Email newsletter template maker.

This page contains a free email newsletter template generator. The custom templates use CSS style codes using methods detailed in the Style codes page.

The email newsletter template can be saved as a draft copy in an email client such as Thunderbird. Email clients have an option for using HTML. For Thunderbird; select Write, left-click in the writing area, at the top select Insert | HTML. Then paste the newsletter template code into the pop-up box and click Insert. The tempate has now been copied into the email and should be saved as a draft copy.

Note; Web links may be blue in the email client, the correct colours will show when the email is sent.

In the template there is a header section for the newsletter headliners and a footer section for the "small print" which should include an email address to unsubscribe from the mailing list.

Click to view an example newsletter made with the form below..

Design selections

Below is the colour picker and a schematic diagram of the newsletter design along with the design options. For colours, select the item then pick a colour using the colour picker. Click the Set Colour button to update the code and diagram. There are also premade colour schemes.

In addition there are areas to enter text for the header, content and footer sections as well as provision for adding photographs. When completed go to the code-view panel to copy the code.

Copying the code.

To create or update the code click the Make Code button, this will load the code into the code-view panel. The template may then be previewed by clicking the Preview button, this will either open a pop-up window or new tab. The design can be changed by going back to the design area, then click the Make Code button to update the code and the Preview button for a new preview.

When satisfied with the design click the Select All button to highlight the code. Copy the code by right-clicking on the highlighted area and then select copy, alternatively use Ctrl-C keys to copy the code.

Once the code has been copied open a new blank text or HTML document using notepad or an HTML editor, paste in the code and save the document. The template has now been created, now make a second copy for use as a back-up.

Newsletter content goes here Header content goes here Footer content goes here

Guidance notes

Setting colours.

To set a colour, select an item from the list then pick a colour using the colour picker. Click the Set Colour button to update the code and diagram. The colour code numbers in the colour picker and the set colour list are editble and can also be set by typing in a colour hex code.

Colour schemes

There is also a selection of pre-made colour schemes to choose from. Just click a swatch to change the colour scheme.

Header background images.

It is possible to use externally hosted background graphics for the header section, just paste the background's url in the url box and then click the Set url button (it may takes a few seconds for the image to load into the schematic diagram). The background image will be displayed as actual size in the schematic diagram and so may appear to be out of scale. To remove a background click the No Background button.

Adding text.

Text may be typed into the boxes. This text is not formatted and will appear as a block. Formatting can be done by adding HTML tags. There are a few HTML tag buttons in the newsletter text header that can be used. Within the text select where the tag needs to be inserted then click the tag button.

The BR, line break, does not require a closing tag. The other HTML tags require both an open and a close tag. Click a button once to open a tag, click it again to close the tag, the Close Tags button will close all open tags. In addition there are options for adding images, Email links, web links and page dividers. Click the IMG, Email, Link or Divider button, enter the details, click in the text area where the item is required and then Submit.

For information about HTML tags see the HTML codes page.

Adding images & captions.

Enter the number of images required, from 0 to 10, and then click Update. This will create the image fields with caption fields below. If required each photograph can have a caption below it, if no caption is required leave the caption field empty.

The template is designed to use an external image hoster for storing the auction photos. One image hoster that can be used for storing auction photographs is Photobucket. Upload the photo to Photobucket and they will supply the url/address for it. This image shows the links as provided by Photobucket, the Direct Link is the one to be used.

Information; Photobucket have made more changes. Login to your account and go to the Library. Move the mouse pointer to the top right corner of the required image. In the pop-up window select Get links and in the next pop-up window copy the Direct link.

The image link will look something like; http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o47/eporium/jktwmk2.jpg , this is the type of link that should be pasted into the image link area.