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When I attach a PDF doc to email the receiver does not get the attachment or attachment is VCF format - How can I change this?

  • 4 cavab
  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by Toad-Hall

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When I send PDF attachments to other emails, the attachment is either lost or is received as a vcf document. How can I ensure that my pdf sent is what the receiver gets?

When I send PDF attachments to other emails, the attachment is either lost or is received as a vcf document. How can I ensure that my pdf sent is what the receiver gets?

All Replies (4)

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If you do not mind, would you send me the .pdf as an attachment to this email address: mail at anje dot co dot uk

I will look at the email source code to see if something is amiss. I'm not interested in the contents of the pdf document, but need to understand what is going on in the source using that same pdf document which you know has had receiving issues.

note: I do not usually respond via that email address as all communication will go through this forum, but in this instance, it may help to find out what is going on.

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I've received the email. The email was sent in both plain text and html; which is correct. In plain text view; There are four attachments. A pdf, a vcf, a signature gif and .png image called part 1.1.2.2 All of these open correctly using appropriate software.

In html view: There are two attachments; a vcf card attached with personal contact details which can be added to an address book and a pdf document which I can open using Adobe Reader. The signature is displayed correctly and the image you embedded in content is also visible.

the info below was in the source view.

MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/mixed;

boundary="------------A0B21A88F5BEFAE2EC0A6A03"

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.


A0B21A88F5BEFAE2EC0A6A03

Content-Type: multipart/alternative;

boundary="------------0847547B95958CE3CA4C67C8"



0847547B95958CE3CA4C67C8

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

followed by the message in plain text - omitted

Content-Type: multipart/related;

boundary="------------868FDE6A3919AD3595942EF0"

868FDE6A3919AD3595942EF0

Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

followed by the message in html - omitted

followed by all details of various images embedded in content

Content-Type: image/png Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64

Content-Type: image/gif;

name="signature 2.gif"

Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64

followed by details of attachments.

Content-Type: application/pdf;

name="Invoice Spring iLearning Test.pdf"

Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 Content-Disposition: attachment;

filename="Invoice Spring iLearning Test.pdf"

Content-Type: text/x-vcard; charset=utf-8;

name="pia.vcf"

Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: attachment;

filename="pia.vcf"


Result is that all of this is correct.

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REgarding the emails you sent to yourself.

RE: emails you received that either did not show pdf or pdf could not be opened.

Are you using IMAP or POP ?

If IMAP: Maybe the pdf did not get downloaded with the email. synchronise the folder containing the received email for offline use.

Report back on whether the pdf appeared, whether you could now open the pdf. If you get any error messages please let me know.

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re :synchronise the folder containing the received email for offline use

check Account Settings: They may already be setup. right click on imap mail account in Folder pane and select 'Settings' Select: 'Synchronisation & storage' for imap account To do this for all folders: Select: 'Keep messages for this account on this computer' To do it on selected folders: uncheck: 'Keep messages for this account on this computer' click on 'Advanced' button and select desired folders. See good info at link:

clickon OK when finished.

Set 'Offline' settings - it just makes the process easier: 'Menu icon' > 'Options' > 'Options' > 'Advanced' > 'Network & disc Space' tab click on 'Offline..' button

'Download messages for offline use when going offline?' select 'Yes' click on OK click on OK

Now go into offline mode: From now onwards you can do this without needing to bother with Account settings or Offline settings. Quick method: In bottom status bar, click on 'two blue screen icon' - it will change to a 'two black screen icon' when offline. Downloading and synchronising occurs automatically.

Now you can be certain that you will have copies in your Thunderbird profile - very useful should you need to perform any backups or want to move emails off the imap account into 'Local folders' account. You can also read emails in offline mode as you have a copy downloaded.

To go back to online state: click on 'two black screen icon' to go back to online state - it will change to a 'two blue screen icon' when online. You will still have those emails downloaded and stored in your profile.