[dejongj]

Something that has been happening for a while, when I send messages from mail and the receiver is using MS Outlook my signature (even when I just hand write it) seems to come through as an attachment separate from the body.

Has anyone got any idea why this is happening?

[Tenex]

I read an explanation of why this happens some time back - will look it up.

[dejongj]

Thanks...Hope you have more luck than me, most pc users don't look at the attachment and think I am rude as I don't greet them...

[Tenex]

Had a quick look around and not found it yet. The explanation (which was not enlightening to me so I may be quoting it incorrectly from memory) was that Outlook doesn't "parse the resource forks correctly" (or similar) when opening the email and so the signature always ends up as an attached file.

I think a possible solution is to send in HTML format and avoid RTF etc. Though on second thoughts MS isn't too hot on open standards so it may not work which means you're reduced to sending plain text only.

If you read the title and body of this MSKB article they seem at odds the title talks about receiving and the body about sending and the Winmail.dat file.

Some support docs here but no real explanation.

[dejongj]

Thanks, that has helped me a bit on my way!

[Tenex]

Letter Opener may be of interest?

[dejongj]

Originally Posted by Tenex

Letter Opener may be of interest?

Thanks, the problem is more the otherway around...And as I run my own business I'd like people to see what I'm sending...I've moved to plain text which helps for now....Maybe it is that some don't like my digital certificate and pgp signing either....and then throw a wobbly...

Mac users are fine, some outlook users are fine and some are not...Typical a PC to me...

[rob_finch]

Originally Posted by dejongj

Mac users are fine, some outlook users are fine and some are not...Typical a PC to me...

Have you got "Always send windows friendly attachments" ticked in the Edit->Attachments menu?

[dejongj]

Originally Posted by rob_finch

Have you got "Always send windows friendly attachments" ticked in the Edit->Attachments menu?

I have, but I'm not sending an attachment!!! Somehow Outlook turns my signature into an attachment...There really isn't anything fancy in my signature it literally states my name and telephone number in italic...

[Tenex]

Originally Posted by dejongj

Mac users are fine, some outlook users are fine and some are not...Typical a PC to me...

Some work because of the way they have Outlook configured - there were some refs to it in the links earlier but most just use it as installed.

Originally Posted by dejongj

I have, but I'm not sending an attachment!!! Somehow Outlook turns my signature into an attachment...There really isn't anything fancy in my signature it literally states my name and telephone number in italic...

Its the italics (RTF), Outlook treats anything other than plain text as hostile and potentially viral.

[Tenex]

Outlook to remain HTML non-compliant in 2010

[dejongj]

My switch to plain text AND stop digitally signing my email seems to have done the trick....

[Stinja]

Yep my Mrs, who uses Macs at work, and a mate that uses some UNIX client both have their emails arrive with attachments for their signature/headers at my Exchange/Outlook work. I always put it down to some incompatibility, but yes could easily see it as MS not playing properly with "open" standards.

One thing to ask, are they using any custom code for their Outlook clients? Just MS has changed/been messing with the way they deal with custom properties: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/907985

And one of the updates in Office SP3 needs to either be slightly-disabled via the registry or you have to use Redemption to workaround this change

I might have a chat to our Exchange guys and see if there's any server-side options to adjust this sig=attachment behaviour? and have a read thru Tenex's doc links, but sending in RTF with as little non-normal text is the easiest option...