i'm trying to send 'mixed' email: a message where the MUA decides which type to display (HTML or plaintext)

I've read through the perldoc for MIME::Lite and used the following to contruct the email: 


      my $mailObj = MIME::Lite->new(
         From    => 'admin@domain.com',
         To      => $email,
         Subject => "subject line here",
         Type    => 'multipart/alternative'
         );

      $mailObj->attach(
         Type    => 'text/html',
         Data    => $htmlMail,
         );
     $mailObj->attach(
         Type    => 'text/plain',
         Data    => $textMail,
         );

      $mailObj->send();

[download]
the problem with the code: the HTML portion isn't coming through. using 'multipart/mixed' does send both portions, renders the HTML mail, but (as expected) attaches the text portion of the email -- which isn't the behavior i want.

i'm sure i'm missing something, but i'm not sure which direction i need to go.

EDIT: the problem is isolated to Thunderbird. Outlook handles the message appropriately, but Thunderbird ignores the HTML content.

EDIT 2: the problem is Thunderbird. it displays the last recognized MIME type, so if the message is built as above, the text-only portion is displayed. reversing the order builds a message so that Thunderbird does, in fact, display the HTML when 'Show Original HTML' is selected as the preference. (per this mozillazine.org forum post)

In reply to problem w/ MIME::Lite and multipart/alternative emails by geektron

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