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Week Two: Tuesday - Creating Attachments

Click picture to read a Voice of Experience Sending and Receiving Attachments The most common way to exchange documents over the Internet is by attaching them to an E-mail message. An attachment is a file included with an email message. When you create an attachment, your email program converts, or encodes, a word processor file with all of its formatting information into a code of alphanumeric characters (numbers and letters) that can be sent across the Internet as part of an email message. Sending and receiving attachments is often frustrating because it involves a number of variables: people use different email programs, different computer systems, and different word processing programs, whose files are often not fully compatible with each other. Any of these can cause trouble with attachments. The following tips will help you avoid some of the most common pitfalls of attachments.

Tips for using email attachments

1. Be responsible for your files when you send them. Make sure you know the operating system of the recipient. If you're both using the same operating system (Mac or Windows), the same word processing program and a common email program such as Outlook, Eudora, Exchange, or Netscape, then you're not likely to have problems. However, the recipient must have the hardware and software that can read that file. For example, if you attach an MS Word file, and the recipient of your message is using a word processor like ClarisWorks, that person isn't going to be able to open your attachment. In situations like this, you should either reformat your document as a plain text file or save it as an RTF (rich text format) file and send that (see Rule #5). Notes: MS Word and WordPerfect can generally open each other's files with a minimum of fuss. Word 6.0 for Mac can open Word 6.0 for Win 3.x and Word 7.0 for Windows 95 documents and vice-versa.

2. Always tell your recipient the type of file you're attaching. In the body of the email, you want to say whether it's a document created in WordPerfect 6.0, Word '97, etc and what format it was saved in. For example: "I'm attaching a copy of my document called 'mydoc.rtf', the file was created in Word '97 and is in RTF format."

3. Make sure the three letter extension (for example: *.wpd or *.doc) is part of the file name. The three-letter extension helps computers keep track of file. For instance a file called "title.wpd" is in WordPerfect format. If the receiving computer has WordPerfect running on it, the recipient will be able to simply double click the document to open it. If the three-letter extension is absent, the receiving computer may not know what the format is and display gibberish when the recipient tries to open the file. (Other common extensions are .doc for Microsoft Word, .txt for ASCII Text, and .rtf for rich text format).

4. Don't ever send attachments to email lists. On large lists, people of many different skill levels will be using all sorts of different combinations of email and word processing programs; it's virtually certain that some of them will be unable to receive your attachment.

5. When you're not sure what word processor your recipient has, send RTF (rich text formatted) files. RTF is a standard file format that virtually all word-processors can read. RTF includes basic formatting information, such as changes in font, point size, and bold/italics/underlining. Most word processors will have a "Save as" option that will allow you save your file in a variety of different formats, including RTF.

6. When receiving a file, if double clicking doesn't work, try opening the file from within your word-processing program. A file that comes up with gibberish when you double-click is more likely to be properly decoded by your word-processing program. Both WordPerfect and Microsoft Word have comprehensive file filters built in. Simply save the attached document into a directory on your computer - open your word-processing program and use the open command on the file menu.

Source: Welfare Law Center – LINC Project (www.lincproject.org)

Word Processors

There are a variety of word processors you can use to type up your assignments. Which one you choose depends on what is available on the computer you are using, if you are allowed to install software, and the specificiations of the types of files you need to create. There are several good word processors available. It is important to find out if your professor has any specific requirements for papers and files submitted in their class. The ones listed below are some of the most common programs you might use.

• Microsoft Word: This is probably the most common word processor on most computers you will use. It comes is a variety of versions and creates files with the .doc or .docx extension. You have to pay for this program if you want to install it at home.
• Open Office Writer: Open Office is a complete office suite of programs (word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, + others) that you can download for FREE and install on your computer. It can save files in a variety of formats including .doc, .rtf, .pdf, and .odf.
• Google Documents: A web-based suite of programs that includes word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software. The advantage of Google Docs is that you can access your files from any computer connected to the internet. You can also share files and collaborate with other people on files. It can save files in a variety of formats including .doc, .rtf, .pdf, and .html. All that is required is a Google account and an internet connection.

Creating an RTF File

Creating an Rich Text Format (.rtf) file is useful because not all versions of all word processors are compatible. Also, you might be using a different version or different program at work, home, or school. Using the .rtf option allows you to save all of your basic formatting in a way that is readable by most word processing programs, although some advanced formatting features might have to be recreated if you really want to use them. You want to make sure your professor can read what you submit after all! Follow these simple steps to create an .rtf file of your own.

On almost all word processing programs, go to the File menu and select the "Save As" menu item. The "Save As" box that appears will be similar to the one pictured below. Read the directions in the black box in the graphic below for a general description of how to save a word processing document as an RTF document.

Once you take the document into work or school on a floppy disk or USB drive, do not double-click on the document on your disk to open the document. The computer might select one of the text editors installed on your computer (such as Notepad or WordPad) to open the document instead of the word processing program (like Word or WordPerfect) that you might want to use.

Instead, do the following to open the RTF document you created at home.

Step 1) Start up the word processing program you want to use.

Step 2) Go to the File menu on your word processing program and find the "Open" menu item. At that point on most programs you can use the pop-up menu near the top of the "Open" window to find the drive. The picture below illustrates selecting the floppy drive (A:). You may have to change the "file type" to show "All Files" or "rich text format" files.

Step 3) Then select (highlight) the RTF document on your disk and click on "Open" button to open your document using the word processing program of your choice.

Source: Shelbyville Central Schools: Tech Tips

Help and Tips

You wouldn't go to the Amazon jungle without your malaria shot...why surf the 'Net unprotected? New viruses are launched on the Internet every day. It is plain common sense to make sure you have a virus scan program installed and that you regularly update the files.

Some viruses are simply annoying but others can destroy important information on your hard disk. Most viruses are passed through email attachments these days. You receive a seemingly innocent email from a friend with an attachment. Once the attachment is opened, it launches a virus program that reads all of the other email addresses you have, composes a short message, and then sends itself out to all of your friends (or co-workers, teachers, and supervisors!).

Many computers are protected with a free virus scan program from http://www.grisoft.com. Once installed, this little program can be set to automatically update itself when you are online. I have used it on my work and home computers, and it has caught things that other major scan programs missed. Works for me!!

Reading Assignment

Now that you know how to create an RTF file, learn how to attach it to an email! You can also learn how to read an attachment you receive, as well as how to protect your computer against viruses. Viruses are most commonly spread through e-mail attachments.

Creating attachments
http://learnthenet.com/english/html/94attach.htm

Opening attachments
http://learnthenet.com/english/html/76open.htm

Computer Viruses
http://learnthenet.com/english/html/37virus.htm

Spyware
http://www.learnthenet.com/English/html/86spy.htm

Homework

Create an Rich Text Format file by opening your word processor and creating a new file. When you are finished typing, choose the Save As option and look in the Save As Type drop down menu for an RTF option. Save your file with the file name "attachment_lastName.rtf". Attach your document to to the "Creating Attachments" assignment posted in the box for today.

Answer ONE of the following questions:

• What are the characteristics of a good college student? Explain.
• What makes one college course more enjoyable than another? Explain.
• Should college students be required to attend classes? Discuss.
• Should all college courses be specifically related to a future occupation? Explain why or why not.
• Why did you choose the career for which you are preparing?
• What would you place in a time-capsule to allow people opening the capsule 1,000 years from now to understand life today? Explain.
• It has been said that computers are taking over our lives. Do you agree or disagree? Explain.
• Knowledge can be gained from books and scientific observation. What are some other important sources of knowledge, and why are they valuable?
• Should all students be required to take a course in computer science some time during their education? Explain why or why not.
• What is the best advice you ever got? Explain.
• Is it better to know a little about many subjects than to know a lot about one subject? Discuss.
• Is there anything that teachers can learn from students? Discuss.
• Have you observed any significant differences between high school and college teachers? Explain.
• If for some reason you were prevented from getting a college education, what career would you pursue? Why?
• If you could take one entire year off from your responsibilities of school or work, how would you spend that year? Explain why you would make these choices.
• Will computers ever completely replace books? Discuss.
• Other than preparation for a job, what is the value of a college education? Discuss.
• Should every college include a community service component as part of its graduation requirements? Discuss.

Your answer should be at least a fully developed paragraph or two (150-200 words). At the top of your paper, include a heading section that has your name, the class, the assignment name, and the date.

Many professors will ask you to create an assignment in a word processor. It is very important to follow their instructions for submitting your assignment, especially concerning file name and format. They may want you to email the file or upload it to the class website. If you have any questions about how to submit an assignment, you should always ask your professor for clarification.

Discussion

There will be no discussion posted for today. Take this time to catch up on the previous discussions if you need to. if you have any questions, post them to the Help Desk.