OS X and mail

[Cindy]

I did read somewhere that there were some problems sending out attatchments to PC users -- can't open up pics etc.
I did just that -- sent out some pics but, they couldn't open them.
When I was using OE, no problem since there was a section to configure to other computers other than Macs.
Any suggestions??
Cindy

[coolbreeze]

I don't know about Mail.app, but I do know that Entourage often encodes attachments where the files are not accessible to Windows users (I have the encoding set on Apple Double, for both Macs and PC's and it still doesn't work).

It was great. I sent my resume in .pdf and .doc format using Entourage (to a potential employer) and I .bcc'd myself. When I checked the carbon copy of the message on my windows machine, I couldn't open any of the files because they had been "corrupted," etc.

Needless to say, I most likely looked like an idiot to the employer (whom I have a hunch was using windows).

Be careful sending attachments to windows users....

[WinterMute]

I send attachments fairly regularly to PC users both in the Uni and elsewhere, and I rarely get any problems, it usually stems from the recipient not having the same version of the application (usually Word or Excel)

I use the mail app under OSX now, but used Entourage for a while, with much the same results.

[mactastic]

I'm with WinterMute, I use Mail.app for everything, and the only trouble I run into is incompatible versions of software, not computer platform issues. As for emailing a potential employer, Doh! that sucks. Wonder what happened?

[whiskeybravo]

Of course if you are going to send attachments to windoze users, you MUST put an extension on the file name. This is the single most common problem. Also of course, they must have the app to open the file. Other than that, if you use the standard encoding in Mail.app, you will not have any problems.

[mactastic]

Good point. I always leave the "append file extension" check box on, so maybe that explains my lack of problems when sending attachments to windows users, which I do quite a bit.

[Kwyjibo]

yeah my friends always get an error with docs and jpegs too. They awlays ask if i can send it in a format other then what i sent it in. I'll have ot try adding an extension first ....

[Cindy]

Originally posted by mactastic
Good point. I always leave the "append file extension" check box on, so maybe that explains my lack of problems when sending attachments to windows users, which I do quite a bit.

Where is the "append file extension" located? The only info I can find (as far as help) is to change the default message format from Rich test to plain text.
cindy

[GregA]

Originally posted by whiskeybravo
Of course if you are going to send attachments to windoze users, you MUST put an extension on the file name. This is the single most common problem. Also of course, they must have the app to open the file. Other than that, if you use the standard encoding in Mail.app, you will not have any problems. I have to agree with this one. The extension makes the difference.

It would be nice if Mail.app could add a file extension itself to a file that hasn't got one. There would have to be a mapping file that took the Mac's 4 letter file identifier and added a 3 letter extension to a file.

[zim]

using the iPhoto mail option delivers non viewable jpgs to pc users as well, i always have to export the image and then attach it for any pc emails. i wonder if iPhoto does not apply the jpg extension.

[Ugg]

Originally posted by Cindy
Where is the "append file extension" located? The only info I can find (as far as help) is to change the default message format from Rich test to plain text.
cindy

I couldn't find it either. I've never had any problems myself, my family uses a mish mash of 95, 98, 2000 and XP and they all get my photos just fine. The way around this is:

If you have a photo named Flower, add an extension to it so that it appears as Flower.jpg, Just highlight the file and type it in. If it is a pic that you've scanned then it is best to do it when you've scanned the photo so you get the right extension, ie jpg, jpeg, gif, png, tiff, etc.

I don't know if it makes a difference but rather than use the paperclip to attach the photo, I just drag it onto the email body, it works fine for me.

[mactastic]

Originally posted by Cindy
Where is the "append file extension" located? The only info I can find (as far as help) is to change the default message format from Rich test to plain text.
cindy
It's in the save or save as dialog box.
edit: It's official name is "Add Filename Extension"

[Cindy]

Originally posted by Ugg
I couldn't find it either. I've never had any problems myself, my family uses a mish mash of 95, 98, 2000 and XP and they all get my photos just fine. The way around this is:

If you have a photo named Flower, add an extension to it so that it appears as Flower.jpg, Just highlight the file and type it in. If it is a pic that you've scanned then it is best to do it when you've scanned the photo so you get the right extension, ie jpg, jpeg, gif, png, tiff, etc.

I don't know if it makes a difference but rather than use the paperclip to attach the photo, I just drag it onto the email body, it works fine for me.

ummm... and you're using mail.app? I have sent a jpg photo to two people and neither could get it.
that's when I add the jpeg -- while scanning .
I'll try not using the paperclip thing. And do as you do - just drag it.
What software are they using for mail?
When I had my old computer and sent them pics, I just changed the setting to MIME and something else (can't recall unless I see the window) and they got the jpeg pics just fine.
Well, I'll give it another try and see what happens.
Cindy

[Ugg]

Originally posted by Cindy
ummm... and you're using mail.app? I have sent a jpg photo to two people and neither could get it.
that's when I add the jpeg -- while scanning .
I'll try not using the paperclip thing. And do as you do - just drag it.
What software are they using for mail?
When I had my old computer and sent them pics, I just changed the setting to MIME and something else (can't recall unless I see the window) and they got the jpeg pics just fine.
Well, I'll give it another try and see what happens.
Cindy

Yep, I use mail.app and they all use Outlook.

One other option you might try is that if you open a pic in Preview (the default program to open pics) go to:

File
Export
and then choose the option, Jpg, pdf, bmp, etc. You might try exporting it as a jpg again and see how that goes.

This is a great feature and available in Apple Works, Preview, etc. I use it whenever I want to make a copy but don't want to print it out. It is especially useful because you can save it as a pdf file.

[Cindy]

Originally posted by Ugg
Yep, I use mail.app and they all use Outlook.

One other option you might try is that if you open a pic in Preview (the default program to open pics) go to:

File
Export
and then choose the option, Jpg, pdf, bmp, etc. You might try exporting it as a jpg again and see how that goes.

This is a great feature and available in Apple Works, Preview, etc. I use it whenever I want to make a copy but don't want to print it out. It is especially useful because you can save it as a pdf file.

Hey, I like that preview deal! I just threw the pic in preview and sent it from there. We'll see if they can get it now. One thing I did notice, was when I sent it out that way, it went FAST. When I was sending the other way, it took FOREVER to finish sending.
Great little features.
Cindy

[shadowfax]

one thing i have noticed that i think is critical to this: put the file you are sending to a windows user at the end of the message. the times i have tried to send it to people with text after the file it has alway gone haywire. they get like 2 files, neither of which have the right name or extension.

also, i can't emphasize enough the importance of extensions, if not for interoperability, for your own sanity. it simplifies things a lot :)

[Cindy]

Still can't be read by my PC users. I just emailed one friend and awaiting an answer as to what program she is using.
But, before when I was sending jpegs through OE and using MIME, she was getting them just fine.

Mactastic: I cannot get into my save or save as box -- when composing. Only "save as draft".

Cindy

[Ugg]

"To add a picture to a message:

Create a new message, then drag the picture file into the compose window. If your message is in Rich Text Format, you and the recipient will see the image right where you place it. If you're sending a plain text message, the picture will be sent as an attachment, after the message text"

I found this in the Apple help section, You might give it a try, change from rich text to plain text.

[Cindy]

Originally posted by Ugg
"To add a picture to a message:

Create a new message, then drag the picture file into the compose window. If your message is in Rich Text Format, you and the recipient will see the image right where you place it. If you're sending a plain text message, the picture will be sent as an attachment, after the message text"

I found this in the Apple help section, You might give it a try, change from rich text to plain text.

Did that already. Didn't work. I just sent her a jpeg in my hotmail account. We'll see if that works.
Cindy

[whiskeybravo]

Originally posted by Cindy
Hey, I like that preview deal! I just threw the pic in preview and sent it from there. We'll see if they can get it now. One thing I did notice, was when I sent it out that way, it went FAST. When I was sending the other way, it took FOREVER to finish sending.
Great little features.
Cindy

Something sounds funny here Cindy. Are you sure the files you were sending before were JPG? Since you state that it took FOREVER to send them, it sounds like you might have been e-mailing TIFF files. That would not be a good idea as they are huge! When you exported from preview, did you add the file extension?

you MUST have an extension, you MUST have an extension, you MUST have an extension! (If you say it three times, it has to be true)

[Cindy]

Originally posted by whiskeybravo
Something sounds funny here Cindy. Are you sure the files you were sending before were JPG? Since you state that it took FOREVER to send them, it sounds like you might have been e-mailing TIFF files. That would not be a good idea as they are huge! When you exported from preview, did you add the file extension?

you MUST have an extension, you MUST have an extension, you MUST have an extension! (If you say it three times, it has to be true)

Oh yes, I'm sure. The first go around, I used the paperclip (attatchment) and that's what took forever to send out -- it was in JPG format.
Next go around, I exported it from the preview -- again in JPG format. Went ALOT faster as a send out but, still didn't work.
I sent my friend a JPG thru my hotmail account and I'm still waiting to hear from her to see if it worked.
I have never had any problems sending out pics when I had OE or using the hotmail account. HO-HUM....

I've been searching and reading some old posts and alot of people are or have been frustrated with the same stuff I'm dealing with.
It's just strange that some people have no problems with sending out JPG'S to PC users and others are.
Cindy

[Cindy]

Found this tidbit on Macworld:
Customized Paper Clips -- To send a file such as a Microsoft Word document as an attachment, your e-mail program must encode the file -- encoding can be likened to using an envelope to send a newspaper clipping to a friend, rather than scrawling his address on the clipping itself and hoping it arrives.

Widespread support for the AppleDouble encoding format has significantly reduced the severity of problems caused by attachments sent between Macs and PCs, and most e-mail programs now default to AppleDouble. (For details, see "Make Peace with PCs," Secrets, September 2002.) However, it's still occasionally useful to switch back to BinHex (Mac) or UUencode (Unix or Windows) when you send attachments to people using older e-mail programs.

Mail, Netscape, and Nisus Email lose points for providing few encoding-format choices (or none at all), whereas Entourage and PowerMail deserve kudos for clear, helpful interfaces, and for allowing you to compress attachments automatically before sending them, if you have Aladdin's $30 DropStuff or $80 StuffIt Deluxe (888/245-1723, http://www.stuffit.com).

[Ugg]

Originally posted by Cindy
Mail, Netscape, and Nisus Email lose points for providing few encoding-format choices (or none at all), whereas Entourage and PowerMail deserve kudos for clear, helpful interfaces, and for allowing you to compress attachments automatically before sending them, if you have Aladdin's $30 DropStuff or $80 StuffIt Deluxe (888/245-1723, http://www.stuffit.com).

Ok, I've heard that you can zip files too. zipit is a great unzipper and is shareware at about $15 through versiontracker.com

[segastyle]

i work on a mac in a mostly windows environment at my company and am constantly sending files to people on windows machines. i am currently using the latest version of mail.app, and everything works fine when i just drag the file into the body of the email. doesn't matter if it's at the end. for files with resource forks and the like, people on windows machines will receive 2 attachments with similar names. one is junk (all the metadate info) and the other is the actual file.

if you use entourage, you can select to send attachments with windows incoding. this will eliminate the double file issue. i believe that entourage also has the option of adding extensions to files that don't already have them.

[Ugg]

Another thing you might do is run software update. There was a recent update to mail.app.....

System Preferences (in the dock)
Software Update
Check now

That would give you the most current versions of all Apple software.

[Cindy]

Ugg: I already have the most up to date software on everything.
I downloaded Zipit. Haven't purchased it yet. I wish they would let you try it out before buying. I have sent a friend a jpeg file using the zipit -- she does have zip.
Don't know if it will work tho since I have not paid them yet.
This might be the easiest way to go (for now anyway).
Although if people don't have a zip file -- they won't be able to open it.
And if they can open my jpeg's in my hotmail account.... I"ll leave everything as is and go that route.

segastyle: What exactly are all your settings set at? This would be great if I could send jpegs as you do.
I tried the drag method last night but, they still couldn't read them.
C

[Ugg]

Hotmail should work fine, I've used my Yahoo account a few times like that. The zip file should work just fine, it's shareware, it just makes you wait a long while when you open it, but it is fully functional. Most pcs have winzip, or can easily download it, it is a common way for pcers to compress files.

Sorry I couldn't help you anymore than I did. I still don't understand why mail works sometimes and doesn't other times.....

I don't know if Graphic Converter came installed on your eMac or not, but it is a great image altering program. It let's you convert files, colors, sizes, etc. It is $40 if it didn't come with your computer. Many people call it the poor man's Photoshop. I use it a lot to trim and resize photos from my digicam. It's also good for turning pics into black and white or altering the colors.

[Cindy]

Originally posted by Ugg
Hotmail should work fine, I've used my Yahoo account a few times like that. The zip file should work just fine, it's shareware, it just makes you wait a long while when you open it, but it is fully functional. Most pcs have winzip, or can easily download it, it is a common way for pcers to compress files.

Sorry I couldn't help you anymore than I did. I still don't understand why mail works sometimes and doesn't other times.....

I don't know if Graphic converter came installed on your eMac or not, but it is a great image altering program. It let's you convert files, colors, sizes, etc. It is $40 if it didn't come with your computer. Many people call it the poor man's Photoshop. I use it a lot to trim and resize photos from my digicam. It's also good for turning pics into black and white or altering the colors.


You did just fine. I never thought of getting zip before. That could be a good option to have. In the past, I had several people send me zip stuff that I couldn't open on my old mac since I didn't have zip.
I don't have Graphic converter -- When I want to customize any of my pics, I just use the stuff that I have on my scanner.
I'm sure all this will work out one way or another. At least there are options.
Cindy

[blueflame]

What is a mime file, when I send them to PC users, that seems to be what they get. what do i open them with? thanks everyone
Andreas

[shadowfax]

cindy, did you ever follow my previous advice? did you even notice it? i just want to make sure that this isn't just something as simple as that. it really shouldn't matter whether you send your friend a zip or an image, if you have a problem sending files, they will both be, well, *********.

[Cindy]

Originally posted by Shadowfax
cindy, did you ever follow my previous advice? did you even notice it? i just want to make sure that this isn't just something as simple as that. it really shouldn't matter whether you send your friend a zip or an image, if you have a problem sending files, they will both be, well, *********.

Yes Shadowfax I did indeed see your post -- I just didn't write you back directly.
The files are fine. I know the extensions have to be there - properly.
That doesn't seem to make a difference.
Everything was fine in OE and fine in my hotmail account.
It's no big deal. I just won't send out attatchments in mail.app
I don't send out very many attatchments. Once in a great while.
I have my Hotmail account for those people who send me jokes and lots of pics because I don't want my regular account all cluttered up constantly.
Cindy

[shadowfax]

Originally posted by Cindy
Yes Shadowfax I did indeed see your post -- I just didn't write you back directly.
The files are fine. I know the extensions have to be there - properly.
That doesn't seem to make a difference.
Everything was fine in OE and fine in my hotmail account.
It's no big deal. I just won't send out attatchments in mail.app
I don't send out very many attatchments. Once in a great while.
I have my Hotmail account for those people who send me jokes and lots of pics because I don't want my regular account all cluttered up constantly.
Cindy everyone else mentioned extensions, i don't care so much about that. the main point is, are you sending these files with no text at all or are you sending them with text? and if with text, are the file(s) at the end of the message?

i mean, seriously. you don't actually need extensions. i could send someone a file with no extension, tell them it's a TIFF image, and they could save it, rename it so it has one, and it would work fine. extensions don't seem to be your problem at all. we've just been reminding you of their importance for the sake of coherence.

[Cindy]

Originally posted by Shadowfax
everyone else mentioned extensions, i don't care so much about that. the main point is, are you sending these files with no text at all or are you sending them with text? and if with text, are the file(s) at the end of the message?

i mean, seriously. you don't actually need extensions. i could send someone a file with no extension, tell them it's a TIFF image, and they could save it, rename it so it has one, and it would work fine. extensions don't seem to be your problem at all. we've just been reminding you of their importance for the sake of coherence.

I tried sending them with both Rich Text and Plain Text -- neither of which worked.
And yes, I stuck it at the end of the message.