Using images in emails and PDF's
I need to embed images in emails and in PDF's. How do you do this?
Embedding in emails: I've tried using pega:contentURL tags with and without using enforceAbsoluteURL. I've tried associating the Image Content rule with a RuleSet and not associating with no difference. I can get it to show up in Outlook if I select to download the image in the email but doing the same in Gmail doesn't work. Searching the web I came across this article. It looks like I need to embed the image. How would I get the base64 value of the image in order to embed in the HTML source?
There is a related thread that's unresolved on the PDN Forums.
I need to embed images in emails and in PDF's. How do you do this?
Embedding in emails: I've tried using pega:contentURL tags with and without using enforceAbsoluteURL. I've tried associating the Image Content rule with a RuleSet and not associating with no difference. I can get it to show up in Outlook if I select to download the image in the email but doing the same in Gmail doesn't work. Searching the web I came across this article. It looks like I need to embed the image. How would I get the base64 value of the image in order to embed in the HTML source?
There is a related thread that's unresolved on the PDN Forums.
Embedding in PDF's: Tried the same things from above with no luck. No image is ever shown in the PDF. I'm using a specialized version of HTMLToPDF but the OOTB version also does not embed the image. Might be related to Pega bug fixed in 7.1.7 (I'm on 7.1.6).
Any suggestions on how to get around these issues?
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Accepted Solution
Updated: 24 Jun 2015 14:59 EDT
SkillStorm
US
For PDF's
I've found that using Image Content rules and pega:contentURL tags aren't compatible. For the of the pega:contentURL tag I've tried toggling the enforceAbsoluteURL attribute and omitting it with no luck.For example
<img src='<pega:contentURL name="MyLogo.gif" path="/MyLogoDir/" classType="Image" />' >
Using a Binary File and hard-coding the reference to that works fine. For example
<img src='webwb/MyOtherLogo.gif' >
Updated: 24 Jun 2015 3:58 EDT
Pegasystems Inc.
GB
Hi Hermy,
Just as a starter on the Base64 side of things - there is a Base64Util available in PRPC's public API: (com.pega.pegarules.pub.util.Base64Util).
com.pega.pegarules.pub.util
Class Base64Util
java.lang.Object
com.pega.pegarules.pub.util.Base64Util
public class Base64Utilextends java.lang.ObjectPegaRULES Base64Util for mime base64 encode/decode support.
Implements encode and decode according to JavaMail/Mime base64 encoding conventions.
Logic based on the classes
and repackaged into static functions to mimic JavaMail 1.1[...]
org.w3c.tools.codec.Base64Decoder
org.w3c.tools.codec.Base64Encoder
javax.mail.internet.MimeUtility.decode()
javax.mail.internet.MimeUtility.encode()
[...]
Cheers
John
Updated: 24 Jun 2015 17:12 EDT
Pegasystems Inc.
DE
Hi Hermy,
I have not tried to put images into PDF with PEGA 7.1.5 or later versions, so I do not know whether it was broken and is fixed now.
Regarding images into emails, that is a bit tricky ...
With the APIs that Pega provides out-of-the-box, your only option is to use inline images as described in the article you referenced in your question (the second option described there); how to generate BASE64 data streams is described in John's post above.
Of course you always can refer to externally available images, but these have to be placed on publicly accessible servers (on the dangerous side of your firewalls).
To use the CID tag for embedded images (as described first in the referenced article), you need to have access to the Message object for the email. This means you have to program against the JavaMail API directly, without any support from PRPC. If you go for this path, it is important that you make sure that you never mix up what mail components you take from PRPC and what you take from the Container - otherwise you may encounter lots of funny ClassCastExceptions.
When using JavaMail, there are lots of HowTos on the web, describing how to compose an email with (embedded) images, attachments, and alike.
Accepted Solution
Updated: 24 Jun 2015 14:59 EDT
SkillStorm
US
For PDF's
I've found that using Image Content rules and pega:contentURL tags aren't compatible. For the of the pega:contentURL tag I've tried toggling the enforceAbsoluteURL attribute and omitting it with no luck.For example
<img src='<pega:contentURL name="MyLogo.gif" path="/MyLogoDir/" classType="Image" />' >
Using a Binary File and hard-coding the reference to that works fine. For example
<img src='webwb/MyOtherLogo.gif' >
Updated: 25 Jun 2015 7:43 EDT
Pegasystems Inc.
GB
Hi Hermy,
The OOTB PDFUtilsImpl provides the PD4ML object with a 'Resource Loader' (Which I *assume* may be needed to handle resources needed by the 'base' html here) - the code is something like (this is an abridged/simplified snippet):
PD4ML pd4ml = new PD4ML(); [...] Map map = new HashMap(); map.put(PD4Constants.PD4ML_EXTRA_RESOURCE_LOADERS, PDFResourceHandler.class.getName() ); pd4ml.setDynamicParams(map);
I have tried to incorporate the code into your customized Java Step - but unfortunately it didn't work.
For reference here's what I did:
Hi Hermy,
The OOTB PDFUtilsImpl provides the PD4ML object with a 'Resource Loader' (Which I *assume* may be needed to handle resources needed by the 'base' html here) - the code is something like (this is an abridged/simplified snippet):
PD4ML pd4ml = new PD4ML(); [...] Map map = new HashMap(); map.put(PD4Constants.PD4ML_EXTRA_RESOURCE_LOADERS, PDFResourceHandler.class.getName() ); pd4ml.setDynamicParams(map);
I have tried to incorporate the code into your customized Java Step - but unfortunately it didn't work.
For reference here's what I did:
try {
org.zefer.pd4ml.PD4ML PD4MLObject = new org.zefer.pd4ml.PD4ML();
//Set page size in points (8.5 x 11 inches)
PD4MLObject.setPageSize( new java.awt.Dimension(612, 792) );
//Set margins in milimeters (top, left, bottom, right)
PD4MLObject.setPageInsetsMM(new java.awt.Insets(24, 24, 12, 24));
java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream baos = new java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream();
// START-MOD: NOTE - this does NOT work !
java.util.Map map = new java.util.HashMap();
PD4MLObject.render(new java.io.StringReader(HTMLStream), baos);
map.put(org.zefer.pd4ml.PD4Constants.PD4ML_EXTRA_RESOURCE_LOADERS, "com.pega.pegarules.integration.engine.internal.mapping.PDFResourceHandler" );
PD4MLObject.setDynamicParams(map);
// END-MOD.
baos.close();
//Put the byte array in a parameter
tools.putParamValue("PDFDocument",baos.toByteArray());
}
catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
In fact - I switched DEBUG logging for the class
com.pega.pegarules.integration.engine.internal.mapping.PDFResourceHandler
But when I call the modified HTMLTOPDF - it never logs anything.
When I call the OOTB HTMLTOPDF - we do get some logging.
So I suspect that just giving the classname for the PDFResourceHandler to PD4ML is not enough here.....
SUGGESTION:
From your post you noted that this type of dynamic reference doesn't work with your customized HTMLTOPDF:
<img src='<pega:contentURL name="MyLogo.gif" path="/MyLogoDir/" classType="Image" />' >
Whereas a hardcoded one:
<img src='webwb/MyOtherLogo.gif' >
Does work....
So.....(I haven't got round to trying this yet....) - you should be able to turn the Dynamic Version into a Static 'rendered' version using a Property-Set-HTML in your activity.....
In fact....HTMLTOPDF already has a Parameter ('markup') that you can use - instead of giving it the HTML rule....
Pegasystems
US
I have observed that when HTMLToPDF is given the following construct for an inline image (this image is of the little phone icon you see next to a phone number when something like Skype is available for dialing the phone number), an exception error is thrown into the Pega log file on Pega Platform 7.1.5 but not on 7.1.6:
I have observed that when HTMLToPDF is given the following construct for an inline image (this image is of the little phone icon you see next to a phone number when something like Skype is available for dialing the phone number), an exception error is thrown into the Pega log file on Pega Platform 7.1.5 but not on 7.1.6:
<IMG style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; POSITION: static !important; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; MARGIN: 0px; WIDTH: 16px; BOTTOM: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; WHITE-SPACE: nowrap; FLOAT: none; HEIGHT: 16px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle; OVERFLOW: hidden; BORDER-TOP: medium none; CURSOR: hand; RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; TOP: 0px; LEFT: 0px" class="yui-img" title="Call: 207-633-9500" src="data:image/png;base64,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">
/Eric
SkillStorm
US
Thanks, all, for your help and suggestions. I have marked the solution for the PDF problem. For email we went with a hosted image and a standard img tag.