Specifying a particular order for attachments to an e-mail

[LarryO]

What is the procedure for attaching multiple files to an e-mail and having
them appear IN A PARTICULAR ORDER?

The files do not appear in the order in which I click on them (which
particularly frustrates me - why shouldn't they?). They do not appear in the
reverse order in which I click on them.

Is there a particular order in which you need to click on them, OR, is there
a way to rearrange them once they have been attached and before the message
is sent? I haven't been able to find this topic addressed in any of the help
menus, unless I've been looking in the wrong place.

 

[Gordon]

What is the procedure for attaching multiple files to an e-mail and having
them appear IN A PARTICULAR ORDER?

The files do not appear in the order in which I click on them (which
particularly frustrates me - why shouldn't they?). They do not appear in
the
reverse order in which I click on them.

Is there a particular order in which you need to click on them, OR, is
there
a way to rearrange them once they have been attached and before the
message
is sent? I haven't been able to find this topic addressed in any of the
help
menus, unless I've been looking in the wrong place.

I think you will find that attachments get inserted in alphabetical order,
no matter what order you select them, and I don't think you can change this
unless you use RTF email, where you might be able to drag the attachments to
a different location.

 

[LarryO]

Thanks for taking the time to answer my question, Gordon. I hadn't noticed
that about alphabetic file names. The rule doesn't seem to work, however, if
the name includes numbers.

The question came about when I was trying to attach numbered photos to an
e-mail. They are named identically except for a number at the end("File001,"
"...002," and "...003"). I would like them to be viewed in that order.
When I try to insert them into a message, I click on them in the order they
appear in the directory: 001, 002, 003, but they get attached in the order:
003, 001, 002?!?

Apparenly, they get attached to the message, not according to their
alphanumeric file name, but rather in what order they are clicked on. ONLY
if I click on them in the order: 002, 003, 001, do they get attached in the
order: 001, 002, 003.

Is this a bug that no one else has noticed? It frustrates me that this
happens, and I should have had to figure out this workaround...

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

What is the procedure for attaching multiple files to an e-mail and having
them appear IN A PARTICULAR ORDER?

Insert them one at a time instead of all at once. However, I find that
usually if I select them in the reverse order of how I want them inserted,
then I can insert them as a group.

 

[Mark H]

Larry,

I know exactly what you're talking about (due in large part to obsessive
compulsive tendencies). This drives me nuts! I've noticed the same problem
in Outlook XP, Outlook 2003, and now in Outlook 2007 on Vista. The scenario
is almost always the same... I prepare a handful of files in a folder that I
want to keep in a specific order. The names are often similar to "Pic 1.jpg,
Pic2.jpg, Pic3.jpg", or sometimes they are just numbers like "1.pdf, 2.pdf,
3.pdf). The reason I want them in order is because I often refer to them in
sequence in the body of the email.

I have not seen a solution or found anyone that really cares much about it.
When I paste the files (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), they are attached in a different
order (5, 1, 2, 3, 4). I delete the first file (5) and attach it again at
the end as a workaround. I wish Microsoft would fix the glitch, but it's
been years and the problem persists. Let me know if you figure it out!