PC Win: How Open Attachments Are Handled

 Last reviewed: October 24, 1995
Article ID: Q113167
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Mail for Windows, versions 3.0, 3.0b, and 3.2

In versions 3.0, 3.0b, and 3.2 of Microsoft Mail for Windows, the directory specified by the TEMP environment variable is used when an attachment is opened from within a mail message.

For example, if you open a Microsoft Word document, Mail first writes the file to C:\<temp>\<file>.DOC, where <temp> is the directory specified by the TEMP environment variable and <file> is the name of the file. Next, Mail reads the Windows registration database and calls the application with the following command line: 

   winword.exe c:\<temp>\<file>.doc
When you close the message that contains the attachment, Mail tries to delete this temporary file. If the file is still open in the associated application, Mail displays the following dialog box: 

   The attached file <FILE>.DOC is currently open. Further changes
   to that file will not be reflected in this message.
If you choose OK, the message closes and the attachment remains in the C:\<temp> directory until you delete it.

If you modify the attachment and save the changes, the following dialog box appears when the message is closed: 

   Do you want to save changes to <Message Subject> in <folder name>?
If you choose Yes, the changes will be saved in the message that contains the attachment, and the file in the temporary directory will be deleted. If you choose No, the message will be closed unchanged and the temporary file will be deleted, therefore discarding any modifications you made to the file.

Additional reference words: 3.00 3.00b 3.20
KBCategory: kbusage kbtlc
KBSubCategory: MailPCWin

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Last reviewed: October 24, 1995
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