04-24-2005, 11:46 AM

Using Mail 1.3.11, when sending attachments (.doc or.xls), they are received as a .dat format. Have had complaints (from windows users) that they cannot open attachments. I always send "Windows Friendly Attachments". If I convert all documents to .pdf, no problem on receiving end. Any ideas why this is happening?

04-24-2005, 12:39 PM

can you have someone send it back to you to see if it stays that way? if i remember right, a dat file is made when the mail program security is set not to receive certain attachments. i could be wrong, just guessing

04-24-2005, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by fearlessfreap24

can you have someone send it back to you to see if it stays that way? if i remember right, a dat file is made when the mail program security is set not to receive certain attachments. i could be wrong, just guessing

File is returned to me as a .dat. If I try to open it by clicking on it, it tries to open with Graphic Converter. I tried Ctrl+click and chose 'open with' and told it to open with Excel and it worked just fine. But I knew it was an Excel file. The people I originally sent the file to would not necessarily know what to use to open it (we're talking novice users).

04-24-2005, 01:08 PM

Are you sending it to a free e-mail account or something else?

It seems like it's their e-mail provider, not Mail.

04-24-2005, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by schweb

Are you sending it to a free e-mail account or something else?

It seems like it's their e-mail provider, not Mail.

Email addresses vary from Hotmail, Gmail, Adelphia mail,and Comcast mail.

04-24-2005, 01:50 PM

Simple:

You're hitting the '"windows friendly attachment", but you're not adding the extension to the file when you save it.

Most save dialogues have a black arrow to give you extra options, including 'append file extension'.

You need to make the .doc / .xls extension is actually visible in Finder (i.e. the file needs to be called 'document.doc' or 'spreadsheet.xls' and not 'document' or 'spreadsheet')

Make sure you always tick that option and you shouldn't have any problems.

You can of course manually add the file extension by selecting the file in Finder, hitting enter and adding .doc (or whatever) to the files name.


Hope this helps!

04-24-2005, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by Aptmunich

Simple:

You're hitting the '"windows friendly attachment", but you're not adding the extension to the file when you save it.

Most save dialogues have a black arrow to give you extra options, including 'append file extension'.

You need to make the .doc / .xls extension is actually visible in Finder (i.e. the file needs to be called 'document.doc' or 'spreadsheet.xls' and not 'document' or 'spreadsheet')

Make sure you always tick that option and you shouldn't have any problems.

You can of course manually add the file extension by selecting the file in Finder, hitting enter and adding .doc (or whatever) to the files name.


Hope this helps!

Thank you! It is very frustrating when you know a problem may have a simple solution that you just aren't seeing! I'm new to Mac (6 months) and have a lot to learn.