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Bogus attachment notification when composing

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Jean-Pierre Coulon

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Dec 6, 2012, 2:31:43 AM12/6/12
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When I compose a message and try to attach a file which doesn't exist, but
has a familiar extension, e.g. .pdf, .doc, .jpg etc I obtain the message
"mybug.pdf attached as type application/pdf" instead of "mybug.pdf not found".

Did I miss something in my Setup, Config?

--
Jean-Pierre Coulon

Michael Black

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Dec 7, 2012, 11:03:45 PM12/7/12
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I don't know. I've never sent an attachment. So I just tried, and trying
to attach a file that doesn't exist gives a message about how the file
can't be found. Oddly, there is no message with an existing file, the
filenmae shows up in the attachment header.

This is ALPINE 2.02. I wouldn't have changed any configuration dealing
with attachments. Checking setup/config, I see a few places where
"attachment" is mentioned, but nothing about this matter.

For what it's worth, reading in a file works the same, it warns that the
file isn't there (I forget the words) if it doesnt' exist.

MIchael

Jean-Pierre Coulon

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Dec 9, 2012, 6:42:22 AM12/9/12
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On Fri, 7 Dec 2012, Michael Black wrote:

> I don't know. I've never sent an attachment. So I just tried, and trying to
> attach a file that doesn't exist gives a message about how the file can't be
> found. Oddly, there is no message with an existing file, the filenmae shows
> up in the attachment header.

I meant "semi-existing" files in the sense:
<non-existing-file>.<plausible-extension>. Please try out with Alpine 2.02

Jean-Pierre Coulon

unruh

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Dec 9, 2012, 2:07:31 PM12/9/12
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alpine's handling of attachments leaves something to be desired. You
know it has found the attachment because there is length listed after
the attachment name in the Attachment: line. That is the only indication
that the file has been found-- well, that and the refusal to send the
message if the attachment is not found.


Allodoxaphobia

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Dec 9, 2012, 2:28:30 PM12/9/12
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This thread tweaked my curiosity.
I'm using re-alpine 2.02 on FreeBSD.

I attempted to attach a non-existant PDF and moved the cursor
down to the Subject: line:

| ALPINE 2.02(1266) COMPOSE MESSAGE Folder: INBOX No Messages
|
|To :
|Cc :
|Attchmnt: 1. BOGUS.pdf
|Subject :
|----- Message Text -----
|
|
| [ File "/home/jinx/BOGUS.pdf" not found ]
|^G Get Help ^X Send ^R Rich Hdr ^Y PrvPg/Top ^K Cut Line ^O Postpone
|^C Cancel ^D Del Char ^J Attach ^V NxtPg/End ^U UnDel Line

What you would expect, no?
To be doubly sure, I then attempted to attach a non-existant JPEG and
moved the cursor down to the Subject: line:

| ALPINE 2.02(1266) COMPOSE MESSAGE Folder: INBOX No Messages
|
|To :
|Cc :
|Attchmnt: 1. BOGUS.jpeg
|Subject :
|----- Message Text -----
|
|
| [File /home/jinx/BOGUS.jpeg attached as type IMAGE/jpeg]
|^G Get Help ^X Send ^R Rich Hdr ^Y PrvPg/Top ^K Cut Line ^O Postpone
|^C Cancel ^D Del Char ^J Attach ^V NxtPg/End ^U UnDel Line

Whoa!!! That ain't correct!

I get the same effect on alpine 2.00 -- which I also have on this
FreeBSD box.

HTH,
Jonesy
--
Marvin L Jones | jonz | W3DHJ | linux
38.24N 104.55W | @ config.com | Jonesy | OS/2
* Killfiling google & XXXXbanter.com: jonz.net/ng.htm

unruh

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Dec 9, 2012, 5:57:29 PM12/9/12
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Yup. But if you tried to send the messages, alpine would refuse, because
thos files do not exist.
The fact that there is not (length of file) after the attachment name is
the clue.

I am not at all sure that the first ( where the system refuses to let
you go on to another entry if you have not fixed the attachment name) is
a good idea, but certainly the message that the bogus file has been
attached it is wrong. Note that this behaviour has been there for decades of
pine/alpine.

Lucas Levrel

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Dec 10, 2012, 4:12:29 AM12/10/12
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Le 9 décembre 2012, Allodoxaphobia a écrit :

>> I meant "semi-existing" files in the sense:
>> <non-existing-file>.<plausible-extension>. Please try out with Alpine 2.02
>
> This thread tweaked my curiosity.

Same here.

At first I couldn't reproduce: I always use ^J to attach a file (which
enables tab-completion), and this works as expected. Then I figured out
one can simply type a filename in the Attchmnt field!

Now that I've learned something, I hope you have as well. (^J is one
additional keystroke, but you may save several thanks to tab-completion.)

--
LL

unruh

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Dec 10, 2012, 1:11:19 PM12/10/12
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On 2012-12-10, Lucas Levrel <lucas....@u-pec.fr> wrote:
> Le 9 d?cembre 2012, Allodoxaphobia a ?crit :
Hmm. Did not know about ^J. The problem is that the tab does not
differentiate between "No filename corresponds to the completion of the
already typed stuff" and "Many files correspond to the completion". Eg,
it does not list the possibilities a la bash. Nor does it give any other
indication as to which of those possibilites are true. Or have I missed
something?

>

Lucas Levrel

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Dec 11, 2012, 3:48:01 AM12/11/12
to
Le 10 dï¿œcembre 2012, unruh a ï¿œcrit :

> Hmm. Did not know about ^J. The problem is that the tab does not
> differentiate between "No filename corresponds to the completion of the
> already typed stuff" and "Many files correspond to the completion".

True. But it's better than nothing. If you really have no clue as to
which is correct, you can always ^T...

--
LL
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