Opening and sending attachments

[Alison Williams]

can someone help me
If I attach a file to my e mail the recipient is either unable to open it or
if they can open it is in an unreadable form.
If I look at the message in my sent box, I am unable to open the attachment,
why is this?
Alison

 

[Rob Schneider]

can someone help me
If I attach a file to my e mail the recipient is either unable to open it or
if they can open it is in an unreadable form.
If I look at the message in my sent box, I am unable to open the attachment,
why is this?
Alison

If your computer can't read your own attachment ... you don't say what
the exact error message is, but are you putting the proper extension on
the file name, e.g. .doc for a Word Document so that when you click on
the attachment XP knows via File Associations to load Word then load
that file?

 

[Mary Sauer]

Tools, options, security tab, un-tick "Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened
that could potentially be a virus".

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

As Mary posted, but I would like to add, if I may - if you opt to uncheck that option, please make sure that you virus check *all* attachments before opening them.

Will

 

[Jim Macklin]

You have two issues...
Issue one... You must send attachments in a format that your
friends can read. If you are using MS WORKS (just an
example) the default file format for the word processor is a
..wps file. [ letter.wps ]

MS WORD uses .doc and other programs use default formats.

You need to ask your friends what software they have so you
can save the file in a form they can read with their
software. Most programs can read and save files in more
than one format. There are also "universal formats" which
can be read by most programs.

Use the "save as" command to save word processor files as
..rtf , file format which can be read by most word
processors. Save spreadsheets and databases as .csv (comma
separated value). More exotic programs, such as PowerPoint
have free viewers available from MS Office downloads
section.

Thee are also converters available to allow conversion of
formats from WORKS to WORD (for example).

Often if you just double click a file the attachment won't
open properly because the file association does not select
the correct program type. It often functions best if you
open the application and use the file/open menu to select
and open the file attachment. This will trigger the
conversion process if the converter is installed.

Send your attachments with a description of the attachment
and information on how it was made (program, file format,
etc) so your friends can select the proper program to read
you file.

Issue two... Outlook Express by default now blocks opening
file attachments as am anti-virus protection. You can turn
this off using Tools/Options/security tab. It is the 4th
check box on the page. Be very careful, when you turn this
off you will be more vulnerable to virus infection. You
must be careful what you open and should definitely use an
up-to-date av program to scan the file. (Caution- viruses
will use the addressbook and names of :friends" to send
viruses laden attachments, so unless you know the attachment
is one you expect [size, type, the description in the body,
the way the email is written ] don't open it.




message
| can someone help me
| If I attach a file to my e mail the recipient is either
unable to open it or
| if they can open it is in an unreadable form.
| If I look at the message in my sent box, I am unable to
open the attachment,
| why is this?
| Alison
|
|

 

[Ken Blake]

In

can someone help me
If I attach a file to my e mail the recipient is either unable to
open it or if they can open it is in an unreadable form.

If you send a file produced by a particular program, the
recipient can not read it unless he has installed the same
program or a compatible one. For example if you produce a
spreadsheet file using Excel, the recipient can't read it unless
he has a copy of Excel, or a compatible program such as Quattro
Pro (or the free Microsoft Excel viewer).

On the other hand, other files such as text files (with a .txt
extension) are generic, and can be read by anyone.

If I look at the message in my sent box, I am unable to open the
attachment, why is this?

Did you mean to say "unable" or "able"? If you can't read your
own file, you shouldn't expect someone else to be able to.