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eMail hazard
#8944 03/19/10 10:54 PM
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joyss Offline OP
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What is the purpose of the black box surrounding my replies to email posts?
It is very difficult to work around it. Thanks. (*_*)





Last edited by joemikeb; 03/20/10 02:58 AM. Reason: Post moved from Mac OS X 10.6.x to Networking which is the proper venue for email related issues.

(*_*)
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Re: eMail hazard
joyss #8949 03/20/10 03:00 AM
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Would you mind elaborating a bit by providing some more details like eMail client, OS version etc? laugh


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Re: eMail hazard
alternaut #8950 03/20/10 03:34 AM
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I suspect he's referring to Apple Mail's annoying habit of making sections of emails get surrounded by a bubble when mousing over them. Makes selecting pieces of text a pain sometimes. I'd like to know how to stop that behavior too. It's similar to how Mail sometimes insists on offering to copy a phone number or something like that as a group when trying to select text.


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Re: eMail hazard
joyss #8967 03/20/10 08:41 PM
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joyss,

Might this illustrate the black box you are asking about?

Forwarded Mail in Rich Text Format

If so, go to the Format menu and select Make Plain Text or use Shift - Command - T.


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Re: eMail hazard
alternaut #8968 03/20/10 11:06 PM
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I'm not sure what you mean by client. I use the Mac mail system with emails sent to this program by verizon, gmail, and WebMail.

I'm using an iMac and OS 10.6.2


(*_*)
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Re: eMail hazard
dianne #8969 03/20/10 11:10 PM
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Yes, that is what I see. I'll try your system when I get a new bunch of mail and report. Thamks.


(*_*)
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Re: eMail hazard
joyss #8970 03/21/10 12:06 AM
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You already answered the main question: your email [server] client is the email program you use on your Mac. tongue


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Re: eMail hazard
alternaut #8986 03/22/10 01:43 AM
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So does anyone know how to disable this "helpful" feature?


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Re: eMail hazard
Virtual1 #8990 03/22/10 09:37 AM
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> So does anyone know how to disable this "helpful" feature?

I've run into this annoyance, but I can't duplicate it at the moment; does dianne's post #8967 (Above) answer the question?


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Re: eMail hazard
artie505 #9000 03/22/10 08:28 PM
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you can make plain text in a new message, but I don't think when reading one.


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Re: eMail hazard
Virtual1 #9003 03/22/10 10:22 PM
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Originally Posted By: Virtual1
you can make plain text in a new message, but I don't think when reading one.

I just tried with a "rich text" message in my inbox:
  • No formatting options reading it.
  • Command-R turns it to "plain text" with an (apparently useless) option to make it rich text.
  • Command-shift-F leaves it as "rich text" with the option to make it "plain text."
I don't think I recall seeing those black boxes other than while returning and/or forwarding; do you see them while reading?


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: eMail hazard
Virtual1 #9013 03/23/10 05:32 AM
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Originally Posted By: Virtual1
you can make plain text in a new message, but I don't think when reading one.


Sometimes you sort of can, by switching to the Plain Text alternative if it exists in the email. Command-Option-P or View-->Message-->Plain Text Alternative or Previous/Next Alternative.


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Re: eMail hazard
artie505 #9064 03/27/10 04:53 PM
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I only see the "black box" upon replying or forwarding. I now change all of these emails to plain text.


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Re: eMail hazard
joyss #9082 03/29/10 09:31 PM
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CHANGING TO PLAIN TEXT SOLVED THE PROBLEM.


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Re: eMail hazard
dianne #9198 04/04/10 06:39 PM
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Thanks for a screenshot. I was wondering what everybody is talking about. I have never seen this behavior in my Mail. Only when Mail sends you an alert (like it did today when I wanted to test a reply after reading this thread) that, e.g., the address of the "reply to" is not recognized. But the original text and my text that I typed on top of it had no such box. My default is, of course, RTF. Could the box be a sign of abnormal behavior rather than a standard feature? What if Mail plist is trashed?
I admit that I only use Mail on an Intel MBP running Snow Leopard.

Last edited by macnerd10; 04/04/10 06:40 PM.

Alex
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Re: eMail hazard
macnerd10 #9210 04/05/10 12:34 AM
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macnerd10

To confirm your settings: Mail > Preferences > Composing > Message Format: Rich Text is selected.
Quote:
But the original text and my text that I typed on top of it had no such box.
  1. Are you replying to a message you have received which was sent in Rich Text?
  2. If you click anywhere in the received Rich Text message which you are replying to, does the black box appear?
Quote:
Could the box be a sign of abnormal behavior rather than a standard feature?
No.
Quote:
What if Mail plist is trashed?
I am not clear if you are offering troubleshooting advice to the original poster . . . who seems to have found an acceptable solution . . . or seeking help in solving a problem you are having.


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Re: eMail hazard
dianne #9277 04/07/10 05:42 AM
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Dianne,
My settings are as you put it. On your 1 - positive. On your 2 - negative. The only thing that is there is the vertical line at the left side of the original message text to which I am replying. But this is understandable because I have "quote the original message" checked. I can edit, remove, type in the text of the original, much like in Entourage. Therefore, I am not as sure as you are that the box is normal. I also don't think that the solution of the OP was great and final; RTF is a nicer format and Apple did not make it a default for nothing, I guess. I would call it a workaround rather than a solution. Is this behavior (with a black box) really that common?
P.S. The box does not appear when forwarding either.

Last edited by macnerd10; 04/07/10 05:46 AM.

Alex
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2.8 GHz Xeon Mac Pro 2010, 16 GB RAM, OS 10.11.2, Office 2011, LAN
Re: eMail hazard
macnerd10 #9311 04/07/10 11:41 PM
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Hi, macnerd10
Quote:
I can edit, remove, type in the text of the original, much like in Entourage. Therefore, I am not as sure as you are that the box is normal.
I found these two topics which provide some additional information.

Heavy black eMail text boxes

Box around forwarded mail message

Just some thoughts:
  1. In Mail > Preferences > Composing > Responding: Use the same message format as the original message, is that choice selected or deselected?
  2. Are you sure the message you are replying to or forwarding was sent in Rich Text? (use of different fonts or sizes; use of bold, italic, or underlined text; use of colors)


Back up everything you can't afford to lose: documents, mail, movies, music, photos, and other data and settings.
Re: eMail hazard
dianne #9314 04/08/10 02:55 AM
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I will get back to you with news from the MBP but I have now tested Mail in 10.5.8 (DP G5 tower). The behavior is exactly as in MBP running 10.6.3.
1. Use the same message format as the original message is selected (composing is Rich Text).
2. In the received message I can see different colors.
I also forwarded one message to myself (the links you provide only deal with forwarded messages) and it behaved exactly as the reply - no boxes, colors were visible, as well as bold text; the links to e-mails behaved as real links.
I noticed that the posters in your links said that "some messages" had boxes. Must be something about these messages.
I got the box in question only once and it did not go around the reply text. It was a message from Mail alerting me that the address of the recipient was not recognized as a valid one. I clicked the X, it went away, the reply text remained in the message and was editable.

P.S. same behavior on 10.6.3. No boxes on reply or forward, with the same settings.

Last edited by macnerd10; 04/08/10 06:41 AM.

Alex
3.1 GHz 13" MacBook Pro 2015, 8 GB RAM, OS 10.11.2, Office 2011, TimeWarner Cable
2.8 GHz Xeon Mac Pro 2010, 16 GB RAM, OS 10.11.2, Office 2011, LAN

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