Encoding files is a more advanced use of Email that sometimes causes problems. This document explains Encoding and sending files as enclosures thru the internet.

This information was provided by Claris Corporation on 16 March 1998, and incorporated into Apple Computer's Tech Info Library.

Introduction - What is Encoding?
Encoding is a way to send large files thru the internet. It is needed because the internet was designed for sending only text. The internet can not directly handle the transmission of programs and large files. Encoding is a technique that gets around this limitation by using a system to convert the file into text. If you look at an encoded file, it is made up of seemingly random characters, it may look like garbage, but to a decoding program, each character has a purpose.

When you choose the correct encoding option, Emailer will handle the encoding automatically, in most cases. If the person you are sending the file to has a good email program at their end, it will normally "decode" (or convert) the file without additional steps.

The following is Q & A on sending and receiving encoded files.

Q. When is encoding needed?
A. Encoding is needed in any of the following three cases:
1. Large text files - You should send large text files as enclosures. You should add as an enclosure and encode large text files over 10 pages (or 20K.) If you don't, many servers will convert it to an enclosure for you.
2. Application programs - If you want to e-mail a friend that great new game or updater or shareware utility you just found.
3. Graphic files or application documents - such as a TIFF or PICT image or Photoshop or PageMaker documents.

Q. I want to send a file, which encoding option should I use?
A. There is no one simple answer to this question. It depends on which service you are using and if you are sending the file to a Mac or Windows user. If you don't know, then use Base 64 encoding.

* If you're sending a file from your Mac to another Mac user, then choose BinHex for Encoding and select Compression.
* If you're sending a file from your Mac to a Windows user, then choose Base 64 and do not select Compression.
* If you're sending a file from your Mac to many different people, then choose Base 64 and do not select Compression.
* If you're sending a file from your Mac to one person, but you don't know what type of computer they have, then choose Base 64 and do not select Compression.

There is one exception if you're sending a file from America Online, using Claris Emailer on your Mac, to another Mac user on America Online, then choose Service Default for Encoding and select Compression.
If you're sending a file from America Online, using your Mac, to a Windows user on America Online, then choose Service Default for Encoding and do not select Compression. (Note: If you choose one of the other encoding options, you will get a message telling you to choose Service Default or No Encoding. The No Encoding option also uses AOL's default encoding.)

You should also use Service Default if you're sending a file from CompuServe to another CompuServe user.

Q. I received a file, but Emailer didn't automatically uncompress it. It looks like many pages of garbage text. What do I do? or
Q. I sent a file to a friend who says she didn't receive an attachment, she just got a text file full of garbage. What do I tell her to do?

A. That seemingly "garbage text" is the actual file. Emailer normally decodes the text back into a file. If Emailer (or other email program) doesn't decode it, then you will get what appears to be a file of random characters. In this case, you should use a utility program to decode it, which converts it back into the original file. Here are some programs you can use:
* Mpack or YA-Base64 - If the file is a standard MIME or Base 64 type of file, then you need Mpack or YA-Base64 to decode it on a Mac. If your friend is using Windows, then WinZip can decode it.
* Stuffit Expander (free) for Mac will decode BinHex files. (WinZip for Windows)
* UUCD (free) and Stuffit Expander with DropStuff (shareware) for Mac will decode UUencoded files.
* WinZip on Windows will decode Base 64, BinHex and UUencoded files.

If this is a file you have received, and you don't know the encoding type, look carefully at the "header," which is text that tells where the file has been and when. There should be info that says, for example: (This file must be converted with BinHex 4.0) Or if the file has a name with an .hqx extension, such as File.hqx, then it uses BinHex encoding. If you don't know the compression type, the name may give a clue: File.zip means it is in the zip format and File.sit means it was comressed with Stuffit.

Q. What is an enclosure?
A. An enclosure is a separate file that is attached to your email message. You can not view the enclosure as part of your message. Claris Emailer saves an enclosure as a separate file on your hard drive. When you receive an email message with an enclosure, Claris Emailer places the enclosure in the Downloads folder, in your Emailer Files folder.

If the encoded file is small, it may not be an enclosure. It may show up as many pages of text in your message. In this case, you should use Save As Text... to save it to a file to be decoded. You can then use Stuffit Expander or other utility program you are using to decode it.

Q. When should I use Service Default?
A. Service default should only be used if you are using America Online and are sending a file to another America Online user, or it can be used if you are using your CompuServe account and sending a file to another CompuServe address. When you choose this option, the file will be encoded with the encoding that the service uses. It will then be decoded at the receivers end.

Q. When should I use No Encoding?
A. In Claris Emailer 2, No Encoding should only be used if you are using America Online, or it can be used if you are using your CompuServe account and sending a file to another CompuServe address. You could also use this option if you want to encode the file with another utility before sending it. All files going thru the Internet must be encoded.

Q. What is compression?
A. Compression programs are utilities that make files smaller. Popular compression programs on the Mac include Stuffit Deluxe and Compact Pro. On the Windows platform, Winzip is commonly used. It is not well known that two Windows utilities, UnzipIt and StuffIt Expander for Windows, can uncompress files that have been compressed with Stuffit on a Mac. Claris Emailer uses the StuffIt engine to compress files. Likewise, StuffIt Deluxe (Mac) can decompress files that have been compressed with PKzip or Winzip on a Windows computer.

Q. When should I use compression?
A. You can use compression when sending a file to another Mac user. StuffIt Expander from Aladdin Systems is free and widely available on the Mac platform. If you send a file to someone who doesn't have a good email program or an decompression utility, you can recommend that they obtain Stuffit Expander. You can also use compression when sending a file to a Windows user, however, they will need to do an additional step, decompression, using a program such as UnzipIt or StuffIt Expander for Windows before the file can be used.

Tip: Claris Emailer (and many other programs) send lines of text that are only 72 characters long. You may have received a message and tried to print it using a smaller font, but it had a return at the end of every line. Using Claris Emailer, a solution is to put a special character (called upper ASCII) in your text. For example: a bullet or dot point (option 8) or curly quotes or curly apostrophe (ClarisWorks converts to this automatically) When the document includes upper ASCII characters, Emailer converts it to something called quoted-printable and does not put a return at the end of every line.

Q. What is MIME?
A. Base64 is one implementation of MIME, which is a newer encoding standard that attempts to make it easier to send files thru the internet. When both the sender and the receiver have a good email program, then the encoding is handled automatically. Base64 is the preferred cross-platform encoding format.

Q. What is BinHex?
A. BinHex is the standard Mac encoding format, which also encodes a part of a program file, called the resource fork. If you are sending Mac application programs thru email, BinHex is the preferred encoding method. For data files, either BinHex or Base64 works fine.

Q. What is UUEncode?
A. UUEncode is an encoding format that is mostly used on UNIX machines and is used less in the Mac and Windows worlds.