Word attachments coming over as .dat 4

[Pccoordinator]

When I receive attachments that have been sent as MS Word Documents (.doc) I receive them as .dat files and they cannot be opened or converted.

 

[BlackHawk2]

Is the sender using Outlook Express... I have had lots of problems when the sender would send through OE.

 

[Computerfixitguy]

If you are getting a file called WINMAIL.DAT, then the sender is using Outlook, not outlook express. In their options they have the ability to turn off rich text. Notes does the exact same thing, but it works. Outlook 2002 (XP) is default HTML which does not do this.

Derek

 

[Pccoordinator]

So does the problem need to be fixed on the sending or receiveing user?

 

[cpw]

Internet Messages Containing Attachment from Outlook Received as C.DTF or ATTXXX.DAT Attachment

http://www.ibm.com/software/lotus/support

Problem:
Messages sent from Outlook 98 or Outlook 2000 that contain an attachment are received in Notes with a C.DTF or ATTXXX.DAT attachment. Messages that contain no attachments from Outlook are received with no problems.

Solution:
Check to make sure the person sending the message from the Outlook client is not using Microsoft Exchange Rich Text Format. If the user's address is in the Personal Address Book, deselect the checkbox labeled: "Always send to this recipient using Microsoft Exchange rich text format" in the Personal Name & Address Book (see sample bitmap below) (on the SMTP - General tab).

Also, check the outgoing email message from Outlook to see if the message was addressed to more than one recipient. If one recipient message is formatted using Outlook rich text and the other is not; the recipient receiving the message using Outlook Rich Text will not receive the message correctly while the recipient not using the Outlook Rich Text format will receive the message fine.

This issue was reported to Lotus Quality Engineering and it was determined not to be a problem with the software.

Supporting Information:
For additional information, refer to Microsoft's Technet Q articles Q138053 and Q259065.

WHAT IS TNEF?
Transport Neutral Encapsulation Format, or TNEF, is a format of encapsulation used exclusively by Microsoft to send a message using Microsoft Rich Text. TNEF is proprietary to Microsoft products such as Outlook, Outlook Express and Exchange. Because of the proprietary format, Lotus Notes does not have the ability to decipher TNEF. TNEF attachments can be generated in two ways:

1) if a Microsoft Exchange's internet mail connector is configured to send TNEF. The default option of the Internet Mail Connector is set to User, meaning the client can select the option of using TNEF or not. The other options for the IMC is Always or Never ,

OR

2) sending of 'winmail.dat' can be set in the address book on a per-recipient basis. NOTE: The Exchange setting overrides the setting in the Personal Address Book. Also note that the wording of the setting in the address book is different in the various Microsoft mail clients.

Related Documents:

Excel Attachment Sent from Outlook Express 5.5 to Notes R5 Client Is Unlaunchable and Unviewable
Document #: 183018

 

[Computerfixitguy]

If the file is a Winmail.DAT then the sender needs to change the outgoing message options in Outlook by unchecking rich text.

Here is the Microsoft article:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q278061

Derek

 

[MarkhP]

If you need to decode the .dat file, I found a really useful app called Fentun does the job. Check out the link if you need it.

http://www.fentun.com/

At a DOS prompt type Fentun {space} winmail.dat
You can extract the files then to your PC.

 

[Pccoordinator]

Thanks for the info unfortunately the attachments I'm receving are all coming across as winfile.dat and the fentun program doesn't see the file as a tnef issue. Also I'm using Win2000.

 

[Dosiz]

Fentun software is a great find. Although I've not attempted to intergrate this software into any of my mail programs I have found that detaching the attachment and then dragging this onto the Fentun exe works fine. Not too good as a user solution but it works for me as I can now see those attachments without asking the sender to change their settings. Dominic