Hi guys,
 
...I'm currently developing an ASP.NET application namely "Web-based Newsletter Management System".  The .NET language of preference
is C#.  So for this recent project, I was challenged to build a special feature called 'Online Newsletter Editor/Wizard'.  This is a
special module/functionality which could be the integral part of the entire application.  As the name suggest, this Online
Newsletter Editor shall enable the user to dynamically build newsletter(s) on-the-fly.  More or less, it should resembles the
features of webpage editor/wizard that is commonly available in most of the free webhosting services such as Geocities, Angelfire,
Xoom, etc.  

...However, it does not need to be overwhelmingly sophisticated.  The ability to create HTML file embedded with image attachments
are probably the desirable requirements.  The user shall type-in the newsletter content (in plain text format) inside a textbox
together with some other common newsletter elements - An HTML-based newsletter looks just like a web page, with lots of design
elements - color, graphics, photos, varying typefaces, columns, etc.  These elements also shall include hyperlinks to other parts of
the same document (as well as to websites).  In other word, this editor/wizard should be able to compose newsletter in a WYSIWYG
(what you see is what you get) kind of style like Microsoft FrontPage.  At the end, the plain text content (created inside the
textbox) shall be encoded into an HTML format upon sending the email (I know how to do this part!).

...I just need an assistance for the Online Newsletter Editor/Wizard part.  Preferably, I need a ready-made source code for it.  If
you have stumbled upon a case like this and you have gained a knowledge on how to build a similar feature, maybe you can share it
with me.  Any ideas?

...It does not have to be too sophisticated.  A simple one will suffice...

...I need your help.

...Thanks a lot in advance.  Your assistance is GREATLY appreciated. :)

Regards,
Romy
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.

Hi Romy

You might get some clues from the code download for Kevin and Marco's
ASP.NET Website Programming: Problem, Design, Solution:
http://www.wrox.com/books/1861006934.htm

Obviously I'd prefer it if you bought the book too -- it'll give you some
guidance to how all the stuff works, and how to extend it. I can't force you
though... feel free to use the code. ;)

There's an HTML newsletter module included. I don't know how you'll work the
attachments, but there are details on accepting uploads in the File
Management module. You could also replace the basic text box used in the
book with one of the HTML editor controls that I'm pretty sure are available
from www.asp.net.

Hope this helps

David Barnes
Editor, Wrox Press

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Romy Jarr [mailto:romyjarr@t...]
> Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 1:27 PM
> To: Website Programming with ASP.NET
> Subject: [aspdotnet_website_programming] Newsletter Wizard?
> 
> 
> Hi guys,
>  
> ...I'm currently developing an ASP.NET application namely 
> "Web-based Newsletter Management System".  The .NET language 
> of preference is C#.  So for this recent project, I was 
> challenged to build a special feature called 'Online 
> Newsletter Editor/Wizard'.  This is a special 
> module/functionality which could be the integral part of the 
> entire application.  As the name suggest, this Online 
> Newsletter Editor shall enable the user to dynamically build 
> newsletter(s) on-the-fly.  More or less, it should resembles 
> the features of webpage editor/wizard that is commonly 
> available in most of the free webhosting services such as 
> Geocities, Angelfire, Xoom, etc.  
> 
> ...However, it does not need to be overwhelmingly 
> sophisticated.  The ability to create HTML file embedded with 
> image attachments are probably the desirable requirements.  
> The user shall type-in the newsletter content (in plain text 
> format) inside a textbox together with some other common 
> newsletter elements - An HTML-based newsletter looks just 
> like a web page, with lots of design elements - color, 
> graphics, photos, varying typefaces, columns, etc.  These 
> elements also shall include hyperlinks to other parts of the 
> same document (as well as to websites).  In other word, this 
> editor/wizard should be able to compose newsletter in a 
> WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) kind of style like 
> Microsoft FrontPage.  At the end, the plain text content 
> (created inside the textbox) shall be encoded into an HTML 
> format upon sending the email (I know how to do this part!).
> 
> ...I just need an assistance for the Online Newsletter 
> Editor/Wizard part.  Preferably, I need a ready-made source 
> code for it.  If you have stumbled upon a case like this and 
> you have gained a knowledge on how to build a similar 
> feature, maybe you can share it with me.  Any ideas?
> 
> ...It does not have to be too sophisticated.  A simple one 
> will suffice...
> 
> ...I need your help.
> 
> ...Thanks a lot in advance.  Your assistance is GREATLY 
> appreciated. :)
> 
> Regards,
> Romy
> Kuala Lumpur,
> Malaysia.
> 
> 
> 

David Barnes wrote:
> 
> There's an HTML newsletter module included. I don't know how you'll
> work the attachments, but there are details on accepting uploads in
> the File Management module. You could also replace the basic text box
> used in the book with one of the HTML editor controls that I'm pretty
> sure are available from www.asp.net.

Romy David is quite right that the book is a good place to start.  There
are several in page HTML WYSIWYG editors out there for .NET. (and one
free source version too!)  I would not recommend using them until you
have tried out very plain text (.NET makes that extremely easy).  Some
points to consider if you take a look at these editors:
1)  Check the licensing carefully.  (Sometimes one part of the site says
one thing and another part says another about licensing, very annoying.
You can pay heavily if you use several machines in development.)
2)  Examine what real users actually do with WYSIWYG editors.  If you
have any standards for the HTML you want to be associated with you may
have a heart attack when you take a look!
3)  These products use MSHTML in IE.  So they only work on IE.  In my
view the HTML needs serious clean up.
4)  The HTML produced is not XML compliant.
5)  What about script injection?  How do you handle this?
6)  What will you do if someone pastes "Word HTML" into a page or early
"Access HTML"...?
7)  Do you think the companies that supply the tools will survive?

If you think this is discouraging, IT IS.  Look around at what big
players are doing (i.e. check comments on Wrox sites!).  A lot of really
smart people are giving you a multiline text box and no markup.  There's
a reason for this!

Mike Gale, Decision Engineering (NZ) Ltd.

PS.  The book is ideal for smart and determined programmers.