outlookoutlook-addinemail-templatesvml

Why do we still need VML tags for email templates?

Why do we still need VML tags for email templates? specially in outlook . here is sample part that is generted with outlook mail body .
what happen if i delete these vml tags ?

<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
 id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t"
 path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
 <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
 <v:formulas>
  <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/>
  <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/>
  <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/>
  <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/>
  <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/>
  <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/>
  <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/>
  <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/>
  <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/>
  <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/>
  <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/>
  <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/>
 </v:formulas>
 <v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/>
 <o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/>
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75"
 style='width:168.75pt;height:168.75pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
 <v:imagedata src="template_files/image001.png" o:title=""/>
Solution

  • Outlook uses Word as the email editor, and Word uses VML.