Signatures With Style
August 17 2005 01:00:00 PM
Add/Read Comments [36]
Via your mail file's "Tools - Preferences"
settings, Lotus Notes allows you to automatically append a signature file
to mail messages you send.
You can choose from plain text, or HMTL (one of the languages that web pages use). When you choose Text, you enter the information (your name, address, phone number, etc) right on the screen. When you choose "HTML" you select the file from your computer. HTML signature files are "fancier" as they allow you to use different fonts, colours, images, web sites links, etc. The problem is, most users don't know how to code an HTML file. To assist in the creation of the HTML file, my IBM colleague Rocky Oliver has created a great tool called Signature Block Wizard.
The following steps will guide you through setting up the tool. You may want to setup the tool in a shared database like a TeamRoom, then everyone in your company can use the same button (just send them a link!) instead of having to each follow the steps below.
1. Visit the Signature Block Wizard page, and download the file Sig_Script_Resources.zip to your machine.
2. Extract the zip file, which should result in 3 files: maillogo.jpg, my_sig.htm, and sig_wizard_v2.lss.
3. Attach the maillogo.jpg and my_sig.htm files to a document. Below is an example of attaching them in a TeamRoom document. Choose File - Attach (or click the
icon,
or drag
and drop them from the file
system)
4. Create the Lotus Notes button. From the Notes menus choose "Create - Hotspot - Button..." If you've never created a button before, don't panic! You should see something like this:
In the Label field (where the top arrow above is pointing) enter the text you want displayed on the button, for example "Signature Wizard".
5. Import the LotusScript code into the button. Again, don't panic, I'm here to help! See the second arrow in the image above pointing to the word "Formula"? You need to click on drop down box, and choose "LotusScript".
Now from the Notes menu choose File - Import, and select the file "sig_wizard_v2.lss" that you downloaded and extracted in steps #1 and #2.
If you now see the following, your are all done creating the button, so save the document and close.
Using the Signature Block Wizard is a simple as clicking on the button and entering the information as you are prompted. You can even choose which graphic you want to add. The resulting HTML file is saved on your computer as C:\emailsignature\my_sig.htm. Now when you compose an email, your new signature file will be inserted into the note:
Admin Tip: Instead of allowing users to choose a graphic you may wish to replace the included maillogo.jpg file with one specific to your company, and then remove that part of the code from the button.
Way to go Rocky, I am sure many people will use this.
You can choose from plain text, or HMTL (one of the languages that web pages use). When you choose Text, you enter the information (your name, address, phone number, etc) right on the screen. When you choose "HTML" you select the file from your computer. HTML signature files are "fancier" as they allow you to use different fonts, colours, images, web sites links, etc. The problem is, most users don't know how to code an HTML file. To assist in the creation of the HTML file, my IBM colleague Rocky Oliver has created a great tool called Signature Block Wizard.
The following steps will guide you through setting up the tool. You may want to setup the tool in a shared database like a TeamRoom, then everyone in your company can use the same button (just send them a link!) instead of having to each follow the steps below.
1. Visit the Signature Block Wizard page, and download the file Sig_Script_Resources.zip to your machine.
2. Extract the zip file, which should result in 3 files: maillogo.jpg, my_sig.htm, and sig_wizard_v2.lss.
3. Attach the maillogo.jpg and my_sig.htm files to a document. Below is an example of attaching them in a TeamRoom document. Choose File - Attach (or click the
4. Create the Lotus Notes button. From the Notes menus choose "Create - Hotspot - Button..." If you've never created a button before, don't panic! You should see something like this:
In the Label field (where the top arrow above is pointing) enter the text you want displayed on the button, for example "Signature Wizard".
5. Import the LotusScript code into the button. Again, don't panic, I'm here to help! See the second arrow in the image above pointing to the word "Formula"? You need to click on drop down box, and choose "LotusScript".
Now from the Notes menu choose File - Import, and select the file "sig_wizard_v2.lss" that you downloaded and extracted in steps #1 and #2.
If you now see the following, your are all done creating the button, so save the document and close.
Using the Signature Block Wizard is a simple as clicking on the button and entering the information as you are prompted. You can even choose which graphic you want to add. The resulting HTML file is saved on your computer as C:\emailsignature\my_sig.htm. Now when you compose an email, your new signature file will be inserted into the note:
Admin Tip: Instead of allowing users to choose a graphic you may wish to replace the included maillogo.jpg file with one specific to your company, and then remove that part of the code from the button.
Way to go Rocky, I am sure many people will use this.
After you do a File - Import to import the LotusScript code, you should save the document (ctrl + s), or you won't see the imported code. This may be confusing to those who've never done this before.
From the descriptions, it's never clear where the sig file will be stored (C:\emailsignature). I'd add that too!
>I am sure many people will use this.
Hopefully not. Sorry, but not only HTML mails should be avoided generally, using an image in the signature is one of the rudest things you can do in an e-mail. They often arrive as simple attachment at the recipients mail client, getting him to waste time opening it just to see a logo. They produce workload on the recipient's mail scanner. They waste disk space on both sides...
BTW, in Usenet there's a common standard to begin a signature with "-- " (that's two dashes and a space character). This can (and should) be used in mails, too. Some email clients (e.g. Thunderbird) can interpret contents after this automatically as signature and handle it accordingly. Notes unfortunately doesn't do this but that's no reason to ignore old and working practices.
How to remove?
@4. How to remove what? Are you saying you no longer want to use the signature that was created? If so, go to Tools = Preferences - Mail - Signature, and change the signature to whatever you would like. (text, or another HTML file)
Just FYI. If a user uses a file for the signature, there is a not-so-clear error that support people have difficulty solving if the user deletes the file and it is no longer there.
I really like this but I'd like to use it without an image file. Can I change the script so it won't look for an image file? Which part?
How do you a function similar to IE function <MARQUEE> in the signature? I could get one working fine using through Outlook, but not sure of one via Lotus.
I used this button and this is what is created:
Jackie Vollmer
Lotus Notes Administrator/Developer
IBM Corporation | Lotus Software
PHN: 585.343.2216 x 410 | TIE: %%tie-line%% | FAX: 585.815.2000
(without the rest of the html of course.)
How do I get rid of the area where it says IBM Corporation|Lotus Software?
And also what is the TIE: %%tie-line%% and how do I get rid of this?
@Jackie - you need the latest incarnation of the signature block wizard - it has many more options. Check it out here:
{ Link }
Enjoy!
--Rock
In step 4 I have no option to change the drop down list to 'Lotus script'. Is this because I do not have the right access level?
We do not have a 'team room' can I create it in a mail?
PS i am not a developer - is this why??!?
Hi Daniel, I can't think of what would cause you to not have the option. Are you sure the button is selected, and are you sure the Run field says client? Anyway, you may want to get the most up to date version of the tool from Rocky's blog. http://www.lotusgeek.com/SapphireOak/LotusGeekBlog.nsf/BlogSearch?SearchView&Query=Field%20SearchText%20contains%20signature%20file&Start=1&Count=-1
Thank you, finally it´s easy to get the same layout for the whole company.
We are running Citrix system with a Lotus client. The citrix users don´t have access to the local harddrive C: så i have to save the imagefil in an other unit.
Some users have a lapptop with a local installation of the Lotus Notes client who are working in both areas.
How to do with the location of the imagefil so that it works in both case?
Best regards
Patrick
Hi, I also can not select the formula option in the button window as the drop down menu is greyed out, I have downloaded the latest sig wizard and can attach the files to a team room document but am unble to use the formula. Any ideas??
I too can't have access to the scroll down memory where it says Lotus Script, its grayed out, so I went to the link refered to in "Rocky's blogg" and I see no lk to download the newset version.
I am having problems with my signtaure that I created and saved as a bitmap image now its interfering with outgoing emails.
HELP!
I had to have Domino Designer installed to get the script options on the buttom un-grayed...
Also didn't work with a high res pic (which I used by mistake - but loweing the resolution fixed that)...
Got it working - thanks.
Do you need to set the outbound MIME conversion options to "from Notes to plain text and HTML" in the SMTP server's messaging configuration document? If so, be wary of this as this will effect all outbound mail. We had issues where the mail template we currently use (mail with WebMail support) started attaching a whole load of graphics as attachments. AFAIK, its not possible to test this on a "per user" basis. Apologies if this is not correct.
Hi Alan,
Hi, I also can not select the formula option in the button window as the drop down menu is greyed out, I have downloaded the latest sig wizard and can attach the files to a team room document but am unble to use the formula. Any ideas??
How do I add a scrolling marquee to the signature line of Lotus notes.
I would like it to bounce from left to right and read LETS GO CAVS..
Please Advise.
Steve, I don't think "scrolling marquee" is supported. (thank goodness!)
But yes, Go Cavs!
{ Link }
Help! I'm trying to create the signature wizard and am stuck at Step 5. The fields are greyed out and not useable. When I click on add action I don't know what to do next. Anyone out there who can help?
Are you using Rocky's latest version?
http://www.lotusgeek.com/SapphireOak/LotusGeekBlog.nsf/downloads/ROLR6M3N9B.htm
Yes I am! And still can't get through Step 5.
See Jeff's comments in #16... perhaps you need to have Designer installed. I'm not sure, as not many people have reported any issues. (maybe they have to Rocky, this is not my tool)
Hey Alan - I'll check it out. I also tried your sinple HTML signature file (July 12, 2006) which worked and the image is there but doesn't show - just a box. You have to click on it to see the image. How can I fix that?
Hello everyone
Is there any free down load for Domino Designer ?
Thanks
Free? No.
90 day trial? Yes.
Lotus Trial Software
Any people know how to create a teamroom document, please describle more detail on creating a document. Thanks
Hi Jerry. In the future, if you have general questions about Notes, please post them in either the
IBM developerWorks Lotus Notes/Domino 6 and 7 Forum or
IBM developerWorks Lotus Notes/Domino 8 Forum.
Your Lotus Notes client should have help files installed (press F1, or choose Help from the menus at the top), so you could search there for the term "Teamroom". Online, the help content is available here. For example, here is the answer to your question. TeamRoom Main Document .
I hope this helps.
Love this tool - but when we tried to run from a Mac we get 'error loading DLL'. It looks like it's happening in the MakeSureDirectoryPathExists function. Should this work on a Mac? Tips for resolving? We're running 7.03 on the macs.
Thanks - you guys make me look like genius!
Hi Julie, you'll have to ask Rocky over on his sight. He is the author of the tool, and should be able to answer your question.
The links seem to be dead, any chance of hosting the zip file?
Today I tried to create a signature block. I know how to do it with just plain text. I tried adding a circular court seal and wanted text to appear to the right of the court seal. The text was name and title on line 1, court name on line 2, address line 3, city,state, zip on line 4, phone on line 5 and an internet url on line 6. text was in arial 10 pt. i can copy the image into the signature block but can't get the text to line up to the right of the seal. the only place I can get the text to fall is under the seal. i think we use lotus 7 at work. i then tried grouping the two fields (text and seal) in publisher. i saved file as html, as well as jpg, tif, gif, etc. no matter how i saved the grouped image. it would not load into the signature block. what am i doing wrong?
Dia Sir.
Good day.
I bring the apologies for bad English. Earlier published materials according to the signature in Lotus are now very necessary to me.
But they aren't available according to links specified in { Link }
If you doesn't complicate, prompt as it is possible to receive Sig_Script_Resources.zip the file.
Thanks in advance.
I no longer work with Lotus Notes very much, but I beleive Signature Files are now build into the client, you don't need an additional tool.
See the Help document "How do I add my signature to emails?" here: http://www-10.lotus.com/ldd/dominowiki.nsf/xpDocViewer.xsp?lookupName=Lotus+Notes+8.5.3#action=openDocument&res_title=How_do_I_add_my_signature_to_emails_LN853&content=pdcontent