An unusual question... 2

[snoopy75]

Sometimes, most frequently when I'm using web-based email and newsgroups, I come across an attachment that is supposed to be a picture, but the browser displays it as a bunch of ASCII text. Does anyone know of a good program where I can copy that ASCII text and get a picture out of it? I know this is a little off the wall, so thanks for any tips.

--Ryan

 

[BongWild]

Which browser and version are you using? Also what format is the picture that is not showing?

 

[fedto]

Its showing it in acsii text because it is a web based attachement within the body of the email.
The only way to view it is in email client software that is set to view html

 

[snoopy75]

I am using Opera 6.1, and viewing the attachments in a web-based newsgroup reader called SquirrelMail, through cotse.net.

And now that I've stated all that, I guess I really have stacked the deck against myself, haven't I?

So the only solution I could think of (besides the obvious "get a real newsreader&quot was to somehow copy the ASCII text and paste it into some application that could translate that text into a .jpg picture. I know it's pretty far-fetched, but does anyone know of a way to do it?

--Ryan

 

[jaeddy]

If this is from a newsgroup it is probably UUencoded, or some such. A newsreader such as Forte's Free Agent should do it just fine (

http://www.forteinc.com)

 

[dcj2]

It sounds to me like its probably a Base-64 encoded MIME attachment that isn't being properly converted. Try this: save the text of the entire message to your hard drive. Give the file any name you want, but use the extension "B64". Open the file in a Base-64 decoder. I know WinZIP 8 (and probably earlier version) will open B64 files, and there are dozens of others out there. Look around on your fave shareware site for one. If its what I think it is, WinZIP will open the file as if it were a ZIP file, then you can extract the actual image to its native format. Sonds alot more complicated than it is. Give it a try and let us know!

 

[snoopy75]

Holy cow, IT WORKS!!!!! Thanks, dcj2, you have solved the seemingly impossible problem! A big star for you!!!

--Ryan