Thursday, March 26, 2009

Non IE browsers will no longer be able to switch to Simple HTML Editor

JangoMail provides two different HTML editors for composing email campaigns: the Simple HTML Editor and the Enhanced HTML Editor. The Simple HTML Editor was the editor we first provided when JangoMail was created, and it only works with Internet Explorer. In 2004, we introduced the option of a much more powerful Enhanced HTML Editor that works with all browsers. You can choose which HTML Editor you want to use under My Options --> Send Email Page.

Previously, a non-IE browser, like Safari or Firefox, a user could choose to use the Simple HTML Editor, and then on the actual Send Email page, an error would be displayed, often times confusing the user. To avoid this confusion, we have now made it so that when using a non-IE browser, you will not be able to select the Simple HTML Editor.

Additionally, if your account is already set to use the Simple HTML Editor, and you login with a non-IE browser, the Send Email section will default to the Enhanced HTML Editor.


Additional Information for Techies:

The Simple HTML Editor is ActiveX based, and therefore only works with Internet Explorer. The Enhanced HTML Editor is a Java applet, and is therefore browser-independent.

Monday, March 23, 2009

New behavior for "Forced Recipients" option

JangoMail allows users to specify up to ten email addresses in a "Forced Recipients" box under My Options. Using this option forces JangoMail to send a copy of every email campaign sent through the account to the addresses specified here.



Previously, these addresses would get filtered out of a campaign if these addresses were also on the account's Unsubscribe List or Bounce List for example. So previously, there were cases where these addresses did not receive a copy of the email campaign.

We have modified the behavior of this feature such that the addresses in the "Forced Recipients" box now override data in the Unsubscribe List, Bounce List, or any other filtering mechanism when sending a campaign.

Therefore, specifying email addresses in the "Forced Recipients" box will guarantee that every email campaign is sent to these addresses.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Group Importer Enhanced

We have deployed a fix to the JangoMail Group Importer that allows the record delimiter to appear in between a pair of text qualifiers, and for all data to be properly imported.

For example, if in an uploaded import file, the record delimiter is the "newline" character and the field delimiter is a "comma", and the text qualifier is a double-quote character, then data my look like:

EmailAddress,FirstName,CustomerFeedback
johndoe@yahoo.com,John,You guys are the best!
janesmith@gmail.com,Jane,You need improvement.
mikejones@hotmail.com,Mike,Thanks for your hard work


This data would always import properly, but if a particular value contained the record delimiter, the data would previously not import properly, even if the value was surrounded by the text qualifier. For example:

EmailAddress,FirstName,CustomerFeedback
"johndoe@yahoo.com","John","You guys are the best!
Thanks for all that you do."
"janesmith@gmail.com","Jane","You need improvement."
"mikejones@hotmail.com","Mike","Thanks for your hard work"


This time Record 1 has a longer CustomerFeedback value. Record 1 of this data has a "newline" in the middle of the CustomerFeedback value. Even though the entire value is surrounded by the text qualifier (a pair of double-quotes), previously, the entire value would not be imported. Now, with our Group Importer enhancement, this is now fixed. Additionally, should the field delimiter appear in between a pair of text qualifier characters, this situation will also be accommodated, as it has always been.

Friday, March 20, 2009

New layout for "Send Email" page coming this weekend

After years of adding new features to the main Send Email page of JangoMail, a new design has arrived to make using these features easier. We will be deploying the new Send Email page this weekend. Attached to this email message is a GIF screenshot of the new layout, showing the re-designed "Advanced Options" section.

Now, the items underneath Advanced Options have been categorized. Each category can be expanded and collapsed using the +/- symbols. Additionally, all categories can be expanded/collapsed at once using the "expand/collapse" links next to the title "Advanced Options".

Some noteworthy changes:
  1. The Plain Text Message field has been moved to the top.
  2. The Tracking options are now below the Plain Text Message section
  3. The Mark as Template checkbox has been moved to the Miscellaneous section.
We hope this new layout will make this page easier and faster to use (click image to see full size):

Upgrade to Enhanced HTML Editor

JangoMail has upgraded the Enhanced HTML Editor to Version 6.6.2.6 of Ephox's EditLive! editor. Released on March 10th, 2009, this latest version of EditLive! fixes a number of bugs. For full details, click here.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Group Imports now support foreign languages

You can now import foreign characters into Groups using the "Import Members" function. Previously, foreign characters imported into Group fields would be garbled. But now, foreign characters are properly stored in Group fields.

Below is a screenshot where data, including Chinese and Arabic characters, will be imported into the Group "Customers":

In this example, the data is copied/pasted into the form, but you can also upload a data file containing foreign language characters.

Uploading Files Containing Foreign Language Characters:

If you upload a file containing foreign characters into a JangoMail Group, make sure the file is saved as a Unicode file, and NOT a UTF-8 encoded file. The below image shows how to save a file as a Unicode file in Windows Notepad (click image to see full size):




API/Web Service Reference:

The Group Import methods, ImportGroupMembersFromData and ImportGroupMembersFromFile have also been enhanced to support foreign language characters.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Bug Fix: CAN SPAM Footer now supports foreign characters

Today we fixed a bug that was preventing foreign characters in the CAN SPAM Footer from being displayed properly.

Now, if you include foreign characters in any of the fields under My Options --> CAN-SPAM Footer, those foreign characters will display properly at the bottom of your email campaigns.

Thursday, March 05, 2009

JangoMail Has Upgraded to Newest Version of Ephox's EditLive! Editor

JangoMail has upgraded the Enhanced HTML Editor to Version 6.6.1.41 of Ephox's EditLive! editor. Released on March 3rd, 2009, this latest version of EditLive! supports inline editing for the ASP.NET integration of EditLive! and includes over two dozen bug fixes. For full details, click here.