Using Email to Send and Receive Files

Last Updated: June 16, 2003

• Sending a file with an email file
  • Preparing the File
  • Attaching the File
    • In
• Retrieving an attached file
  • Finding an attached file after it is downloaded
    • Windows 95 & 98
    • Windows XP (2002)

(If you need help understanding what is meant by folders, see chapter 5, pages 82-86 in the book.)

Sending a file with email

NOTE: If you have not yet made the acquaintance of the folder and file organization on your computer, you will find the following site very helpful.
http://cit.information.unl.edu/tips/filemgt-manage.htm

Plain text

If what you are sending is just plain text and the formatting is not important, you can use cut and paste. That is select the part of the your document that you wish to send, chose cut (or copy if you wish to retain the text in your word processor), go to your email message screen and paste it where you wish it to be. (If there is no paste icon, tapping Ctrl-V or Shift-Insert will paste the text.)

Preparing the file to send:

1. Save the file in the program used to create it. Note the file name and the folder where it is located. (If you are new to computers and are using a Windows computer the folder is probably called "My Documents." The name of the folder will be in the box after "Save in" near the top of the window you use to save the file.)
2. If the person to whom you are sending the file does not use the same program as you do, save the file as an rtf file.
3. Close the file.
4. Attach the file:
   • In Outlook Express
   • In Thunderbird or Netscape

Attaching the file in Outlook Express

1. Open Outlook Express.
2. Click on the Create Mail icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
3. Enter the email address of the recipient of the email.
4. Create the message.
5. Attach the file by:
   1. Clicking on Insert on the menu line
   2. Click on "File Attachment."
   3. Locate the file
   4. Select it by clicking once on it.
   5. Click on "Attach file."
6. The file is now listed in the attachment box.
7. Click on Send.

Attaching the file in Thunderbird or Netscape

1. Open Thunderbird or Netscape Mailer
2. Click on the "Write" icon in the upper left of the screen.
3. Enter the email address of the recipient.
4. Create your email message.
5. Attache the file by:
   1. Clicking on the paper clip icon on the top of the screen with the word "Attach" below it.
   2. Locating the file.
   3. Clicking on the file name.
   4. Clicking on "Open."
   5. The name of the file will appear in the attachment area of the message.
6. Send the message.

Receiving an attached file

1. How you are notified that a message has an attachment will depend on your mailer. You may find the attachment at the end of your message, or at the beginning. Find the area that gives the file name of the attachment and click on it. If you know the message has an attachment and you can't find it, use the HELP function, select index, and search for such things as sending files, attachments, file attachments, or enclosures.
2. A word of caution - be very careful opening file attachments - they can be a vehicle for a virus.
   1. If you do not know the sender do NOT open the attachment.
   2. If you know the sender, but are not expecting a file, write to the sender first and ask what is in the file.(See Viruses/Worms & Email Attachments)
3. A box pops up that gives you the name of the file. It also will tell you the folder into which it will place the file when it is downloaded. Note the name of both the folder and file. (If you wish the file to go to another folder, you can browse to that folder.)
4. Tell the program that it is OK to download the file by clicking on "OK"
5. It is a good idea to check the file for any viruses before you do the next step. If you have a good virus checker installed it will intercept the file as it is being received and scan it. If a virus is found it should delete the file. In older versions you will be told about the virus and asked what to do - delete it!!!
6. After downloading the file open the appropriate program. That is, if the file is a Word file, open Word, or if an Excel file, open Excel. You should know what type of file it is - because the sender should tell you. Also, the extension is a clue. "doc" is a Word file, "xls" is an Excel file, "wpd" is a Word Perfect file, "rtf" is a rich text file, or a file which is theoretically readable by all word processors. If you can't see file extensions it is suggested that you change the defaults so file extensions are visible.
7. If you can't find the file, see Finding a File for Windows 95and 98 or Windows XP (2002) in Chapter 5.

For questions or broken links please email the author .

Copyright 2003/2008 Linda Q. Thede
All rights reserved