33.1 Setting Up an Email Message

The easiest way for a script to get Mail started on a new email message (but not actually complete and send the message) is to use the GetURL command. This command takes as its parameter a string "mailto" URL, which looks like mailto:bwperry@parkerriver.com?subject=My%20mail. Mail responds to this command by opening up a new message window and constructing the email according to the string parameter you used with GetURL. The result might look like Figure 33-2. Notice that the string parameter itself must be URL-encoded (e.g., %20 symbols replacing any space characters) for the message to be properly constructed.

Figure 33-2. A Mail message window displayed by a script

The new email message window becomes the active Mail window and the frontmost window on the desktop if you use the activate command, as in Example 33-1. Mail includes a send command in its dictionary, for sending the mail.

Example 33-1. Using Mail's GetURL Command

set theAdd to text returned of (display dialog "enter the recipient's 
email address please:" default answer "")
set subj to "scripted%20mail"
set cont to "AppleScript%20sent%20this%20mail."
tell application "Mail"
   activate
   GetURL ("mailto:" & theAdd & "?subject=" & subj & "&body=" & cont)
end tell