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Web based e-mail attachment question

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by t_hasty Mar 27, 2003 last reply Mar 31, 2003

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I have a user running WinXp. He is loggin onto our companies website to check his e-mail. If he has an attachment, he click on it and it only gives him the save option. He wants to be able to open the attachment without saving it.

Thanks for the help

12 replies

by t_hasty Mar 27, 2003

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by t_hasty Mar 27, 2003

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by t_hasty Mar 27, 2003

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by edsdave Mar 27, 2003

What email software is the user using. It will be a setting in his email application most likely. Possibly an association needs to be added.

by t_hasty Mar 28, 2003

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by hereinoz Mar 27, 2003

I get a feeling that it depends on the web mail server. Even Yahoo does not let you open an attachment live from Yahoo mail - you must download it first, and then open it. I think Hotmail is the same. Possibly something to do with virus protection - if you open an attachment that is infected, and you don't have full time file scanning enabled, you are done!

Also it may relate to the security settings in the browser, but I am a bit woolly on this one - I would have to try it before I knew for sure. I do know that a high security setting in IE6 can prevent downloads from a web mail server.

by t_hasty Mar 28, 2003

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by qballrail Mar 27, 2003

Web mail handles attachments differently from client applications. I personally use several web-based email accounts and not a single one gives you the view option. Although, the attachment is a graphics file, Yahoo gives you a preview of the attachment. Otherwise, the only option is to download it. Most services offer the option to scan the attachment then download or download without scan. If the file is an executable, you can "run from location" but this is inadvisable if you don't run full time virus scanning software.

That's probably something you did not want to hear but unfortunately that is the case with web based email. Client apps such as Outlook will allow you to view the attachment. If I understand you correctly, your company offers web access to email. Most mail servers that offer that option are also compatible with OUtlook, hence an exchange server. If the client app (i.e., Outlook) is installed, he should be able to view the attachment without downloading it.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Regards,
Jesse