Edit quoted text in email?

[ubizmo]

When replying to an email, if I choose to keep the quoted text, I don't seem to be able to edit it. I also seem to be forced to put the mail on top of the quoted text, which isn't always what I want to do. I can move the cursor through the quoted text, but I can't seem to do anything with it. Is there some way to edit this that I'm missing?

[juwaack68]

No, you can't edit the original email if you reply or forward a message.

If it's not a long message, you *could* do this:
- Copy the original text (use Select -> Copy)
- Click the Menu button and 'Delete Original Text'
- Click the Menu button and Paste what you copied.

Now the text is considered part of your reply/forward and you an manipulate it how you want.

[ubizmo]

Wow that's a really bad "feature". Surprising, given the generally good way email is handled on the BB. I wonder if any of the aftermarket mail apps can do this.

[sheldonbk]

I'm running BBSmart and have the same frustration.. but that tip above sounds worth exploring

[gameboy213]

It is a huge issue for me and my business... when I get sent images to my phone with price quotes that I need to forward... I cannot forward the image without the text being included, so they will see my cost.... seems like a huge issue that RIM overlooked on a corporate device. Pretty sad actually.

[JSanders]

And because it is a corporate device, that is why you simply cannot edit reply or forward text. Helps guard against someone "misquoting" the boss or editing those emails.

But you can copy and paste...

[gameboy213]

No, you can't edit the original email if you reply or forward a message.

If it's not a long message, you *could* do this:
- Copy the original text (use Select -> Copy)
- Click the Menu button and 'Delete Original Text'
- Click the Menu button and Paste what you copied.

Now the text is considered part of your reply/forward and you an manipulate it how you want.

I don't have the 'Delete Original Text' option....

[JSanders]

You should on reply, not forward.

[gameboy213]

Gotcha. I see that... that doesn't help me sadly. I need to be able to forward without text.... that is a huge miss by RIM.

[aiharkness]

Wirelessly posted (8700g: BlackBerry8700/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

gameboy213, if it were me, I'd tell the person sending me the info to split it into two messages, the one for me only and the other for me to forward. Is that not possible, or too much hassle? Or another option might be to reply, so that you can cut and paste as explained above, then edit the to address to replace with the person you intend to forward the message to.

[JSanders]

Good option, workaround, AI.

[gameboy213]

Wirelessly posted (8700g: BlackBerry8700/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

gameboy213, if it were me, I'd tell the person sending me the info to split it into two messages, the one for me only and the other for me to forward. Is that not possible, or too much hassel?

Thanks for the idea! That is what I will have to do I guess. It isn't a hassel but a really, but it isn't the most professional way to deal with things.... Not everyone needs to know that I am sending things on.....
I am really surprised by RIM on this one. I came over to BB 4 months ago from 3 years of WinMo and love everything about the BB device... this is a stinker though!
Thanks though!

[aiharkness]

Wirelessly posted (8700g: BlackBerry8700/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

Wirelessly posted (8700g: BlackBerry8700/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

gameboy213, if it were me, I'd tell the person sending me the info to split it into two messages, the one for me only and the other for me to forward. Is that not possible, or too much hassel?

Thanks for the idea! That is what I will have to do I guess. It isn't a hassel but a really, but it isn't the most professional way to deal with things.... Not everyone needs to know that I am sending things on.....
I am really surprised by RIM on this one. I came over to BB 4 months ago from 3 years of WinMo and love everything about the BB device... this is a stinker though!
Thanks though!

See my edit about using reply so that you can cut and paste, etc. I guess the downside is the reply won't include the attachment, if present in the first place.

I can appreciate situations where you might not want to disclose that you are forwarding.

[ubizmo]

I really have a problem with this. First of all, in the Pearl and Curve, the BB has made the transition from "corporate" to "consumer" devices. I'm an academic, not a "corporate" person. I subscribe to a number of listservs, in which I actively participate. In such discussions, it's considered proper etiquette to edit quoted text down to include only the portions relevant to one's reply. In some lists, top-posting is discouraged or even forbidden.

In making my decision whether to keep the Curve or go back to the Sidekick LX, this was very nearly a dealbreaker. The LX handled quoted text properly, and was smart about adding and deleting '>' when necessary. As far as I'm concerned, this is basic email functionality, which the BB lacks.

Yes, it's possible to copy and paste text in a reply. The '>'s must be inserted manually, if used. If the reply is a reply to a reply etc., this can be messy, not to mention tedious.

I don't mean this to be a rant, but the argument that in the "corporate world" replies should include all or none of the text of the mail replied to has no merit. I can see why forwarding might need to work this way (although it should not be necessary to forward the entire recipient list with the forwarded mail.

If RIM doesn't see fit to correct this, then perhaps a developer will see an opportunity to create a mail handler that is less set in its ways. At the moment, the only one that I know of is LogicMail, still in development. I'm thinking that since the new OS 4.3/4.5 is going to support HTML mail, the people who make Empower and BBSmart mail will need to be resourceful to keep their market share. Quoted text handling is something they could consider.

[JSanders]

but the argument that in the "corporate world" replies should include all or none of the text of the mail replied to has no merit.
Deny it all you want, it doesn't change the fact.

Empower and BBSmart mail will need to be resourceful to keep their market share. Quoted text handling is something they could consider.
Good suggestion for them, I hope you do that.

[ubizmo]

Deny it all you want, it doesn't change the fact.

I'm not sure which fact you have in mind. The BB is no longer strictly a "corporate device." That's a fact, isn't it? The Pearl and Curve, at least, are marketed as "consumer" devices. I don't know any reason why consumer devices should be bound by corporate policies.

Concerning the corporate policy itself, of not allowing quoted text in replies to be edited, the simplest and most reasonable solution would be to support two ways of replying. One would be the current system, which essentially appends the replied-to mail to the reply. The recipient would then know that the appended mail is the complete original email, unaltered. The second would be to include the replied-to mail, adding '>' or other quoting apparatus, allowing editing. This way, any recipient would know exactly what's going on.

Furthermore, for those of you who are in the corporate world, I have to wonder whether your Outlook installations are set up so that you can't edit quoted text in replies. I'm inclined to doubt it, but I could be wrong. If I'm not wrong, what would be the justification for restricting this on a mobile device but not on a desktop email client?

RIM has a reputation for being a leader in mobile email functionality. That's why it's so surprising, to me anyway, to find this limitation.

[juwaack68]

Furthermore, for those of you who are in the corporate world, I have to wonder whether your Outlook installations are set up so that you can't edit quoted text in replies. I'm inclined to doubt it, but I could be wrong. If I'm not wrong, what would be the justification for restricting this on a mobile device but not on a desktop email client?

I am able to edit quoted text in replies and forwards in my corporate Outlook account. I can even edit email that was sent to me without forwarding or replying to it. For example, I frequently save large attachments off to my hard drive (removing it from my Outlook message) and will then edit the email noting where I saved the attachment.

It would be a nice thing to have on the Blackberry device, but until there is a way to better differentiate between the original text and my text (i.e., colors) then I don't bother missing the functionality.

[JSanders]

I never said your suggestion was a bad suggestion, just the origin of the reason for not being able edit the reply text.

I think the biggest hurdle many users of a BB face is that it is NOT a PC/laptop and the mail functions in it are NOT that of Outlook. Can you imagine the weight that OS would have if every function mirrored Outlook? Can you way Windows Mobile Device?

My opinion on your issue: The BB is not a PC, don't expect PC functionality. The mail application is not Outlook, and neither you can't expect it to function as such. RIM mail works good because (call it corporate or consumer or prosumer or whatever) even in a changing marketplace, RIM has maintained a clear focus on their core products of actually delivering the mail. Even with botched OSs, cameras and media functions on new devices and getting a greater taste of the consumer market, their mail still flows well.

My $.02. And I can appreciate yours as well.

[ubizmo]

There are plenty of things a PC can do that I'd never expect a BB to do, but this isn't one of them. Other mobile devices handle this with no problem. The BB has other virtues that led me to accept this shortcoming. No device is perfect. I just hope that RIM or some developer decides to improve this aspect of mail handling, since mail is such a core part of the BB.

[gameboy213]

I agree all the way around... after years of WinMo use, I love the simplicity of the bb.... but not having this feature is frustrating to me. It makes work on the road using email, not image editing, downloading etc, just email, hard.
That is RIM's claim to fame, I can't believe that this was missed.
Hopefully it will be fixed!

[Teddy T]

Having been a Treo 650 user (Sprint) for 2.5 years, I upgraded to a BB Pearl, but the email reply option was a deal breaker. I am in sales, and loved the push email, but its imperative that I can edit and reply from a received email.

I quote prices via email all day long; customers send me item description and quantity, I then simply input pricing, turn time, etc within their email, edit and return.

This is my most critical requirement of a PDA, other than phone functionality, so I returned.

I understand that all BB's shipped in 2nd half of '08 will have 'Data Viz's Documents to go' which I have on my Treo- excellent attachment software.
In conjunction with this, will RIM change their email editing options as well?

thanks!

[JSanders]

Wirelessly posted (8310; The Juggernaut)

I doubt that will change, it hasn't on what ii have seen thus far of the new OSs.

[akosnitzky]

There is always auto text which you can use as a template and I know there are third party programs which do this.