Introduction

This page describes how the e.CAN email bulletin is distributed.

1. Prepare html content in text editor.
2. Run a spell check.
3. It's a good idea to run it through a link checker to make sure all web links are still valid and there are no mistakes with bookmark links etc.
4. When finished, prepare a plain text version. Add line of dashes between articles, capitalise headings and format lists using dashes. Remove html tags: quickest way is to use regular expression replace <.*?> with ''.
5. Set up a CiviMail mailing and send to the 'e.CAN' and 'Friends of CAN' groups. In the html editor, click 'Source' and paste in the html code. In the plain text editor, paste the plain text version. On the 'Tracking' tab, untick the 'track click-throughs' and 'track opens' boxes. Choose the 'From' address as ecan@can.org.nz.
6. Send to Friends of local groups. This can't be done using a CiviMail mailing, as the Yahoo groups don't like being sent bulk emails. So you have to send it as a normal email message instead. Use Search -> Find Contacts to find all contacts in the 'Local Friends' group, then select them all and choose 'Send email to contacts'. Paste the html and plain text versions of e.CAN into the email body. Delete the bits about unsubscribing, as these people will get unsubscribe info from their Yahoo groups. Replace the tokens for {domain.address} and {domain.email} with "PO Box 25-424, Wellington 6146" and "secretary@can.org.nz". Choose the 'From' address as ecan@can.org.nz.  Don't worry if the html editor seems to make the headings disappear and turn into little anchors- they will come out ok.
7. Upload the html version to the CAN website- in Drupal, choose Content -> Create Content -> Newsletter Issue, choose 'e.CAN' as the newsletter type, and paste in the html. Delete the top heading and tagline, so that the table of contents is at the top. Delete the unsubscribe information and replace the {domain.address} and {domain.email} fields with the CAN postal address and contact email. Make sure under Groups that no groups are selected (so it's automatically public).  Click Save.  (Don't send this newsletter out- it's only done here so that a copy goes up on the website.)