using img tag in html email to invoke server side app

Question

I have a server side application (on Tomcat) that does the following: If I type into the browser's address bar (as an example): http://example.com/manager/?em=123&msgid=456

then the server side app correctly parses the request, populates my MySQL, all working just fine. Or, even if I just go to the site: http://example.com/manager/ it correctly inserts a new row (with null values, which is fine)

Now, my problem is this: I composed an html email that contained the following line:

The email is then being sent, and received, and in the received "show original" I can actually see the above line, but the server side application is NOT being "triggered". (Also tried replacing "&" with & still the same.)

Also if I include a link in the email, and the email recipient clicks on it, everything works as expected.

Not sure if I need something in header or anything similar, just guessing.

Any idea will be appreciated.

Thank you

Chandra Sekhar · Accepted Answer · 2018-08-08 17:49:13Z

0

I see this is some kind of link tracker that you are building here. Usually, HTML emails should only use .gif or .jpg. or any other image format in src attribute.

I'm not sure what backend your are using but you need to send back the response header as image so it will be loaded as an image by email clients.

Refer to this link, this is example done with PHP: http://blog.giftbit.com/email-open-tracking-why-and-how-to-do-it

let me know if you need similar in the back-end language you are using.

answered Aug 8, 2018 at 17:49

Chandra Sekhar

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2 Comments

laszlo Over a year ago

Thank you Chandra. I am aware of the PHP solution. Or placing small image and check loading stats. My server side app is written in wavemaker (html, dojo, java, etc...). So my main point is that should not be a GET triggered to the server side app once the email is opened with an <img tag if it is an actual app as opposed to an image? Is this some kind of setting in the html header that I am missing?

Chandra Sekhar Over a year ago

Yes, its a server-side setting that you need to enable so you return the response of calling that service as image. My guess is that Wavemaker should be using Spring MVC. You may refer to baeldung.com/spring-mvc-image-media-data on how to send headers as image.

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