Mail sends rich text (HTML) instead of plain text

Originator:adamnhjl
Number:rdar://10035036 Date Originated:27-Aug-2011 08:13 PM
Status:Behaves correctly Resolved:
Product:Mail Product Version:5.1/1250, OS X 10.7.2/11C43
Classification:Other Bug Reproducible:Always
 
Summary: If a message contains image attachments it is sent as rich text (text/html) instead of plain text regardless of user settings.

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Start composing a message. Fill in the subject and recipient fields.

2. Make sure it is plain text by choosing Format > Make Plain Text if the menu item is available.

3a. Type at least one character and attach at least one image file (e.g. a JPEG).

3b. Alternatively, type no text at all and attach at least two image files (e.g. JPEGs).

4. Send the message.

Expected Results: The message should be sent as plain text (i.e. the part representing the body should have Content-Type set to text/plain).

Actual Results: The message is sent as rich text (text/html) with embedded images (using multipart/related and IMG elements)

Regression: N/A

Notes: User settings aren't respected, resulting in images sent embedded in a HTML layout, which also makes them hard to extract in some other email clients (particularly Microsoft Outlook). In the previous versions of Mac OS X it was possible to send images as regular attachments by using plain text, now it is almost impossible.

Comments

2015, OS X 10.11, same behavior

Images attached by any method cause HTML (multipart/alternative) e-mail with images restricted to rich text (multipart/related) section. Attaching a PDF produces the expected multipart/mixed content type.

Of note, this is NOT correct behavior. Nor is it clear when one type of message is created vs another.

By hypersonicmeatball at Oct. 5, 2015, 9:09 p.m. (reply...)

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