Sending Attached Files

At several points in this course, you will be asked to send an assignment to the instructor as an attached file. If you have not done this before,practice the procedure by sending an attached file back to your own e-mail address before sending the attached file to the instructor.

You may need to explore your e-mail software interface to locate the Attach File button or menu item. The Help files or User’s Manual will be useful if the location of the attached file button is not obvious. Hints: A paperclip is often used as an icon for attached files. Some e-mail applications call attached files enclosures.

1. Open your e-mail application.
2. Click on the Compose Mail or New Message icon.
3. In the To: field, enter your own e-mail address
4. In the Subject: field, type Attached File Test
5. In the body of the message type This message has a file attached. Describe the file and indicate which file format is being used (spreadsheet, text, graphics, etc).
6. Now, look for a button or a menu item labeled Attach or Attach File.
7. From the menu that opens when you selected Attach, navigate to the location where the file you wish to attach is located.
8. Select the file you want to attach by clicking once on the file name and then click Open (Note: Your e-mail software may use OK or Attach in place of the word Open.)
9. The drive will operate a bit while the file is attached to your e-mail message..
10. Send the e-mail message and the attached file.

Wait a few moments and check for new mail. The message that you sent should appear in your in-box. When you open the message you will receive some indication that the message includes an attached file.

Depending on which e-mail software you are using, the attached file will be found in one of several locations. 

The attached file may appear in the body of the e-mail message itself right below this message. It might also appear as a small icon below this message.   Clicking on the icon will open the file on your screen. You might notice a button on the screen labeled "Download Now".  Some e-mail software gives you the option of deciding if you want to download attached files or just ignore them.  If the attached file didn't appear in the message or as an icon, click on the "Download Now" button.  A dialog box may appear asking you where you want to save the downloaded file.  You can designate the desktop, a folder on your hard disk, a floppy disk or accept the default location which is usually a folder/directory inside your e-mail software folder.  Select a destination for the attached file and wait for the attached file to be downloaded and saved. .Now you will need to locate the attached file on your computer.

PC Users:   If necessary, use the File Manager (Windows 3.1x) or Windows Explorer (Windows 95/98/2002) to locate youre-mail software.  Open this folder/directory and look for another folder/directory named Attach or Attachments.  If you are using America Online, look for the America Online Folder.  Open the AOL folder/directory and look for another folder/directory named Download.   Open the Attach or Download folder and you will see the files that you have downloaded as attachments.   Double-click on the file to open the attachment.

Mac Users:  Double-click on your Hard Disk icon.  Find the folder for your e-mail software. Open this folder and look for another folder named Attach or Attachments or something similar.   If you are using America Online, open the America Online folder and then look for the Online Downloads folder. Open the Attach or Online Downloads folder and you will see the files that you have downloaded as attachments. Double-click on the file to open the attachment.

When you are confident that you know how to attach the requested file to the e-mail message to your instructor, close this window to return to the assignment.

Copyright © 1997-2002 by Bob Jost. Used by permission of the author. 

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