[blog] The transactional emails in Magento (http://jacques.sh/creer-un-email-transactionnel-sur-magento.html)

app-code-local-Jbh-Demo-etc-config.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<config>
    <modules>
        <Jbh_Demo>
            <version>0.1.0</version>
        </Jbh_Demo>
    </modules>
    <global>
        <models>
            <jbh_demo>
                <class>Jbh_Demo_Model</class>
            </jbh_demo>
        </models>
        <template>
            <email>
                <jbh_demo_email_happyday translate="label" module="jbh_demo">
                    <label>Happy Birthday!</label>
                    <file>jbh_demo/happyday.html</file>
                    <type>text</type>
                </jbh_demo_email_happyday>
            </email>
        </template>
    </global>
    <default>
        <jbh_demo>
            <email>
                <identity>general</identity>
                <happyday>jbh_demo_email_happyday</happyday>
            </email>
        </jbh_demo>
    </default>
</config>

app-code-local-Jbh-Demo-Model-Email.php

<?php

/**
 * Email Model
 * @package Jbh_Demo
 */
class Jbh_Demo_Model_Email extends Mage_Core_Model_Abstract
{

    /**
     * Configuration key for the email's identity
     * @const CONFIG_KEY_EMAIL_IDENTITY string
     */
    const CONFIG_KEY_EMAIL_IDENTITY = 'jbh_demo/email/identity';

    /**
     * Configuration key for the email's template "happyday"
     * @const CONFIG_KEY_EMAIL_HAPPYDAY string
     */
    const CONFIG_KEY_EMAIL_HAPPYDAY = 'jbh_demo/email/happyday';

    /**
     * Send the email happyday to the customer
     * @param Mage_Customer_Model_Customer $customer The customer
     * @throws Mage_Core_Exception
     * @access public
     * @return Jbh_Demo_Model_Email
     */
    public function happyday($customer = null)
    {
        // Retrieve the customer
        if (is_null($customer)) {
            $customer = Mage::getSingleton('customer/session')->getCustomer();
        } elseif (!($customer instanceof Mage_Customer_Model_Customer)) {
            $customer = Mage::getModel('customer/customer')->load((int) $customer);
        }

        // The customer is required for our email
        if (!$customer->getId()) {
            Mage::throwException('Customer needed for this email.');
        }

        /*
         * Send the email :)
         *
         * - Get the template
         * - Send transactional
         */
        $emailTemplate = Mage::getModel('core/email_template');

        /* @var $emailTemplate Mage_Core_Model_Email_Template */
        return $emailTemplate
            ->setDesignConfig(array('area' => 'frontend'))
            ->sendTransactional(
                Mage::getStoreConfig(self::CONFIG_KEY_EMAIL_HAPPYDAY),
                Mage::getStoreConfig(self::CONFIG_KEY_EMAIL_IDENTITY),
                $customer->getEmail(),
                null,
                array(
                    'customer' => $customer
                )
            );
    }

}

app-etc-modules-Jbh_Demo.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<config>
    <modules>
        <Jbh_Demo>
            <active>true</active>
            <codePool>local</codePool>
        </Jbh_Demo>
    </modules>
</config>

app-locale-fr_FR-template-email-jbh_demo-happyday.html

<!--@subject Joyeux anniversaire ! @-->

Bonjour {{htmlescape var=$customer.name}},

Aujourd'hui est un jour spécial.

Toute l'équipe de {{var store.getFrontendName()}} vous souhaite un joyeux anniversaire !

A bientôt sur notre boutique,

L'équipe de {{var store.getFrontendName()}}