Custom HTML Sets - not working properly?

[BGSWebDesign]

Hi DW,

Thanks for the great 1.84 update, I've finally moved to ver. 1.8x...

Now, for a little praise, and a few problems... First, I love the new features, including the 'Remove' links, and the Global Message Codes that can be setup.  The User Selection is INCREDIBLE, and the hottest feature here...

Now, for a problem... (actually there are a few, but I'll get to those later)...  

Custom HTML, I love this feature, and the fact that you can create a New Set, and Rename, Copy the set, etc...  but I don't believe it's working properly...

Here's what I EXPECT I should be able to do,
1.) Create a new Set - give it a unique name (My List HTML) for example.
2.) Go to a list that I want to assign that Set of HTML to.
3.) Select the Custom HTML tab, and then Select - My List HTML from the pulldown menu (to tell it I want this set selected, for ALL of my Custom HTML for this list - Confirm, Sub Success, Sub Error, etc....
4.) Click on Save SET (next to the Copy button, you should add one here).

This would save the ENTIRE SET (all Custom HTML) to this List.... I don't see it working this way at all (unless I'm missing something)?

At this point it looks like to change ALL of the Custom HTML for a list, I need to go to the list, and select in turn Each Custom HTML Screen, Confirm, Subcribe Success, Subscribe Error, etc, etc.... and then select my own (My Custom HTML) pulldown to pull up the code that I have saved there, copy it (Ctrl-C) and then select List XX from the pulldown again to go back to my list that I am modifying the Custom HTML for, then Paste my code in, then click 'Save'... .can you see how long this takes!

It's long and labor intensive, it would be much better to allow the ENTIRE Set to be assigned to Any List - by clicking on a Save Set button (or something similar)...

Does that make sense?  Will we see it anytime soon - please???

One further question here, WHAT happens if I use User Selection to select 10-15 lists, and then Send Email to ALL of them, WHICH Custom HTML Messages appear, are they different for each list member based on which list they came from?  What if the user is in 2-3, or 4-5 different lists, will they ONLY see the Custom HTML from the first list (numerically) that they appear in?  You can see where I'm going with this, you'd want to have a Custom HTML SET that goes with the Mailing, that would be best... what do you think?

If we can't see this soon, how about a SQL command, what I'd like to do is copy ALL of my Default HTML - Custom HTML to ALL of my lists (I have 32 lists), and I don't want to go to each one, click on List Settings, Custom HTML, select EACH Message Type: Confirm, Sub Success, Unsub, etc... paste, and save - think how long that would take.... yikes...

[DW]

This would save the ENTIRE SET (all Custom HTML) to this List.... I don't see it working this way at all (unless I'm missing something)?

This is how it's supposed to work - you choose the HTML set via the List Settings page and ALL pages from that set are used for that list.  Can you confirm that it's not working as expected (maybe you forgot to Save the HTML on each page?)

One further question here, WHAT happens if I use User Selection to select 10-15 lists, and then Send Email to ALL of them, WHICH Custom HTML Messages appear, are they different for each list member based on which list they came from? What if the user is in 2-3, or 4-5 different lists, will they ONLY see the Custom HTML from the first list (numerically) that they appear in? You can see where I'm going with this, you'd want to have a Custom HTML SET that goes with the Mailing, that would be best... what do you think?

A very good question.  Each user (entry) is said to be on their own list and will use the HTML, custom fields, etc for that list by default.  Currently, duplicates are eliminated by the use of a simple mysql "GROUP BY email" addition to the query.  I am not sure if the entry selected defaults to the first result or if it's entirely random...  I believe it is random because I don't sort the results before queueing...

When revamping the remove code to include the new options I had thought about this.  It would be relatively easy, I think, to provide an option to choose the HTML to use.  I suppose the remove link would be the only code that needs this option.  As for defining custom HTML on signup, it's coming.  I have plans for a feature where you can save form options based on an "id" so you don't have to pass them in hidden HTML vars.  Your signup form for single and/or multiple lists might look something like this:

Code: [Select]

<form method=post action=http://site.com/mail/signup.php>
<input type=hidden name=formid value=MyForm1>
First Name: <input type=text name=fname><br>
Email Address: <input type=text name=email><br>
<input type=submit value=Subscribe!><br>
</form>
There are a lot of options that could be put in, such as "remove from another list upon subscription to this list", etc.  I could even provide the ability to map custom variables to custom fields.  More options are always better, right?

Regards

[BGSWebDesign]

Hi DW,

This is how it's supposed to work - you choose the HTML set via the List Settings page and ALL pages from that set are used for that list. Can you confirm that it's not working as expected (maybe you forgot to Save the HTML on each page?)

I don't believe it's working as it should, here's what happens in mine.  I select for example List 1, I select List Settings/Custom HTML (at this point the List Current List Box changes to N/A.), I change the pulldown box to select MyDOMAIN Custom HTML, the one I've customized.  I note that all the correct HTML that I want to use appears to be in the boxes for Confirm, Success, Errors, etc... I choose Save HTML, as I don't see any other way to SAVE this Set (MyDOMAIN Custom HTML) to This List (List #1).  When I click back to List Settings, then to Custom HTML, it still shows for List 1, List 1 HTML, it does not SHOW that the set I have selected for List 1 is MyDOMAIN Custom HTML - which is what it should show.

I'm not sure how you see this working, but I would like to be able to select SET #MyDomain Custom HTML - HTML, with List #1, or List #2, or any list....  As I said, I expect this to work as I've outlined, I choose List #1 (or whatever list I want to assign MyDOMAIN CUstom HTML to), and then select List Settings/Custom HTML, at this point I would like to select the Set I want to assign to this List - for example From the pulldown select MyDOMAIN CUstom HTML and then choose Save HTML (if you want it that way, it makes more sense if there is a <Save SET> button), to save THis set (MyDOMAIN Custom HTML) with this list (List #1, or whichever list I'm in at thie time).

Does that make sense?

When revamping the remove code to include the new options I had thought about this. It would be relatively easy, I think, to provide an option to choose the HTML to use.

I suppose the remove link would be the only code that needs this option.

Yes, selecting it from the Remove Code, I believe you're talking about the same thing I'm saying above, Selecting the SET would be very similar to Selecting Which SET to use every time this list is used, that's what I'm describing above, and yes, it would be nice to know that if the Emails go out to addresses that might be in 10 different lists, that the default list that uses the Remove Code is MyRemove Custom HTML, but really I don't need it to go that far as I would select MyDOMAIN Custom HTML at this point, I only need to customize the HTML one time, THAT is the HTML I would like to see used for all Remove code, the problem I have is ASSIGNING the set to the correct List (as indicated above).

As for defining custom HTML on signup, it's coming.

THat would be nice too, but selecting the SET and applying it to the LIST is more important as described above, otherwise I have to visit 32 lists, and cut/paste HTML from my standard set, which I would like to only define once  

I hope all of that is clear?

[DW]

I'm not sure how you see this working, but I would like to be able to select SET #MyDomain Custom HTML - HTML, with List #1, or List #2, or any list...

When you create/copy/modify and save a set under "List Settings" -> "Custom HTML" it doesn't automatically get applied to the list you "came from".  What you need to do is go back to List Settings and choose your newly named Custom HTML set under "Custom HTML", just below the "Required fields" options.  You should be able to select your HTML set on each list's "List Settings" page.

Regards

[BGSWebDesign]

Hi DW,

choose your newly named Custom HTML set under "Custom HTML",

Ok, got it, yes, that makes sense, I think what confused me was the fact that when I moved over, I had 32 Custom HTML sets!  One for each list, really that is not needed, and a bit too many, you should think about how that works, when first Upgrading from 1.7b, to 1.8, you really only need 1 Custom HTML Set, and 1 Default Custom HTML Set.

Thanks for clearing that up, that's what I needed, also, I love how I can setup the Default HTML set to what I want, and that is automatically assigned to any new list that is created, nice     Now, what we're still missing, is the ability to COPY an entire List Settings including Send As, and Send As Name.

[DW]

Brett,

when first Upgrading from 1.7b, to 1.8, you really only need 1 Custom HTML Set, and 1 Default Custom HTML Set.

It had to be done the way it was because of the ability to customize HTML on a per-list basis.  I suppose I could and should have run a check to find default pages and left those at 'default', grouping similar pages and creating the least number of templates possible - what a great idea..!  I wish I had thought of it.  I apologize for the extra work the implementation caused for you.

I've got your copy list request on the list - I wanted to but didn't get to it last update.  It should make its way into the next which I'll be starting on immediately, btw!

Regards