[kmail2] [Bug 443108] New: Ability to copy tables with original formatting

[Thiago Sueto]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=443108

            Bug ID: 443108
           Summary: Ability to copy tables with original formatting
           Product: kmail2
           Version: unspecified
          Platform: Other
                OS: Linux
            Status: REPORTED
          Severity: normal
          Priority: NOR
         Component: general
          Assignee: kdepim-bugs at kde.org
          Reporter: herzenschein at gmail.com
  Target Milestone: ---

SUMMARY
KMail should be able to show HTML tables with their original formatting to copy
so that it can be copied and used on other applications, such as LibreOffice
Calc / Softmaker Office / WPS Office.

So far I've avoided this issue by using gmail.com or Thunderbird, but doing
this from KMail would be vital for me to accomplish an efficient workflow.
While working at my previous company for three years this little functionality
was extensively used in the entire company for job and work hours management.
Currently, after selecting text in the message viewer of KMail, it is only
possible to copy it as plain text. Online email clients such as Gmail and
Roundcube allow you to copy HTML with the original formatting; desktop email
clients like Outlook and Thunderbird allow for it too.

My use case was simple (and still is) and goes as follows:

* Company administration uses spreadsheets to save information about jobs, they
send this data to my coordinator who then creates their own spreadsheet, and
who then sends only the relevant jobs to me.
* My coordinator addresses an email to me, copies information about it from
their Excel spreadsheet, paste on their email client (either web client or
Outlook).
* I open the new email containing job information and copy that table.
* I then paste it in my own spreadsheet without having to manually enter every
part of it.

This is extremely simple, but very effective. It reduces time spent on
formatting and removes inconsistency, as all tables use the same scheme, so
information is easily identifiable.

I am pretty sure this is an issue with how KMail display messages, because
Klipper can copy tables just fine if it's from other sources (as mentioned,
other email clients or website). If I copy a formatted table and then paste it
in the KMail composer while Rich Text is enabled, it detects and displays
things properly.

I am not the only one to needs this, either:
https://www.reddit.com/r/kde/comments/mim5th/kmail_copying_table_from_html_email_to_libreoffice/

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Open an email containing a formatted spreadsheet table
2. Copy that table
3. Paste it elsewhere where formatting can be detected, like an email client or
spreadsheet editor.

OBSERVED RESULT
Table is pasted as plain text.

EXPECTED RESULT
Table is pasted with original formatting.

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