Chuck, this is what happens: Your email client (like all email clients) automatically encodes the attachment into MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions.) MIME is basically a protocol to convert binary files into plain text (as someone mentioned already) that can be transmitted via SMTP. The receiver's email client must decode the MIME file - this usually just happens behind the scenes. AOL will add the MIME extension (.mme or .mim) to an attachment it isn't able to decode. To decode a MIME file, the receiver should use a --- I know this will shock you ;-) --- MIME decoder. WinZip should do the trick. Otherwise search the web for MIME decoders. So just to be clear: You don't have to "zip" the file before you send it, the receiver can still decode it with WinZip, as WinZip should have MIME (and UUE, btw) decoding functionality (possibly more extensive than AOL client). However, you might still like to compress an attachment as a Zip file, because a server might reject exotic file extensions, such as .mus. Also, sending attachments without extensions - as is common with Mac files - might get you into trouble with servers or email clients, plus the receiver would have to add the extension anyway for Windows to recognize the file. So always to use extensions is a good advice.
Btw, many corporate networks block AOL for security reasons, so that's one (more) reason not to use AOL. For instance, I can't even receive email from AOL users. (Usually the security concern is not to have an AOL client inside the network, but that's another discussion.) Hope that helps, Martin PS I don't post here very often, and frankly I am not sure this message will appear correctly in the thread, as I am replying to a digest message. Sorry for any inconveniences. Message: 7 Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2007 07:01:25 -0800 From: Chuck Israels <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [Finale] OT trouble sending pdf files To: [email protected] Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed Hi all, I am on a Mac, and I send pdfs of scores to a friend in NY who has a PC. He receives them as .mime files (I don't know what they are) even though I send pdfs. I have taken care to make the pdfs readable by creating ps files and distilling them to pdfs, which has sometimes worked in the past. This is a 26 page score, and he cannot open it. Anyone have any helpful information? I don't know why I am sending one thing and he is receiving another. Thanks, Chuck Chuck Israels 230 North Garden Terrace Bellingham, WA 98225-5836 phone (360) 671-3402 fax (360) 676-6055 www.chuckisraels.com _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [email protected] http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
