How did you construct the template?

In email we usually encode images into the email message, using the MIME standard.

Things like word processors and web design software don't know about this and assume that images can and will be dynamically loaded when the document is viewed.

If you did, or do, create the template document in Thunderbird, make sure that any graphics have the "attach this image to the message" checkbox ticked.

Thank you for your quick response.

Initially I wrote the template in thunderbird but used my html signature for the images. Having searched for answers I created a signatureless email in thunderbird pasting in any images. Then saved this as a template. All I can understand from that Wiki article and other sources when I try to understand MIME is that it was a standard that was set up for emails. I can't understand how I get a message to add the image. Does the image need to be a different format? Do I have to specify somewhere that the message contains an image? How do I build a template to comply with this standard?

Thanks

Open the template in Thunderbird. Double-click each image to open its properties editor, where you should find the check box.

You may have bypassed this part when you pasted images in from somewhere else.

OTOH, some odd things do happen with templates and drafts too. I've never tried an ambitious template. You may be doomed to failure.

I have followed my own advice and I see the same as you; empty boxes and the contents listed as attachments.

It's almost as if it ignores the template being HTML formatted.

Hmm, there is a mime-part separator declaration missing. Looks like a bug in Thunderbird.

Thanks Zenos, I had the check boxes checked already. I have noticed that the image url changes to Thunderbirds Imap server rather than the original url once the template is saved. I don't know if this has any impact.

It's not a server as such, but a reference to the message/file and where it is stored on your computer.

But I don't think that's relevant. What caught my attention was a visible declaration about the message type, and this should not appear in the message text. This should have been shown below a MIME separator, and that separator was missing, meaning that none of the following content can be parsed correctly. Hence the jumble of markup, header info and binary content. :-(

Thinking about it, I need to try this again in safe mode to check I don't have an add-on misbehaving and causing the problem.