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Code? Gibberish?
#33465 03/17/15 04:41 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Likes: 3
OP Offline

Joined: Sep 2009
Likes: 3
Lately, every once in awhile I will get an email from Amazon or the Post Office (legitimate emails) that look like this: ------=_Part_157486_1353091637.1426588015730
Content-Type: text/html
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>This is a post-only message. Please do not =
respond.<br><br>Rita Montague has requested that you receive a USPS Tracki=
ng&#0153 update, as shown below.<br><br>USPS Tracking&#0153 e-mail update i=
nformation provided by the U.S. Postal Service.<br><br>Label Number: <a hre=
f=3D"https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction.action?tRef=3Dfullpage&tL=
c=3D1&tLabels=3D9400111899562438154208">9400111899562438154208</a><br><br>E=
xpected Delivery Date: March 19, 2015<br><br>Service Type: USPS Tracking<SU=
P>&#153;</SUP><br><br><table><tr><td width=3D'300' nowrap=3D'false'><font f=
ace=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Shipment Activity</font></td><td width=3D'200' now=
rap=3D'false'><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Location</font></td><td width=
=3D'100'><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Date & Time</font></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan=3D3>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
----------------------------------------
</td></tr>
<tr><td><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Departed USPS Facility</font></td><=
td><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>PEORIA, IL 61601</font></td><td><font fa=
ce=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>March 16, 2015 11:29 pm</font></td></tr><tr><td><fo=
nt face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Arrived at USPS Origin Facility</font></td><td=
<font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>PEORIA, IL 61601</font></td><td><font face=
=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>March 16, 2015 8:45 pm</font></td></tr><tr><td><font =
face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Accepted at USPS Origin Sort Facility</font></td>=
<td><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>PEORIA, IL 61614</font></td><td><font f=
ace=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>March 16, 2015 7:30 pm</font></td></tr><tr><td><fo=
nt face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Shipment Accepted</font></td><td><font face=3D=
'Arial' size=3D'2'>PEORIA, IL 61614</font></td><td><font face=3D'Arial' siz=
e=3D'2'>March 16, 2015 4:07 pm</font></td></tr><tr><td><font face=3D'Arial'=
size=3D'2'>Pre-Shipment Info Sent to USPS</font></td><td><font face=3D'Ari=
al' size=3D'2'></font></td><td><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>March 15, 20=
15 </font></td></tr></table><br><br>Reminder: USPS Tracking&#0153 by email<=
br><br>Date of email request: March 15, 2015<br><br>Future activity will co=
ntinue to be emailed for up to 2 weeks from the Date of Request shown above=
. If you need to initiate the USPS Tracking&#0153 by email process again at=
the end of the 2 weeks, please do so at the USPS Tracking&#0153 web site a=
t http://www.usps.com/shipping/trackandconfirm.htm<br><br>Results provided =
by the U.S. Postal Service.<br><br>Want to Track on the go?<br>You can trac=
k your packages using USPS Text Tracking&#0153 by texting your tracking num=
ber to 28777 (2USPS&#0153) or selecting the Text Update option on our USPS =
Tracking&#0153 site.<br>For more information go to https://www.usps.com/tex=
t-tracking/welcome.htm</font>
------=_Part_157486_135309


Any ideas why this would happen? Other emails from them and others come in just fine.

Rita


MacBook Pro - M2, Ventura 13.6
Safari Tech Prev 17.0
Safari 16.6
Firefox 116.0.2
iPhone 7 Version 15.8




Re: Code? Gibberish?
plantsower #33467 03/17/15 07:51 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
There is a LOT of html missing in the code segments you included. Did you by any chance clip off some of the html code in the message? Perhaps between "Content-transfer-Encoding:quoted-printable" and "<font face="? In a properly formatted html page I would expect to see
Code:
<html>

<head>

…and that is just the beginning of the missing html code I would expect to see in a correctly formed page. Since this is coming from two reputable sources I can only speculate that something is happening during the MIME decoding. I have seen this in some elderly versions of OS X and Mail but not in anything as recent as Lion.
  • Are you using Mail or some other email client?
  • Have you tried looking at the messages using the online web mail portal?


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Code? Gibberish?
joemikeb #33468 03/17/15 08:01 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Likes: 3
OP Offline

Joined: Sep 2009
Likes: 3
Originally Posted By: joemikeb
There is a LOT of html missing in the code segments you included. Did you by any chance clip off some of the html code in the message? Perhaps between "Content-transfer-Encoding:quoted-printable" and "<font face="? In a properly formatted html page I would expect to see
Code:
<html>

<head>

…and that is just the beginning of the missing html code I would expect to see in a correctly formed page. Since this is coming from two reputable sources I can only speculate that something is happening during the MIME decoding. I have seen this in some elderly versions of OS X and Mail but not in anything as recent as Lion.
  • Are you using Mail or some other email client?
  • Have you tried looking at the messages using the online web mail portal?


Hi:

I just checked with Yahoo Mail and it's working there perfectly, so it's something in my mail program. I use Mail 7.3. I checked and I sent you all of the code that showed up in my email, no clipping. smile Also, something weird happened when I signed into Yahoo Mail but that's another subject. I got an invalid certificate message. frown I know I was in the actual Yahoo Site, so who knows? Anyway, now what do I do about my MIME?

Thanks.

Rita


MacBook Pro - M2, Ventura 13.6
Safari Tech Prev 17.0
Safari 16.6
Firefox 116.0.2
iPhone 7 Version 15.8




Re: Code? Gibberish?
plantsower #33470 03/18/15 03:46 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Code:
------=_Part_157486_135309

suggests that you didn't get all of the parts



I work for the Department of Redundancy Department
Re: Code? Gibberish?
Virtual1 #33471 03/18/15 03:57 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Likes: 3
OP Offline

Joined: Sep 2009
Likes: 3
Originally Posted By: Virtual1
Code:
------=_Part_157486_135309

suggests that you didn't get all of the parts



It just happened again from our pharmacy. Did I get all the parts? This is all there was. It looked fine on the Yahoo site.

<html lang="en"> <head> <meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type" /> <title> CVS Caremark Message </title> <style type="text/css"> p {margin: 1em 0;} </style> </head> <body style="margin: 0;padding: 0;background: #fff repeat center top;font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" align="center" width="100%" style="background: #fff;padding: 0;color: #666;"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" align="center" style="width: 500px; padding: 0; border: none;"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" style="padding: 5px 0px 2px 0px"> <a href="http://www.caremark.com"><img height="42" width="296" alt="Left logo" src="http://rxhealthalerts.com/CMS-PWCM-2040108-1.png" style="border: none;" /></a> </td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="128" style="padding: 5px 0px 2px 0px"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" bgcolor="#56595C" style="margin: 0;padding: 0 20px;height: 40px" valign="middle"> <span style="line-height: 40px;font-size: 12px;color: #fff;font-weight: bold;font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your Order Has Shipped</span> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" align="center" style="width: 500px; border: none; font-size: 12px;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="vertical-align: top; padding-top: 10px;"> <p style="line-height: 16px;color: #333;font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Dear FREDERICK,</p><p style="line-height: 16px;color: #333;font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The following prescription(s) included in Order #2918819766 shipped on 03/18/2015<span class="shipping-method-visible"> via USPS 1st Class</span>:</p><p style="line-height: 16px;color: #333;font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </p> <div class="rx-patient-info"> <div class="rx-patient-list"> <div class="rx-cost-list" style="line-height: 16px;color: #333;font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> - Prescription ending in 6333 </div> <div class="rx-cost-list" style="line-height: 16px;color: #333;font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> - Prescription ending in 6332 </div> </div> </div><p></p><p style="line-height: 16px;color: #333;font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </p><p style="line-height: 16px;color: #333;font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span class="tracking-url-visible"> <strong>Track Your Prescriptions Online</strong></span> <span class="tracking-number-visible"> The USPS tracking number for this order is 9202190100006351728422.</span><span class="tracking-url-visible"> Click below to track the progress of your prescription shipment.</span></p><p style="line-height: 16px;color: #333;font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span class="tracking-url-visible"> <a href="https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction_input?qtc_tLabels1=9202190100006351728422"><img alt="Track shipment" src="http://www.rxhealthalerts.com/CMS-PWCM-2037941-2.png" style="border-bottom: 0px solid; border-left: 0px solid; width: 129px; height: 30px; border-top: 0px solid; border-right: 0px solid" /></a></span></p><p style="line-height: 16px;color: #333;font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <strong>Medication Names are Protected</strong><br /> To protect the privacy of members' information, we do not send medication names through email. Full details of all your prescriptions are available through your online account.<span class="tracking-url-visible"> <a href="http://www.caremark.com/wps/portal/.scr/Login?cmxtarget=DASHBOARD&WT.mc_id=CMP-EMAIL-OS-DASH-LINK">Sign in now.</a></span></p><p style="line-height: 16px;color: #333;font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </p><p style="line-height: 16px;color: #333;font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <strong>Health Reminder:</strong> It's important to take your medication as directed. Always talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have missed or skipped a dose, or if you have questions about your prescription(s).</p><p style="line-height: 16px;color: #333;font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Thank you for using CVS/caremark<sup>â„¢</sup>prescription alerts.</p><p style="line-height: 16px;color: #333;font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Sincerely,<br /> Your Customer Care Team</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" align="center" style="width: 500px; border: none; font-size: 12px;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="vertical-align: top;"> <p style="line-height: 12px;color: #333;font-size: 10px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 3px 0px 8px;"> <span class="tracking-url-visible"> CVS/caremark does not operate the USPS website, nor is it responsible for the availability or reliability of its content. This does not imply or constitute an endorsement, sponsorship or recommendation by CVS/caremark.</span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" align="center" style="width: 540px; border: none; font-size: 10px;background: #ccc;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="vertical-align: top; padding: 10px 20px;"> <p style="line-height: 13px;color: #333;font-size: 10px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <strong>Add us to your address book to ensure delivery of important messages.</strong></p><p style="line-height: 13px;color: #333;font-size: 10px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This is an automated message. Please do not reply to this message. The security of your personal information is important to us. Therefore, if you have any additional questions about this email, please sign in to <a href="http://www.caremark.com">Caremark.com </a>and <a href="http://www.caremark.com/wps/myportal/CONTACT_CAREMARK">contact Customer Care</a> to ensure a secure interaction. You may also call the toll-free number on the back of your prescription benefit ID card.</p><p style="line-height: 13px;color: #333;font-size: 10px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.caremark.com/wps/myportal/TERMS_CONDITIONS">Terms and Conditions</a> | <a href="http://www.caremark.com/wps/myportal/PRIVACY_POLICY">Privacy Policy</a> | <a href="http://www.caremark.com/wps/myportal/HIPAA_NOTICE">HIPAA Notice</a></p><p style="line-height: 13px;color: #333;font-size: 10px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> ©2015 CVS/caremark. All rights reserved. Your privacy is important to us. Our employees are trained regarding the appropriate way to handle your private health information.</p><p style="line-height: 13px;color: #333;font-size: 10px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> CVS/caremark, Customer Care Correspondence, P.O. Box 6590, Lee's Summit, MO  64064-6590. <a href="http://www.caremark.com">www.caremark.com</a></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </body> </html><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" align="center" class="footer" style="width: 540px;padding: 20px;border: none;border-top: none;border-bottom: none;font-size: 10px;background: #fff;"><tr> <td class="cell1" style="vertical-align: top;"> <p class="topLine" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size: 12px;" align="center" >Case ID: 144892553 </p></td></tr> </table>


MacBook Pro - M2, Ventura 13.6
Safari Tech Prev 17.0
Safari 16.6
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iPhone 7 Version 15.8




Re: Code? Gibberish?
plantsower #33472 03/18/15 05:27 PM
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That looks complete, but run together like that makes it VERY difficult to read and interpret — Not your fault or the fault of Mail some developers take out all the carriage returns in html to save a few characters in the download which appears to have happened here.

As I said previously, it has been a long time since I have seen this, but IIRC the problem was finally diagnosed as spurious non-printable control characters preventing the rendering engine from identifying the html code so the message was treated as text and not html. With that in mind I resorted to Google and came up with this Apple KB article you might try. I don't have high hopes in your case, but it is easy enough and might help.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Code? Gibberish?
joemikeb #33473 03/18/15 05:37 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
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Joined: Sep 2009
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Originally Posted By: joemikeb
That looks complete, but run together like that makes it VERY difficult to read and interpret — Not your fault or the fault of Mail some developers take out all the carriage returns in html to save a few characters in the download which appears to have happened here.

As I said previously, it has been a long time since I have seen this, but IIRC the problem was finally diagnosed as spurious non-printable control characters preventing the rendering engine from identifying the html code so the message was treated as text and not html. With that in mind I resorted to Google and came up with this Apple KB article you might try. I don't have high hopes in your case, but it is easy enough and might help.


Looked at the article, and you're right. It's no help. I already have HTML checked. I am calling Applecare and if they have a solution, I will get back to you with it. Thanks.

Rita


MacBook Pro - M2, Ventura 13.6
Safari Tech Prev 17.0
Safari 16.6
Firefox 116.0.2
iPhone 7 Version 15.8




Re: Code? Gibberish?
joemikeb #33474 03/18/15 06:31 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Online

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Does this mean anything?

I copied and pasted Rita's text into both a plain text doc and an e-mail (that I sent to myself), and the doc opened as text in Safari, and the e-mail displayed as text both in Mail.app (when I received it) and on my Verizon e-mail page.


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: Code? Gibberish?
plantsower #33476 03/18/15 07:25 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
I copied your entire text, opened TextEdit and made a new document. Cmd-T to convert to text format. Pasted. Then added

</html>

to the end. then saved it as "x.html", and opened with safari, and it opened and displayed as I think you were expecting. Was the "</html>" truly missing from your email? that would likely prevent it from displaying inline as html.


I work for the Department of Redundancy Department
Re: Code? Gibberish?
Virtual1 #33478 03/18/15 08:42 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Likes: 3
OP Offline

Joined: Sep 2009
Likes: 3
Originally Posted By: Virtual1
I copied your entire text, opened TextEdit and made a new document. Cmd-T to convert to text format. Pasted. Then added

</html>

to the end. then saved it as "x.html", and opened with safari, and it opened and displayed as I think you were expecting. Was the "</html>" truly missing from your email? that would likely prevent it from displaying inline as html.


Here it is again. I'm sure I got all the code this time, if not last time. I called AppleCare and was told there were a lot of complaints in the last couple of days from people with either straight Yahoo Mail or AT&T Mail which is also Yahoo. So, it's being kicked upstairs to see what the problem is. They are supposed to call me back Saturday with a progress report, though I would guess it would take them longer than that to get it worked out.

------=_Part_157486_1353091637.1426588015730
Content-Type: text/html
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>This is a post-only message. Please do not =
respond.<br><br>Rita Montague has requested that you receive a USPS Tracki=
ng&#0153 update, as shown below.<br><br>USPS Tracking&#0153 e-mail update i=
nformation provided by the U.S. Postal Service.<br><br>Label Number: <a hre=
f=3D"https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction.action?tRef=3Dfullpage&tL=
c=3D1&tLabels=3D9400111899562438154208">9400111899562438154208</a><br><br>E=
xpected Delivery Date: March 19, 2015<br><br>Service Type: USPS Tracking<SU=
P>&#153;</SUP><br><br><table><tr><td width=3D'300' nowrap=3D'false'><font f=
ace=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Shipment Activity</font></td><td width=3D'200' now=
rap=3D'false'><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Location</font></td><td width=
=3D'100'><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Date & Time</font></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan=3D3>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
----------------------------------------
</td></tr>
<tr><td><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Departed USPS Facility</font></td><=
td><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>PEORIA, IL 61601</font></td><td><font fa=
ce=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>March 16, 2015 11:29 pm</font></td></tr><tr><td><fo=
nt face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Arrived at USPS Origin Facility</font></td><td=
<font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>PEORIA, IL 61601</font></td><td><font face=
=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>March 16, 2015 8:45 pm</font></td></tr><tr><td><font =
face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Accepted at USPS Origin Sort Facility</font></td>=
<td><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>PEORIA, IL 61614</font></td><td><font f=
ace=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>March 16, 2015 7:30 pm</font></td></tr><tr><td><fo=
nt face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Shipment Accepted</font></td><td><font face=3D=
'Arial' size=3D'2'>PEORIA, IL 61614</font></td><td><font face=3D'Arial' siz=
e=3D'2'>March 16, 2015 4:07 pm</font></td></tr><tr><td><font face=3D'Arial'=
size=3D'2'>Pre-Shipment Info Sent to USPS</font></td><td><font face=3D'Ari=
al' size=3D'2'></font></td><td><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>March 15, 20=
15 </font></td></tr></table><br><br>Reminder: USPS Tracking&#0153 by email<=
br><br>Date of email request: March 15, 2015<br><br>Future activity will co=
ntinue to be emailed for up to 2 weeks from the Date of Request shown above=
. If you need to initiate the USPS Tracking&#0153 by email process again at=
the end of the 2 weeks, please do so at the USPS Tracking&#0153 web site a=
t http://www.usps.com/shipping/trackandconfirm.htm<br><br>Results provided =
by the U.S. Postal Service.<br><br>Want to Track on the go?<br>You can trac=
k your packages using USPS Text Tracking&#0153 by texting your tracking num=
ber to 28777 (2USPS&#0153) or selecting the Text Update option on our USPS =
Tracking&#0153 site.<br>For more information go to https://www.usps.com/tex=
t-tracking/welcome.htm</font>
------=_Part_157486_135309


MacBook Pro - M2, Ventura 13.6
Safari Tech Prev 17.0
Safari 16.6
Firefox 116.0.2
iPhone 7 Version 15.8




Re: Code? Gibberish?
plantsower #33955 04/23/15 06:53 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Likes: 3
OP Offline

Joined: Sep 2009
Likes: 3
Just an update. I talked to an Apple mail tech several times. He kept calling me back and really trying to find out what was going on. We never could get a straight answer from the Apple engineers either. At first they kept tell me to update and upgrade. I refused as I keep losing features I like when I do that. Anyway, I finally asked the tech if the other people having the same problem had updated and upgraded, and he said "yes." So, I said, "see, it's not that." I cannot get ahold of anyone at Yahoo, so it looks like a lost cause. It's weird how sometimes it's gibberish at the Yahoo site, also. It's becoming more and more often that I get commercial emails in gibberish. frown


MacBook Pro - M2, Ventura 13.6
Safari Tech Prev 17.0
Safari 16.6
Firefox 116.0.2
iPhone 7 Version 15.8




Re: Code? Gibberish?
plantsower #33956 04/23/15 07:13 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Create a new text file and paste this in. Save as "test.html". Double click to open in Safari (or your default web browser) I just added some header and footer data.

Code:
<html><head></head><body>
<font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>This is a post-only message. Please do not =
respond.<br><br>Rita Montague has requested that you receive a USPS Tracki=
ng&#0153 update, as shown below.<br><br>USPS Tracking&#0153 e-mail update i=
nformation provided by the U.S. Postal Service.<br><br>Label Number: <a hre=
f=3D"https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction.action?tRef=3Dfullpage&tL=
c=3D1&tLabels=3D9400111899562438154208">9400111899562438154208</a><br><br>E=
xpected Delivery Date: March 19, 2015<br><br>Service Type: USPS Tracking<SU=
P>&#153;</SUP><br><br><table><tr><td width=3D'300' nowrap=3D'false'><font f=
ace=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Shipment Activity</font></td><td width=3D'200' now=
rap=3D'false'><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Location</font></td><td width=
=3D'100'><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Date & Time</font></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan=3D3>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
----------------------------------------
</td></tr>
<tr><td><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Departed USPS Facility</font></td><=
td><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>PEORIA, IL 61601</font></td><td><font fa=
ce=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>March 16, 2015 11:29 pm</font></td></tr><tr><td><fo=
nt face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Arrived at USPS Origin Facility</font></td><td=
<font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>PEORIA, IL 61601</font></td><td><font face=
=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>March 16, 2015 8:45 pm</font></td></tr><tr><td><font =
face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Accepted at USPS Origin Sort Facility</font></td>=
<td><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>PEORIA, IL 61614</font></td><td><font f=
ace=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>March 16, 2015 7:30 pm</font></td></tr><tr><td><fo=
nt face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>Shipment Accepted</font></td><td><font face=3D=
'Arial' size=3D'2'>PEORIA, IL 61614</font></td><td><font face=3D'Arial' siz=
e=3D'2'>March 16, 2015 4:07 pm</font></td></tr><tr><td><font face=3D'Arial'=
size=3D'2'>Pre-Shipment Info Sent to USPS</font></td><td><font face=3D'Ari=
al' size=3D'2'></font></td><td><font face=3D'Arial' size=3D'2'>March 15, 20=
15 </font></td></tr></table><br><br>Reminder: USPS Tracking&#0153 by email<=
br><br>Date of email request: March 15, 2015<br><br>Future activity will co=
ntinue to be emailed for up to 2 weeks from the Date of Request shown above=
. If you need to initiate the USPS Tracking&#0153 by email process again at=
the end of the 2 weeks, please do so at the USPS Tracking&#0153 web site a=
t http://www.usps.com/shipping/trackandconfirm.htm<br><br>Results provided =
by the U.S. Postal Service.<br><br>Want to Track on the go?<br>You can trac=
k your packages using USPS Text Tracking&#0153 by texting your tracking num=
ber to 28777 (2USPS&#0153) or selecting the Text Update option on our USPS =
Tracking&#0153 site.<br>For more information go to https://www.usps.com/tex=
t-tracking/welcome.htm</font>
</body></html>


THEN do this in terminal to fix the linefeeds

cat test.html | tr '\n' '#' | sed 's/=#//g' | tr '#' '\n' > test2.html

double clicking test2.html, I get:



This is a post-only message. Please do not respond.

Rita Montague has requested that you receive a USPS Tracking& 0153 update, as shown below.

USPS Tracking& 0153 e-mail update information provided by the U.S. Postal Service.

Label Number: 9400111899562438154208

Expected Delivery Date: March 19, 2015

Service Type: USPS Tracking& 153;

PEORIA, IL 61601
Shipment Activity Location Date & Time
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Departed USPS Facility PEORIA, IL 61601 March 16, 2015 11:29 pm
Arrived at USPS Origin Facility March 16, 2015 8:45 pm
Accepted at USPS Origin Sort Facility PEORIA, IL 61614 March 16, 2015 7:30 pm
Shipment Accepted PEORIA, IL 61614 March 16, 2015 4:07 pm
Pre-Shipment Info Sent to USPS March 15, 2015


Reminder: USPS Tracking& 0153 by email

Date of email request: March 15, 2015

Future activity will continue to be emailed for up to 2 weeks from the Date of Request shown above. If you need to initiate the USPS Tracking& 0153 by email process again atthe end of the 2 weeks, please do so at the USPS Tracking& 0153 web site at http://www.usps.com/shipping/trackandconfirm.htm

Results provided by the U.S. Postal Service.

Want to Track on the go?
You can track your packages using USPS Text Tracking& 0153 by texting your tracking number to 28777 (2USPS& 0153) or selecting the Text Update option on our USPS Tracking& 0153 site.
For more information go to https://www.usps.com/text-tracking/welcome.htm


I work for the Department of Redundancy Department
Re: Code? Gibberish?
Virtual1 #33957 04/23/15 07:18 PM
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The forum seems to be bugging out a bit for me. I occasionally get errors when posting replies. The replies DO get posted however. Here's what I got this time:

http://vftp.net/virtual1/temp/mfif/502%20-%20BAD%20GATEWAY.pdf

(apparently the "save as pdf" chopped the gator)


I work for the Department of Redundancy Department
Re: Code? Gibberish?
Virtual1 #33961 04/23/15 08:26 PM
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Sorry, Virtual1, you're talking over my head!!


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Re: Code? Gibberish?
plantsower #33977 04/24/15 12:02 PM
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I just checked the code you sent and it looks like valid html, so I would expect it to show up in your mail client as I posted above. I just posted the steps I went through to check that in case anyone wanted to play the home game.


I work for the Department of Redundancy Department
Re: Code? Gibberish?
Virtual1 #33985 04/24/15 04:09 PM
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Originally Posted By: Virtual1
I just checked the code you sent and it looks like valid html, so I would expect it to show up in your mail client as I posted above. I just posted the steps I went through to check that in case anyone wanted to play the home game.


Yes, but it hasn't. That's the big mystery.


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Re: Code? Gibberish?
plantsower #33988 04/24/15 06:10 PM
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unfortunately to go further I'd need to see the FULL message. ALL headers from top to bottom. First character of message to last. Your email address and some IP addresses will be in there, you can sub them if you want to but make sure to keep them clear as to their purpose. (change ip addresses to 256.256.256.256 for example, instead of deleting the line it's on)

I'd venture a guess that there's something somewhat nonstandard or unusual about the attachment format that's confusing mail.app


I work for the Department of Redundancy Department
Re: Code? Gibberish?
Virtual1 #33991 04/24/15 07:18 PM
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Originally Posted By: Virtual1
I'd venture a guess that there's something somewhat nonstandard or unusual about the attachment format that's confusing mail.app

From past experience I would not be surprised if the non-standard bit was an embedded non-ascii character that is tricking the MIME decoder. I ended up finding the character with a hex editor run on the raw text file. The character was apparently being injected at the IMAP server. The ISP updated their server software and the problem never recurred.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Code? Gibberish?
joemikeb #33993 04/24/15 07:29 PM
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Originally Posted By: joemikeb
Originally Posted By: Virtual1
I'd venture a guess that there's something somewhat nonstandard or unusual about the attachment format that's confusing mail.app

From past experience I would not be surprised if the non-standard bit was an embedded non-ascii character that is tricking the MIME decoder. I ended up finding the character with a hex editor run on the raw text file. The character was apparently being injected at the IMAP server. The ISP updated their server software and the problem never recurred.


Does that mean I should contact my ISP and ask them to update their server?


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Re: Code? Gibberish?
Virtual1 #33994 04/24/15 07:31 PM
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Originally Posted By: Virtual1
unfortunately to go further I'd need to see the FULL message. ALL headers from top to bottom. First character of message to last. Your email address and some IP addresses will be in there, you can sub them if you want to but make sure to keep them clear as to their purpose. (change ip addresses to 256.256.256.256 for example, instead of deleting the line it's on)

I'd venture a guess that there's something somewhat nonstandard or unusual about the attachment format that's confusing mail.app


I thought I did copy everything and give it to you. Maybe not the header, just the body of the message. This is happening from several companies like Amazon, a little nursery in my town, the post office and other entities that come into my Yahoo mail. Would a screen shot be better?


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Re: Code? Gibberish?
plantsower #33998 04/24/15 11:10 PM
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Originally Posted By: plantsower
Does that mean I should contact my ISP and ask them to update their server?

I wouldn't tell them to update their server. I have dealt with enough technical support technicians over the years to know that would only make them defensive and they are not the ones empowered to make that decision. I recommend contacting them and giving them specific information on what is happening and I would be prepared to tell them the source SMTP servers the mail is coming from and I would also strongly recommend you try another email client on your Mac just so they won't have a convenient scapegoat in Apple Mail. There are some free email clients in the App Store that you could try. At the present time I am using Airmail from the App Store and I believe they still offer a trial version on their website or you could try the free Mozilla Thunderbird. Both of those are compatible with OS X 10.8.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Code? Gibberish?
joemikeb #33999 04/25/15 01:09 AM
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Originally Posted By: joemikeb
Originally Posted By: plantsower
Does that mean I should contact my ISP and ask them to update their server?

I wouldn't tell them to update their server. I have dealt with enough technical support technicians over the years to know that would only make them defensive and they are not the ones empowered to make that decision. I recommend contacting them and giving them specific information on what is happening and I would be prepared to tell them the source SMTP servers the mail is coming from and I would also strongly recommend you try another email client on your Mac just so they won't have a convenient scapegoat in Apple Mail. There are some free email clients in the App Store that you could try. At the present time I am using Airmail from the App Store and I believe they still offer a trial version on their website or you could try the free Mozilla Thunderbird. Both of those are compatible with OS X 10.8.


OK. I happen to know the owner of my ISP as it is a small operation. He gets his stuff from Hurricane Electric, so I don't know if it would be up to him or them to do something. If I get another email client, I wouldn't be able to incorporate it into Apple mail, right? It would be another icon I would be dealing with? I have no problem with my mail.com emails.

Thanks.

Rita


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Re: Code? Gibberish?
plantsower #34002 04/25/15 09:51 AM
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FWIW: Just a note on (and recommendation of) Mozilla's Thunderbird ...

Ever since the browser and email client combo named Mozilla was split into two — Firefox and Thunderbird, respectively — I've been using both. Thunderbird can 'incorporate' any other email clients being used; I happen to have 3. It all works as slick as you-know-what through a goose.

Re: Code? Gibberish?
plantsower #34005 04/25/15 02:25 PM
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Rita the only point is to convince the ISP that the problem is on their end and not on yours. Assuming these are IMAP accounts you can continue to use Mail as well as another email client and the messages will be available in either client. If the problem appears in two different email clients and only on messages coming through the ISPs IMAP server then the problem is undeniably theirs and not yours, Apples, or the senders.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Code? Gibberish?
joemikeb #34008 04/25/15 04:19 PM
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Originally Posted By: joemikeb
Rita the only point is to convince the ISP that the problem is on their end and not on yours. Assuming these are IMAP accounts you can continue to use Mail as well as another email client and the messages will be available in either client. If the problem appears in two different email clients and only on messages coming through the ISPs IMAP server then the problem is undeniably theirs and not yours, Apples, or the senders.


OK. So, then are you saying I will have to try something else like Thunderbird to see if it happens in both. Then I can tell it's the ISP's fault for my iMap problems? And what about the fact that sometimes it happens at the Yahoo Mail website page and sometimes not even though the mail program shows gibberish? I need ammo before I go in with guns blazing (nicely of course).


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