MHS and file attachments to Internet adrdresses
Jeff Knapp
> We use an MHS only environment (actually Connect2). I
> can't see a way to send enclosures or attacments to an
> internet address via the Internet gateway we use
> (Compuserve). Even with 'use enclosures' set winpmail
> presumes we're sending to an MHS address and sends the
> attachment as an attachment - not an encoded enclosure.
In theory you can't do it. It's a limitation of the CompuServe hub. I
had the same problem back in July, and this is what Inifinte eventually
put in one of the tech support files (c2fyi2.doc) they keep on CServe:
= Included Text =
Reference #: 24 (07/11/94)
===========================
DESCRIPTION: User receives an error message back from -MaiSer-
@ CServe indicating a missing file attachment whenever sending a
message with a file attachment through the CompuServe mail hub.
This user was using Pegasus Mail, although similar problems may
be encountered with other e-mail front-ends.
SOLUTION:
Upon further investigation, it was determined that this error message
was only returned if the user attempted to send a message with a file
attachment to an internet address through the CompuServe Mail Hub.
(e.g., MAIL @ CSERVE {INTERNET:...})
The CompuServe Mail Hub will only accept file attachments to internet
addresses if the message includes the option "Attachment-type: TEXT"
in the SMF message header, and if the files only include 7-bit
information (as the internet is a 7-bit e-mail system). (It should be
noted that the transfer of binary files through the internet usually
involves some type of encoding such as MIME or UUENCODE, where 8-bit
data is encoded in a 7-bit data stream for transfer.)
If the "Attachment-type" header is not present, or is not set to "TEXT",
then CompuServe will return an error message back to the sender indicating
that only text files may be sent to internet addresses.
However, if the sending application sets the first option in the
"MCB-Options" header to "Y" (return contents), the message returned
from -MaiSer- @ CSERVE does not include any description of the
error condition. Instead the original message is returned to the sender,
without ANY explanation of why it was rejected, only an "Error-report: 255"
header, indicating that there was a problem.
Note that all of the above is true whether Connect^2, MHS 1.5, or
NetWare Global MHS is used as the transport for connecting to the
CompuServe Mail hub.
The reference to a missing attachment is caused by Connect^2 seeing
the original "Attachment-name:" header, and generating an error because
the attachment is not included in the message that is being returned.
The only solution to this problem is to have the front-end e-mail
application insert "Attachment-type: TEXT" into the message header
when sending text files through the CompuServe Mail hub to internet
recipients.
In the case of Pegasus Mail, the user must specify an attachment type
of Text when attaching the file to the message. Further note that
Pegasus Mail will only include the "Attachment-type:" header if it
has been configured to operate in SMF-71 mode. To configure PMail
to operate in SMF-71 mode, run PCONFIG, select "NetWare MHS/SMF
Settings", and specify "Y" to "SMF-71 Available?".
If you have a need to transfer binary files to internet recipients,
it may be prudent to also explore other services. These options
could include UUCP or SMTP gateways directly connected to your system,
or a public C^2 or MHS hub service like LanSoft's InterHub service.
For more information on LanSoft's InterHub service, call LanSoft at
1-614-786-1713, or send e-mail to sa...@lansoft.usa.com. (The LanSoft
InterHub service is an independent service, not affiliated with Infinite
Technologies.)
= End Included Text =
Hope this helps.
Jeff
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| Jeff Knapp Manager of Information Systems|
| Parsippany, NJ j...@cuyler.com|
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
And now for something completely different:
Monty Python On Communist Subversion:
Using this diagram of a tooth to represent any small country, we
can see how international communism works, by eroding away from the
inside. When one country or tooth falls victim to international
communism, the others soon follow. In dentristy, this is known as
the Domino Theory.
-- Uncle Sam (animated)
Michael Daniell
We use an MHS only environment (actually Connect2). I
can't see a way to send enclosures or attacments to an
internet address via the Internet gateway we use
(Compuserve). Even with 'use enclosures' set winpmail
presumes we're sending to an MHS address and sends the
attachment as an attachment - not an encoded enclosure.
Does anyone know if there any way to force Winpmail to
create enclosures or separate encoded attachments (which
can be handled by the internet gateway) when sending to an
internet recipient via an MHS router?
Our Internet mail is addressed in this form:
mail@cserve{internet:dani...@fphcare.mhs.compuserve.com}
Thanks
Mike
==============================================================
Michael Daniell
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Tel: +64 9 5740161
25 Carbine Rd Fax: +64 9 5740157
Auckland Compuserve: MHS:DANIELLM@FPHCARE
New Zealand Internet: dani...@fphcare.mhs.compuserve.com
==============================================================
Rick Dexter
>
> > can't see a way to send enclosures or attacments to an
> > internet address via the Internet gateway we use
>
I
> had the same problem back in July, and this is what Inifinte eventuall=
y
> put in one of the tech support files (c2fyi2.doc) they keep on CServe:=
Actually, it's very easy to do.
You need to install the latest beta of Connect=B2. Send a message to
lib...@infinite.ihub.com with the subject line, "C2BETA". The file
you get back will be uuencoded, and requires an already installed
copy of Connect=B2.
There is a new concept in this beta called a "passthru gateway".
This gives you the ability to run all sent and received messages
through a 'filter' of sorts, giving you the ability to do things such
as virus scanning file attachments, validating message senders,
checking spelling, filtering dirty words, and yes, dealing with this
Compuserve MHS hub limitation of binary file attachments. A simple
batch file can automatically uuencode the message into multiple 64k
chunks (the file size limit of Compuserve) and send it on. Received
messages passed through the gateway can be auto-uudecoded as well
(although keeping track of multiple 64k received chunks is a bit
tricky).
Every message I send with PMail runs through several gateways that
filter dirty words and virus scan file attachments before being sent
on to it's final destination. Anything destined for Compuserve is
run through a auto uuencoder, which makes the file attachment(s) a
part of the original message, and splits it into 64k pieces. It works
quite nicely, and the overhead is quite minimal.
- Rick -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rick Dexter Internet: ri...@mpa.com
Michael Price Associates MHS: RICK @ FELTON
Menlo Park, California via CSERVE, NHUB or INFINITE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff Knapp
Jeff Knapp wrote:
> > In theory you can't do it. It's a limitation of the CompuServe hub. I
> > had the same problem back in July, and this is what Inifinte eventually
> > put in one of the tech support files (c2fyi2.doc) they keep on CServe
> Actually, it's very easy to do.
Only if you know about the beta ;-)
Thanks for the info, I'll try it out.
Jeff
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| Jeff Knapp Manager of Information Systems|
| Parsippany, NJ j...@cuyler.com|
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
And now for something completely different:
Monty Python On Responsibility (of News Media):
It's perfectly easy for someone just to come along here to the BBC
and simply claim they have a bit to spare in the botty department.
The point is, our viewers need proof!
-- Interviewer to Arthur Frampton