MacOS X Mail attachment problem with AOL?

Stonewolf · 03-22-2003, 03:54 PM

My wife currently can't send attachments to AOL using Mail.app. Other mail apps (nmh, Outlook, Netscape) get the attachments fine but when the message gets to AOL (either PC or Mac version) they see an empty message with a single MIME encoded attachment.

You can save that attachment and then view it through the AOL decoder, but then all you see is the raw message with all of the headers and the encoded files.

Has anyone else run in to this? Does anyone know a way to fix this? We have some frustrated grandparents who haven't been able to see pics of their grandkids for a few weeks now

-sw

dhayton · 03-22-2003, 05:00 PM

I have had to deal with the AOL-MIME problem for some time now--with every email client I have tried, if I send more than a single photo as an attachment, AOL interprets it as a MIME file and won't display anything. Now, with Mail.app, AOL interprets every message with an attachment this way.

The way I've convinced the grandparents to deal with this is to download a MIME decoder--there are a few shareware versions available for windows, I don't know about the options for macs. Then, once the file has been downloaded, they can double-click on it and the decoder does its thing, saving the text as a txt file and the photo(s) as .jpg files.

It's a pain, but that's all I've been able to work out. I've tried sending the message as rtf or plain text; neither one seems to work. If I use a different client (I have access to a webmail service), messages with a single attachment work fine. I don't really get it.

If somebody else has a better solution, I'd love to hear it.

Darin

darkpaw · 03-22-2003, 08:29 PM

Does it do the same if you attach an archive instead of more than one file?

Stonewolf · 03-22-2003, 10:25 PM

Quote:


	Originally posted by darkpaw Does it do the same if you attach an archive instead of more than one file?

Wow, I would not have thought of that!

Ok, if you attach a single zip or sit file, then not only is it recognized correctly by AOL but the text of your message also shows up correctly in the e-mail tool.

Thank you very much, this is a good thing

-sw

darkpaw · 03-23-2003, 09:59 AM

Happy to help

I had heard of talk by AOL to update their systems to allow more than one attachment per e-mail.

I'd heard that the problem is, that AOL don't use "normal" e-mail protocols and systems, so they have to develop it themselves. The reason for this was set way back when they started out. They realised that their e-mail system would be used more and more and more, and decided that the current implementations at the time wouldn't hold for the amount of e-mail their system would need to handle, so they created their own proprietary system.

It sucks, but they are getting over it now

Lanny · 03-24-2003, 09:11 AM

AOL mail can't handle the receipt of multiple attachments unless you use a Mime decoder. The other work-around is to send the attachments one e-mail at a time.

It's been like that since AOL started, and I don't believe they're working on a solution for it.

03-22-2003, 03:54 PM	#1
Stonewolf Prospect Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: SF Bay Area, CA, USA Posts: 7	MacOS X Mail attachment problem with AOL? My wife currently can't send attachments to AOL using Mail.app. Other mail apps (nmh, Outlook, Netscape) get the attachments fine but when the message gets to AOL (either PC or Mac version) they see an empty message with a single MIME encoded attachment. You can save that attachment and then view it through the AOL decoder, but then all you see is the raw message with all of the headers and the encoded files. Has anyone else run in to this? Does anyone know a way to fix this? We have some frustrated grandparents who haven't been able to see pics of their grandkids for a few weeks now -sw

03-22-2003, 05:00 PM	#2
dhayton Major Leaguer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Haverford, PA Posts: 343	AOL and attachments I have had to deal with the AOL-MIME problem for some time now--with every email client I have tried, if I send more than a single photo as an attachment, AOL interprets it as a MIME file and won't display anything. Now, with Mail.app, AOL interprets every message with an attachment this way. The way I've convinced the grandparents to deal with this is to download a MIME decoder--there are a few shareware versions available for windows, I don't know about the options for macs. Then, once the file has been downloaded, they can double-click on it and the decoder does its thing, saving the text as a txt file and the photo(s) as .jpg files. It's a pain, but that's all I've been able to work out. I've tried sending the message as rtf or plain text; neither one seems to work. If I use a different client (I have access to a webmail service), messages with a single attachment work fine. I don't really get it. If somebody else has a better solution, I'd love to hear it. Darin

03-22-2003, 08:29 PM	#3
darkpaw All Star Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: England Posts: 513	Does it do the same if you attach an archive instead of more than one file? __________________ http://www.keeponfighting.net - Fighting for animal rights http://www.darkpaw.co.uk http://www.needstuff.co.uk - Recycle your unwanted clutter for FREE! (UK only)

03-23-2003, 09:59 AM	#5
darkpaw All Star Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: England Posts: 513	Happy to help I had heard of talk by AOL to update their systems to allow more than one attachment per e-mail. I'd heard that the problem is, that AOL don't use "normal" e-mail protocols and systems, so they have to develop it themselves. The reason for this was set way back when they started out. They realised that their e-mail system would be used more and more and more, and decided that the current implementations at the time wouldn't hold for the amount of e-mail their system would need to handle, so they created their own proprietary system. It sucks, but they are getting over it now __________________ http://www.keeponfighting.net - Fighting for animal rights http://www.darkpaw.co.uk http://www.needstuff.co.uk - Recycle your unwanted clutter for FREE! (UK only)

03-24-2003, 09:11 AM	#6
Lanny Triple-A Player Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Winthrop, MA Posts: 61	AOL mail can't handle the receipt of multiple attachments unless you use a Mime decoder. The other work-around is to send the attachments one e-mail at a time. It's been like that since AOL started, and I don't believe they're working on a solution for it. Last edited by Lanny; 03-24-2003 at 09:13 AM.