XCLN: Not Open Attachment w/ Incorrect Extension

• Microsoft Exchange Windows 3.x client, versions 4.0 and 5.0
• Microsoft Exchange Windows NT client, versions 4.0 and 5.0

SYMPTOMS

If you insert a Microsoft Word for Windows version 6.0 into a mail message with an incorrect file name extension, such as .Dxx instead of .Doc, the document can not be opened even if you rename the original document or the attachment with a valid file name extension. When you try to open the attachment, you will get the following error message:

   The application associated with this attachment could not be started.
   Verify the application is installed on your system with a correct
   directory path.

CAUSE

When you insert a Microsoft Word document into a mail message, Microsoft Exchange immediately makes a temporary copy of that file, with the same file name and file name extension, and points to that copy. It is that copy that is transmitted with the mail message. Therefore, renaming the original document or the attachment will have no effect because a link has been established to the invalid copy.

MORE INFORMATION

Attachments created with the Microsoft Exchange Windows 95 client and Microsoft Word for Windows version 7.0 can be opened, because Microsoft Word 7.0 looks at the file header to determine the type of file, rather than the file name extension.