect that killed Lotus? It went from sleek and clean to bloated and buggy.... It was at that point that I dreamed of switching to Macs...

I'll tell you what killed Lotus for me - Windows. Lotus and WordPerfect were the best in the DOS world. When Lotus rolled out their Windows version they included a color choice grid that did not allow solid color text printing with the printers of the day. Green, red and blue text were unreadable dithered colors. When I called and pointed out this bug, in their arrogance they said they might put a correction on a future feature list. I was forced to use a buggy Quattro Pro for my data publishing. Excel wouldn't allow data import without snail-like file opening/closing. Arrgh!!!

I hate Word, too but WordPerfect didn't implement Windows very well, either.

 

[Bob Doyle]

My first experience with WordPerfect 6.0 as a tech was installing it on an IBM PS/2 286. Well first I had to install Windows on the 286, then install WordPerfect 6.

Boss' orders, we had to use the upgraded software. Spent three weeks hearing people complain how slow their computers had become ever since I broke them...

Job was on the line until I installed Windows and Word on her computer. Then I got the OK to revert to DOS WP5

Job went well until she decided we needed a token ring network running OS2. Using the 386 as the server...