How can I create mailto links without recipient that will work on Chrome on Ubuntu?

Question

I have a mailto link in my HTML. The HREF is

<a href="mailto:?to=&body=AAA,&subject=BBB">MAIL</a>

In other words, I am specifying body and subject, but not recipient.

In Chrome on Ubuntu, clicking this produces an dialog with a error

Unable to detect the URI-scheme of "mailto:?body.....

Note that Firefox opens Thunderbird correctly for the same link.

How do I code this link so it works?

Chrome 34.0.1847.137 Ubuntu 13.10

Which version of Chrome are you on & which version of Ubuntu? — Giacomo1968, May 24 '14 at 23:01
@JoshuaFox Is this still an issue in Ubuntu or this works fine now on newer versions? I don't have Ubuntu to test. — user1448031, Feb 20 '15 at 05:09

score 44 · Answer 1 · edited Oct 07 '21 at 07:34

44

If I understand the definition right this should work:

<a href="mailto:?to=&body=AAA,&subject=BBB">MAIL</a>

At least it does work in Chrome 36 on OSX…

edited Oct 07 '21 at 07:34

Community

answered May 25 '14 at 08:06

Knut

Thank you. That is indeed what I have and it does not work. Note that Firefox opens Thunderbird correctly for the same link. – Joshua Fox May 25 '14 at 11:58
In that case I'd suggest to file a bug for the linux version of Chrome 34… If Firefox **and** Chrome 36 on OSX does understand the link (and as its fine to the RFC) it is an application issue… – Knut May 25 '14 at 13:38
The same problem occurs on Chrome on Windows. – Joshua Fox May 27 '14 at 09:13
This works fine on Windows. Chrome version 35.0.1916.114 m on Windows 7 Professional SP1 – keiv.fly May 30 '14 at 18:52
So then it looks like the issue has already been filed and is fixed with Chrome 35… Maybe also on Linux… – Knut May 31 '14 at 07:36

score 5 · Answer 2 · answered May 24 '14 at 17:42

5

Try adding a space between mailto: and ?body=AAA,&subject=BBB like this:

<a href="mailto: ?body=AAA,&subject=BBB">mail link</a>

Or even adding the space as Unicode like this:

<a href="mailto:%20?body=AAA,&subject=BBB">mail link</a>

answered May 24 '14 at 17:42

Giacomo1968

1

I tried both. Both produced the same error as without the space. – Joshua Fox May 24 '14 at 21:44
1

The version with a `%20` space works for me (and also with outlook). – bgondy Oct 08 '15 at 08:26
@bgondy Happy to have helped! – Giacomo1968 Oct 08 '15 at 08:30

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered May 30 '14 at 23:11

0

What about <a href="mailto:?to=%20&body=AAA,&subject=BBB">mail link</a>

answered May 30 '14 at 23:11

Wezelkrozum

3 Answers3