Email Attachments

Most people know how to send an email today; however many people are confused when it comes to sending an attachment.  This part of the tutorial area will test your knowledge of attachments and will serve as a refresher course on how to properly send and receive an attachment.  You can also return to this page whenever you need to remember how to send an attachment through a specific word processor.

The first thing to know about attachments is that most instructors hate to receive them.  Sent improperly attachments are hard to open and time consuming.  Generally online assignments should be sent using the copy and paste commands.  However, sometimes instructors require a term paper, or specifically request that an attachment be sent.  A good rule to follow is don't send attachments unless your instructor asks you to do so.  This workshop will help you to learn to send attachments properly.

Sending Attachments Using Hotmail

To attach a file to your email message click on the attachment button located on the compose screen.
A screen will appear with the following information:

Attach file -- click inside this square
Browse -- use this button to find the file.
Attach to Message -- use this button to attach the file you selected to a
message.
Done -- use this file when you are through attaching your messages.

Sending Attachments using Yahoo

To attach a file to your email message click on the attachment button located on the compose screen.
Click add/delete attachments (located under the large white rectangle where a message is typed)
Browse -- use this button to find the file.
Attach File -- use this button to attach the file you selected to a
message.
Done -- use this file when you are through attaching your messages.

Sending Attachments using Outlook Express

Start a new mail message. 
Address it and type a letter as you normally would. 
Click on the Paper Clip icon. 
That will bring up a dialog box that will allow you browse for the file you want to attach. 
When you have found the file you would like to attach, click on it once and click on Attach. (On a Mac, click on Add, and then click on Done when you are done adding files.) 
Click on the Send icon. 

Sending Attachments in Netscape Messenger

Open Netscape Messenger. 
Click on New Message. 
Prepare the mail message. In the body you may write a cover letter
informing the recipient of the attachment. 
Click on the Attachments tab. 
Click on Attach tab. 
Select File. 
Choose the drive and directory where the file is located. 
Choose the file you want to attach. 
Click Open. 
Click Send. 

Sending Attachments in Eudora

Go to the Message menu and select Attach Document. A dialog box will open. 
Find the document to be attached in the file dialog screen, highlight it, and click on the Attach button. 
The name of the document will appear in the "X-Attachments" field in the message header. Complete the rest of the message and click Send. 

Don't see your email program here?  Let me know what you use and I will add it to the list!  Just send me an email at webmaster@bcconline.com 

Always remember to tell the receiver what program you used to create the file you have attached, and before sending an attachment, make sure the other person has the program they need to open your attachment.

Sending AOL Attachments

It depends on what version of AOL the individual is using.

Basically it is:

WRITE Email
Click the ATTACHMENT button
Click the ATTACHMENT button again
browse through your drives directories to find the file you want to attach
Click one time on the file
Click the OPEN button
Click OK button
View the bottom of you Email to insure you document has been attached
Click the SEND NOW button

A box will open up estimated time for upload and once box is complete you may continue on with what ever you are doing.

Here are a few tips:

1.  When creating a file to send as an attachment, always let the program give the extension for the file.  Example: research.wpd not research.s99

Why leave the extension alone?  Because if you let the program use the extension most computers will automatically open the attachment in the appropriate program.

2.  Always use filenames of eight letters or less with no spaces.  Example: research.wpd not this is my research paper.wpd

Why use a filename of eight letters or less with no spaces?   Because older computers can't read filenames longer than eight letters, or filenames with spaces.

3.  When the email program asks you to send the file "As is" or "Convert to HTML" always choose "As Is." 

Why should the file be left "As is"?  Because if you choose to convert the file to HTML it is no longer readable.  The attachment was not created on the Internet using an HTML editor, it was created in a word processor; therefore it is NOT an HTML document.

4.  Always save your file as Rich Text Format no matter what word processor you are using, unless you are in a computer class or your instructor has asked you to use another format.

Why should the file be saved as a Rich Text format file? Because this option or one very similar to it is present in all of the popular word processors:  Word, Word Perfect, Works, and Lotus.  There is even an option in Claris Works for the McIntosh (Rich Text Format for Dos). 

5.  Remember that attachments larger than 200k can cause a major problem on the recipient's end.

Why?  Because a typical dial up connection (the kind of Internet connection you use at home) has a connection speed between 28.8 K and 48 K.  Large attachments bog down the email program and can "time out" or take so long to download that the connection is shut off.

Opening Attachments

To open an attachment someone has sent to you, click the download attachment link at the bottom of your email message.

A save as dialog box appears. Click the Save button. Open the program the document was created in. Open the document.

Here are a few tips:

If the attachment doesn't open automatically, look at the extension (the part of the filename after the period).  The extension will tell you what program the document was created in.

What are common extensions?

.doc = Word or Office Document
.wpd = Word Perfect Document
.wps = Works Document

Final Warning!

DO NOT OPEN ATTACHMENTS UNLESS YOU KNOW THE SENDER AND THAT THE SENDER IS GOING TO SEND YOU AN ATTACHMENT!

Why?

Because attachments are how viruses spread on the Internet.  Opening an attachment from someone you don't know (or from someone you do know who hasn't told you to expect an attachment) is the equivalent of voluntarily infecting your computer with a virus!