File Types

E-mail attachments are files created by the sender. These files are attached to an e-mail message and delivered to the recipients.

Recipients get a complete copy of the file and can do with it anything they choose, including opening, saving, editing, and printing it.

In order for attachments to work correctly, something must be associated with the file that tells the recipient's computer what type of file it is. On a Windows computer, the three letter extension appended to the filename carries most of this information. Some of the common extensions include:

DOC = Word document,
XLS = Excel spreadsheet
PPT = PowerPoint presentation
JPG = Graphics file (Joint Photographic Experts Group format)

Windows applications automatically add the period and the appropriate extension to a file name. If you rename a file in a manner that alters the three letter extension, the association between the file and its application may be lost and you might have difficulty opening the file just by double-clicking it. Also, if you initially save a file with a file name containing a period, the computer might have difficulty identifying the associated application.

Windows computers are capable of associating some Mac documents with the appropriate application. In particular, Microsoft Office documents usually associate correctly.

How to Attach

All e-mail programs have a method for attaching files. You can attach computer documents-including word-processor, spreadsheet, graphic, and video files-to an e-mail message. E-mail is a useful way to share files that more than one person wants or needs.

To add an attachment to your mail, open your e-mail program and create a new message. Fill in the e-mail address of the person to whom you want to send the file.

• Fill in the subject line.
• Type your message.
• Look for the icon to attach a file.
• The icon may be a paper clip or a button that says "attach."
  
• A dialog box will open. Browse your computer and locate the file that you wish to attach.

• Select the file then click on Attach.
  
• Send the mail.

Opening Attachments

The attachment often appears as a small graphic logo directly below the subject line body of the e-mail or in the body of the e-mail message.

If someone tells you that an e-mail has an attachment and you don't see it, look all the way through the message. Some e-mail programs append the attachment at the very bottom of the e-mail message.

Depending on the file's extension, the file will open whatever program is necessary for you to view the attachment's text. If the file ended with ".doc", your e-mail program will automatically open Microsoft Word for you to view the attachment; ".xls" will open Excel, etc.

Saving Attachments

You may wish to save the attached file to your hard drive for future reference. Follow these steps:

• Open the e-mail containing the attachment.
• Click ONCE on the attachment logo (do NOT open the attachment) to select it
  With mouse pointer over attachment, right-mouse click and from pop-up menu select "SaveAs" , the system will open directory which you can then path to the location where you want file saved. (Remember the right-mouse is sensitive to the area on screen where the pointer is located-if you don't have it directly over the selected Icon you may get a different message
• A Dialog box will appear asking you what name you want to use to save the attachment. A suggested name will be highlighted. Unless that name matches an existing file on your hard drive, you can use the suggested name.
• Make sure that the open directory listed is the place you want the attachment saved. If you want to save the attachment to your data files, make sure that c:data1, for example, is the active directory in the "Drives" window.

 

• If you must change the drive (for many of you, the "C" drive will be listed in the Drives window by default), click on the arrow next to the "Drives" or "Save in" window, and you will see a pop-up list of more choices, from which you can choose the C drive for your hard disk or the A drive to save the file on a floppy disk.
• Click Save, and your attachment will be saved in the directory you just specified.

Some E-mail programs will automatically save attachments in a sub-folder under the main program (e.g. Eudora, aol, etc.) When this happens the user can move a file using Windows Explorer.