Topic: .eml files

[Clive]

Can anyone tell me what an .eml file is?  Mrs Clive has been sent a 6.5 Mb .eml file which she is unable to open with any of her existing software - and it seems nobody else can open it either.  Her e-mail client warns that it could be a virus and a quick google search suggests that it could be correct.  The file is not unsolicited and the source should be reliable.

[Simon]

.eml is an email file, Clive, used by Outlook and Outlook Express, for stationary, I think, but it can also be used to 'wrap' other files, which could, of course, be nasty.   Unless it's actually an email she was expecting, I would be very careful, as emails even from trusted sources can contain viruses, as you know.  The following links may help, but if it's non-essential, it may be wise to heed the warnings from the mail client, or at least save the file elsewhere and scan, double scan, and triple scan it before opening.  If all scans are clean, it should be OK.  If it's not unsolicited, can she check with the sender, to see what the attachment actually is, and what it's supposed to open with?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/312355

http://filext.com/detaillist.php?extdetail=EML

http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/nimda.shtml

http://www.viruslist.com/en/viruses/encyclopedia?virusid=22799

[Clive]

Thanks for all that illuminating information Simon.  She's actually spoken to the sender who has informed her that the file was made in Publisher 98.  It's actually a website but I don't think it's "live".  Mrs Clive has Publisher 2000 but that refuses to deal with it.  It's not uncommon for Publisher to refuse to open files created in a different version.  I'm now quite certain that the file isn't infected as I've now transferred it to my own computer and run a full scan.

[Clive]

I tried the MS Support page you posted and found it very easy to follow.  However, the action they told me to take had already been implemented by default so nothing needed changing.

[Simon]

Right, according to this, she should be able to 'Save as', in previous version format.  But how is the file opened to save it?     I'm lost, but the info in the link above may help, Clive.

[Clive]

Thanks Simon.  I''ve actually got it to admit that it's a Publisher file now rather than an .eml.  Progress!  But it says "Publisher cannot open files from a different version".     Oh well, tomorrow is another day!

[Simon]

I'd be surprised if Publisher isn't backwards compatible.  Will it not open from within Publisher itself?  Perhaps there's an Import facility? 

[Clive]

That's the error message I get when I try to import it Simon.  But the file has now been re-sent, possibly in a different format, so I may have further news later. 

[sam]

I'd be surprised if Publisher isn't backwards compatible.  Will it not open from within Publisher itself?  Perhaps there's an Import facility? 

publisher is awful for backwards compatiblity, its an absolute nightmare

[Clive]

Turns out that it was Publisher 2003 not 1998.  That's why Mrs Clive can't open it.  I think I will have to get her a newer version. 

[Simon]

Right, so the version being sent is Pub2003, and Mrs C has Pub2000, yes?  Well, apparently, the sender can 'Save as...' in Pub2000 format, much like you can save in different versions of Word, so if she does that, and resends it, it should open.

[Clive]

Oh that's useful!  I'll flag that over to Mrs Clive's desk immediately!