opening attachment

[Aamir]

1. i get an e-mail with attchment--try to open it it does not and says woud
you like to open from list of supporting programs,or from the web--you choose
suporting programs and a list comes which has almost all common file
types/programs, except xls or xlsx (EXCEL) WHY IS EXCEL NOT THERE?

2.then say you go to the web and clck you get a list of differently worded
programs, all claiming thet it could be used to open the file in
question---which of these five, say, shoud be selected and how do we know
that this or any other one woud not infect the computer?

3.say you pick one that is a clean one, what do I have to do once this
program or link is downloaded---install it and then doubkle click the file in
questiion, and it shoud open?


thank you very much!

 

[Roady [MVP]]

1) Completely depends on the extension of the file and MIME header (if
available). You can browse for any application of choice if you know it
should open with an application that you have already installed.

2) Infect the computer with what? Why would you expect it to infect your
computer at all? In addition to using common sense, I assume you also have a
virus scanner installed on your computer?
If you don't know which application to pick, contact the sender of the file
and ask him/her which application you are supposed to open his/her file
with.

3) Considering the downloaded file is an installation file for an
application, you are usually able to open your attached file by double
clicking it after you have installed the application you are supposed to
open it with.

Why these questions? I assume you ask it for a practical reason but your
questions are almost hypothetical of nature. What exactly did you receive
and what is the issue with opening it?

 

[Aamir]

i appreciate your help very much, although i can read a little bit of your
frustration in having to deal with idiots like me--yes, some of my material
is theoretical because i am trying to learn. If this is not aceptable, i have
no problem at all---you have given me a very good referenec
howto-outlook.com.

But just to complete this session: see---

1) Completely depends on the extension of the file and MIME header (if
available). You can browse for any application of choice if you know it
should open with an application that you have already installed.

---my only question was that why is excel not mentioned in that list?

2) Infect the computer with what? Why would you expect it to infect your
computer at all? In addition to using common sense, I assume you also have a
virus scanner installed on your computer?
If you don't know which application to pick, contact the sender of the file
and ask him/her which application you are supposed to open his/her file
with.

---Yes, I do have anti-virus but there have been instances when despite
anti-virus programs, damage has been caused--my intention of asking was that
if say five programs are given on the web, do i have to look for a particular
icon or symbol which might indiacte that that program is really safe, and
preferred

3) Considering the downloaded file is an installation file for an

application, you are usually able to open your attached file by double
clicking it after you have installed the application you are supposed to
open it with.

---this is cool!

---Thanks again!

 

[Roady [MVP]]

You're welcome!

No, it's not frustration or a problem, it is more about knowing which
direction to write to. Answering a question with even more questions is
usually not helpful to you or the intention of your post. Which is why I
asked to be a bit more clear.

1) I believe applications can advertize themselves in the list somehow but
how it works exactly, I'm not sure; it's not an Outlook thing, that's for
sure ;-) Usually a media type header of the file will list media
applications and text-based documents will show text editors.
You could post this as a suggestion in the Excel newsgroups or ask a bit
more about the inner workings in a Windows newsgroup. But I'm with you on
this, sometimes I'm really baffled by which applications are suggested and
which simply aren't suggested.

2) No, there is no direct way of knowing that by an icon, which is why I
mentioned common sense. Going by reputation usually does the trick. If you
find an application recommended on the Microsoft website, it is pretty safe
to assume that the application would be ok. Also, always try to download the
application directly from the site of the vendor or only use the links that
they offer. Any other link could be an infected mirror, especially when the
application costs money and that link offers it for free.