377377 - Mail compose window should show preview of attached files (composition, attachments, images)

Status: NEW

(Thunderbird :: Message Compose Window, enhancement)

Description

[Thomas D. (:thomas8)]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; de; rv:1.8.1.3) Gecko/20070309 Firefox/2.0.0.3
Build Identifier: version 2.0.0.0 (20070326)

In TB mail compose window, when inserting previewable file attachments like images or text files, these files should be shown as a preview below the composition text (at least if "display attachments inline" is enabled), so that I can review attached images etc. at a glance easily before sending the message. Furthermore, this would allow me to preview the message as it will appear for most recipients (e.g. in OE, there is no option to switch off preview of attached images afasik). In other words, respect "display attachments inline" setting for message composition. Right now, it is very complicated to preview newly-composed msg in its entirety as it will appear for most recipients who either have their "display attachments inline" option enabled or are using the wrong email client where "display attachments inline" is obligatory anyway. If implemented, fine-tuning this feature might optionally include distinction between "display attachments inline (for received msgs)" vs. "display attachments inline (for composing msgs)".

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. (in TB 2), with "view > display attachments inline" enabled, compose an email
2. insert file attachments that qualify for "display attachments inline" preview (e.g. images, text files)
3.
Actual Results:  
No preview of previewable attachments is shown at composition time: I cannot easily review if my image/text file attachments are correct, and I cannot easily check the complete layout of composed mail as it will appear for most recipients (e.g. OE users).

Expected Results:  
A preview of previewable attachments (images, text files) should be shown below the composed msg at composition time, if "display attachments inline" is enabled in main window. Even better, add a separate "display attachments inline" option into the VIEW menu of the mail *composition* window that applies to *composition* only.

Comment 2

[jonathan chetwynd]

parity-mail.app

read mode has View, Display attachments inline

Is there a method for Write mode to display attachments inline?

our users are pre-literate or learning to read, symbols or illustrations help
them communicate.

SVG embedded in html attachments are now rendered in read mode, but they need these attachments rendered inline in write mode, if they are to learn to write 
emails.
it might also be helpful if, like opera mail, plain svg attachments were given an  html wrapper during compose process.

Comment 3

[Thomas D. (:thomas8)]

Bug 44135 -  Allow preview of attachments in mail compose window
is the Seamonkey equivalent of this bug (posted in the year 2000, and many duplicates)

Current thoughts on the fix for Bug 378046 (Mail composition: opening/editing attached file sometimes unexpectedly opens/edits original file) might directly affect this bug. If the proposed "attach live = attach when sending" is realized in a way that does NOT encode attachments any more before the message is actually sent ("treat live attachments as detached", as per Bug 378046, comment #29), then this would require previewing the original file rather than decoding an encoded attachment at composition time.

Adding parity mail.app to whiteboard (as per comment #2, correct me if I am wrong or if it's inappropriate or wrong syntax for whiteboard).

Comment 4

[Thomas D. (:thomas8)]

(In reply to Thomas D. (away till 23rd Oct) from comment #3)
> Bug 44135 -  Allow preview of attachments in mail compose window
> ...is the Seamonkey equivalent of this bug (posted in the year 2000, and many
> duplicates)