Corrupted Attachments (Outlook 2000 SP1)

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When I attach Word 2000 and PowerPoint 2000 files to an e-mail message to a company in another state that also uses Office 2000, 90 percent of the time the file arrives in an unreadable format (symbols and letters). When I send the file again from the same computer to the same party the same file arrives uncorrupted on the second try. This has happened on very rare occasions with attachments sent to others, but with this one company it is very consistent. Any ideas?

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Something must be getting mangled in the the transfer process. Perhaps there is something wrong with their email server. Or perhaps it is some problem because of a dysfunctional security process they are implementing.

If it is only with one company, then the problem is most likely on their end and there is not much you can do. If the process is intermittent and inconsistent, I suspect it will be difficult for them explain.

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Are sending the email with a attachment as “Plain Text” or as HTML format?

Always send attachments with a “Plain Text” format and it should go a an attachment insead of being embedded.

DaveA I am so far behind, I think I am First
Genealogy....confusing the dead and annoying the living

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Dave, that’s very interesting. I have always (for the last 4 years or so) sent all my e-mail in HTML format and have never had any problems with an attachment until recently. I am not sure what the format of the text in the message has to do with the attachment. If I resend the message (the second try always works), the message text is in HTML format, the same as the first message with an attachment that arrived corrupted. I also receive many HTML messages with attachments and have never had a problem on this end. I will do some testing with the client that is having the problem, and report back.

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Actually what Daveshould have asked is ‘plain text or RTF” – you should only use RTF with other outlook users, but occassionally internet mail servers will drop the tnef and you’ll lose the data, so plain text is best. It should work ok with HTML too, but for best results, plain text.

Depending on the corruption, it could be a mime issue. For ome reason their mail server isn’t understanding your mail server and it can’t decipher the mime encoding. Plain text or HTML format shouldn’t matter… as lo0ng as the encoding is mime.

When you resend, are you using the resend option in the sent folder or recreating the message?

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When I resend I am creating a new message (in HTML format) and attaching the same file. Second try is usually the charm. I hope I made it clear the the HTML text in the message itself is always clear, but it is the attachment (Word and PowerPoint) files that are corrupted.

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are you getting the address from the same source (address book) or copying it from the first message? (or replying)

Double click on the address and make sure it’s not using RTF.

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I am getting the address from my contact list. I just type in the name (not the e-mail address) and Outlook searches my contact list for the e-mail address for that name. As you suggested I opened my Address Book, double clicked on the name, but after looking at each of the tabs, I don’t see any information or an option to send messages in RTF. There is a check box to send messages in Plain Text, but this is not checked.

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> but after looking at each of the tabs, I don’t see any information or an option to
> send messages in RTF

It is very well hidden. Right click on the e-mail address and select properties.

StuartR

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When I right click on the email address in Address Book, it brings up a Properties Window with many Tabs (Summary, Name, Home Business, etc.) In the Name tab there is a check box to send messages in Plain text. Sorry but I don’t see any option to send e-mail in RTF format.

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Not like this?

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I am (as usual) a bit confused.

If I add a new contact to my Outlook contacts folder and right click on the e-mail address then I see this dialog box, you are obviously all looking at something different!

StuartR

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As usual, everyone is confused because of different modes and versions – Jim is using IMO mode, Lief is using Corp and Stuart has OL2002.

i forget if i told him to delete the *.nick file, but if i didn’t, he should do that first. It’s a nickname file and if he ever sent RTF to those addresses, it might still hold that information.

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Actually, I am confused as I’m on 2002 – – but it looks the same as a 2K setup here.

Perhaps there’s a mix-up between Address Book (PAB) and Contacts?

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did you upgrade from IMo mode to office xp or was it a clean install?

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why in the world are you using a pab in Ol2002? Microsoft is trying to get people to stop using them (since Ol98) so they can drop support from the next version.

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My personal reason…even though you didn’t ask me.. is that I like how in my PAB I can give addressees names like Jane Roe (Company) and Jane Roe (AOL) rather than Jane Roe (E-mail) and Jane Roe (E-mail2). Also if I type roe aol it will resolve nicely.

Otherwise, the PAB appears to be pretty far behind Contacts as an address book. Maybe the fact that I keep my addresses in the Palm and don’t sync with Outlook explains why I’m in no hurry to use the additional features.

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are you using 2000 or 2002? 2002 doesn’t use (email). it can use any display name you want for each address.

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> Stuart has OL2002

Close. Actually the screenshot was from Outlook 2000 SR1a configured to run in corporate mode.

StuartR

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It still sounds fishy on their end. Does this happen to any other company’s recipients??

Also, what if you simply resend the message that did not go through the first time? If the EXACT same message goes through the second time but not the first, then looking for a problem on your system will likely be futile…

JMHO.

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MaryJ is correct I am using Outlook 2000 IMO, and I believe there was some confusion between contacts and address book. I will be running some tests this week with the client that is receiving corrupted file attachments from me. One test two days ago worked to a different e-mail address and different work station at the company with the problem. I am begining to think the problem is on the receiving end.

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