Sending photo, getting notebook!

Gordon Booth · 06-02-2012, 11:18

I'm stuck again! I've emailed the occasional photo in the past and it worked.
I tried yesterday using Incredimail and as I'd forgotten how I tried sending it to myself first.
I did an attachment from 'My pictures', checked it before I sent it and it looked OK.When I received it and opened the attachment a box headed 'Notebook' opened, no picture just lots of letters and numbers!
Tried again using Picasa3-same result.
Have I accidently changed a setting, has something updated itself or what?
I'm totally lost, can one of our experts help, please?
Thanks.

Gordon Booth · 06-02-2012, 14:32

Sorry, that's notepad. ATt288-Notepad is the heading.

entwisi · 07-02-2012, 07:34

basically you have somehow associated the image type with notepad instead of what image program you have installed. The text you see is just the core 1's and 0's that would be the image converted into text by Notepad. There are many different types of images, jpg is the mopst common, .bmp next and .gif probably next but there others as well ( .png, .tiff etc)

Assuming its a jpg image and XP as an OS but vista/win 7 is pretty close IIRC ( I dont use Windows apart from at work and haven't for many years )

you need to know what image editing/viewing software you have installed, then in Windows explorer, click Tools, Folder Options. On the "File Types" scroll down looking for jpg. select it and it will show in the "opens with" section "notepad". Click "change" then you need to select what image software you have installed. (Basic ones are Paint, Windows Picture and fax viewer but you will probably have something better installed )

make sure the "always use the selected program to open this kind of file "is ticked and click OK.

now retry opening the image, it should work fine.

If your picture is of a different type than jpg then you need to do the above having selected that type in the list. Also just to confuse matters jpg files are also called jpeg and jpe so you may beed to do this for all types of this.

An alternative way is to uninstall your image editing software and re-install it. quite often there is a step where it says "associate images with this software", click yes and it will do teh above for you for all types.

Gordon Booth · 07-02-2012, 19:21

entwisi, thanks for help but still struggling!
Doing as you suggest-My Pictures/Tools/Folder Options/File Types/jpg/ opens with-it says Picasa, not notepad.
So does JPE and JPEG.
You suggest 'change' to the image software I have installed but how do I find what that is? Photos all seem to be jpg.
I can see the pictures in My Pictures and Picasa, no problem.
I can attach them to an email and still see them as pictures in the email sent box.
But sending to myself, when I receive they open as notepad!
Can you point me any further?
Thanks.

Margaret Pilkington · 07-02-2012, 19:56

Gordon your software would be the Picasa program.
You say you are using Incredimail. Are you sending the pictures as an attachment....or are you inserting the pictures

Margaret Pilkington · 07-02-2012, 20:03

I have just gone into my own incredimail program.
When you write a new e-mail you get a task bar at the top left of the page.
it will have on it:- File Edit View InsertTools Message Help.

If you click on insert, you get a drop down box which gives you the option of inserting a picture instread of attaching it.
I am not sure if it will solve your problem, but it is worth a try.

Gordon Booth · 07-02-2012, 20:08

Margaret, I'm sending them as an attachment-the IMG is on the right hand side, Attachments Preview is underneath, headed IMG.jpg(this is a copy of the photo, same size).When I receive them there's no preview and the right hand side has the ATT box which opens as notepad.
What is 'inserting the picture'? Is this the problem?

Margaret Pilkington · 07-02-2012, 20:14

Try sending as an insertion......I have explained that on a new E-mail you have a task bar at the top with a variety of options on it........Insert is one of the options. If you click on this a drop down box will appear. It will have on it :- Attachment, Insert, Link, Signature.
Click on insert from the drop down box.......you should be able to insert a picture in this manner.

As I said I am not sure if you will still get the text or whether it will insert the picture as you see it. It is worth a try and will cost nowt other than effort.

Gordon Booth · 07-02-2012, 20:18

Thanks, Margaret, I'll try that. If it works I'll be over for lessons next week!

Margaret Pilkington · 07-02-2012, 20:23

Gordon, I hope it works for you. I wish I could come and sort you out. Oh by the way when you try the insert you will get to choose from where your files are stored......My picutres/My documents. It really isn't complicated.
All trial and error...with me it was lots of errors and plenty of trials

entwisi · 07-02-2012, 22:49

Can I ask why you use Incredimail? from its web page its nothing I'd go near with a 100' barge pole..... what wrong with good old basic email, plain text with attachments as required, you stand far less chance of "catching" something without all these fancy adornments!

it looks like its changing the file in transit if its changing the name. ATT I'm guessing is that it thinks its a unformatted atttachment rather than knowing its a jpg/image hence it opening in Notepad and not Picasa as images should. try saving the attachment to disk and renaming it blah.jpg and then open it from there. Unfortunately Windows "hides" the true file extention by default for some silly reason so you need to change your folder view settings to show file extentions or it will just end up blah.jpg.txt which will still open with notepad ( as notreapd is the default for .txt files.)