# Attaching Photos to AOL Internet Email Service Emails - A Problemo



## George Costanza

Tricky (for me) question.  I'm sure someone out there will know the answer.

I want to attach jpeg photos to an email and send them to another person.  I am using AOL.  (I know, I know . . . but I'm using it, and that's that, OK?)  In the old days, before I learned the hard way that installing AOL software onto your computer can ruin your computer for you, attaching and sending photos to emails was no problem.

Now that I know better about AOL software, however, I use the AOL Internet email service.  Now, I have a problem.  Now, I can attach a photo (or a number of them) to an email OK, but now, the photo actually appears in the body of the email.  It never used to do that when I was using AOL software.  

I suppose having the photo appear in the email is OK, however, it is a HUGE version of the photo - so huge, that you cannot view the photo, as a practical matter.  I have learned that you can right click on the photo and select View Photo, and that will scale it down somewhat, but it is still much too large.

I don't want the damn photo to appear in the body of the email.  I just want to attach it so the person receiving it can view it with some type of photo viewer, i.e., opening it independently of viewing it in the actual body of the email.

How do I do that?  Can it even be done?  If it cannot be done, how do I "scale down" the photo(s), so it won't be so large in the body of the email?


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## Quantum Windbag

Push the paperclip button on the AIM Mail toolbar. (3rd from the end.)


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## syrenn

are you adding them as attachments?

Most mega pixel photos toady are way to huge. You need to use a photo editor and down size them.  Software if you have it or something like photo bucket. Then try uploading them as attachments to your email.


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## George Costanza

Quantum Windbag said:


> Push the paperclip button on the AIM Mail toolbar. (3rd from the end.)



I don't have an AIM Mail toolbar.  There is a paperclip located right below the Subject field and just to the left of the Browse field.  But the paperclip doesn't do anything if you click on it.  You have to click on the Browse button and then navigate to the photo(s) you want to attach.

When you do that, you get the huge photos in the body of the email (see OP).


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## George Costanza

syrenn said:


> are you adding them as attachments?
> 
> Most mega pixel photos toady are way to huge. You need to use a photo editor and down size them.  Software if you have it or something like photo bucket. Then try uploading them as attachments to your email.



Yes - I am attaching them to the email.  But I am used to attaching pics as nothing more than attachments - they shouldn't appear in the email itself.  For example, suppose you want to attach a Word file or an Excel file to an email.  You go through the same procedure as you do with pics, i.e., clicking on Browse, navigating to the file you want and then clicking on Open.  But, when you do that, the file itself does not appear in the email, i.e.,  you don't see your spreadsheet as part of the email itself.  You just send it and the recipient opens it with his/her Excel or Word program or whatever.

So I guess that's really my question - regardless of the size of the pic, is there a way I can just ATTACH it, without having the pic itself appear in the email?

Yes, the photos I am sending are quite large - about l.4 MB each.  I know how to shrink the size of jpeg files in Photobucket.  But I am sending a large number of photos and don't want to go to all the trouble of doing that.  I think there is a way to mess with the file sizes by using batch file procedures in Paint Shop Pro 8 (which I have) but, again, I don't want to have to do that if I can avoid it.

All I want to do is ATTACH the suckers.  Tell me how to do that (please), if it can be done.


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## Quantum Windbag

George Costanza said:


> Quantum Windbag said:
> 
> 
> 
> Push the paperclip button on the AIM Mail toolbar. (3rd from the end.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I don't have an AIM Mail toolbar.  There is a paperclip located right below the Subject field and just to the left of the Browse field.  But the paperclip doesn't do anything if you click on it.  You have to click on the Browse button and then navigate to the photo(s) you want to attach.
> 
> When you do that, you get the huge photos in the body of the email (see OP).
Click to expand...



It is there when I go to AIM Mail in my browser, let me check.

Got it, you are using the basic interface. You should see a choose file button on the compose page. If that doesn't work, scroll down and you should see a link that say standard version. If you click on that you should see the toolbar I mentioned.


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## George Costanza

Quantum Windbag said:


> George Costanza said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quantum Windbag said:
> 
> 
> 
> Push the paperclip button on the AIM Mail toolbar. (3rd from the end.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I don't have an AIM Mail toolbar.  There is a paperclip located right below the Subject field and just to the left of the Browse field.  But the paperclip doesn't do anything if you click on it.  You have to click on the Browse button and then navigate to the photo(s) you want to attach.
> 
> When you do that, you get the huge photos in the body of the email (see OP).
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> It is there when I go to AIM Mail in my browser, let me check.
> 
> Got it, you are using the basic interface. You should see a choose file button on the compose page. If that doesn't work, scroll down and you should see a link that say standard version. If you click on that you should see the toolbar I mentioned.
Click to expand...


Leaving for work and don't have time to check this out - will do when I get home.  But is this heading to where I will be able to merely _attach_ a photo without having the photo appear in the email itself?


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## syrenn

Good question. The fast and dirty solution (I think)  would be to attach the photos to and email to yourself and then forward the email.


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## George Costanza

syrenn said:


> Good question. The fast and dirty solution (I think)  would be to attach the photos to and email to yourself and then forward the email.



Nope.  It doesn't matter who I send it to (myself included), the body of the email contains this huge photo.  You have to scroll forever just to see a small portion of it.

I guess, so far, no one knows the answer to this one.  I hope someone can come up with some type of answer.  Even if it's: "You're screwed - if it's Internet email, there is no way to merely attach a photo without having the photo appear in the body of the email," that would be OK.  I just want to know what the deal is so I can then go forward with it.

But I just don't understand why I can attach a Word or Excel file, the text of which does not appear in the email yet, when I attach a photo, it does appear in the body of the email.


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## L.K.Eder

George Costanza said:


> syrenn said:
> 
> 
> 
> Good question. The fast and dirty solution (I think)  would be to attach the photos to and email to yourself and then forward the email.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nope.  It doesn't matter who I send it to (myself included), the body of the email contains this huge photo.  You have to scroll forever just to see a small portion of it.
> 
> I guess, so far, no one knows the answer to this one.  I hope someone can come up with some type of answer.  Even if it's: "You're screwed - if it's Internet email, there is no way to merely attach a photo without having the photo appear in the body of the email," that would be OK.  I just want to know what the deal is so I can then go forward with it.
> 
> But I just don't understand why I can attach a Word or Excel file, the text of which does not appear in the email yet, when I attach a photo, it does appear in the body of the email.
Click to expand...


since i don't use AOL i can only suggest a work around, zip the pic, or remove the file extension.

it sounds like you embed instead of attach.


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## Quantum Windbag

George Costanza said:


> Quantum Windbag said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> George Costanza said:
> 
> 
> 
> I don't have an AIM Mail toolbar.  There is a paperclip located right below the Subject field and just to the left of the Browse field.  But the paperclip doesn't do anything if you click on it.  You have to click on the Browse button and then navigate to the photo(s) you want to attach.
> 
> When you do that, you get the huge photos in the body of the email (see OP).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is there when I go to AIM Mail in my browser, let me check.
> 
> Got it, you are using the basic interface. You should see a choose file button on the compose page. If that doesn't work, scroll down and you should see a link that say standard version. If you click on that you should see the toolbar I mentioned.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Leaving for work and don't have time to check this out - will do when I get home.  But is this heading to where I will be able to merely _attach_ a photo without having the photo appear in the email itself?
Click to expand...


It should, if you use the attachment instead of the add pic links.


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## George Costanza

Quantum Windbag said:


> George Costanza said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quantum Windbag said:
> 
> 
> 
> It is there when I go to AIM Mail in my browser, let me check.
> 
> Got it, you are using the basic interface. You should see a choose file button on the compose page. If that doesn't work, scroll down and you should see a link that say standard version. If you click on that you should see the toolbar I mentioned.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Leaving for work and don't have time to check this out - will do when I get home.  But is this heading to where I will be able to merely _attach_ a photo without having the photo appear in the email itself?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> It should, if you use the attachment instead of the add pic links.
Click to expand...


I have switched over to Standard Version and I have located the Choose File button.  I am at work now, but when I get home tonight, I'll give it a shot and see if that will allow me to attach instead of imbed.

This still doesn't explain why I can attach and send Word or Excel files in the other version of AOL without embedding the file contents into the email itself.  Oh well - let's see what happens tonight.  I'll get back atcha.


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## Quantum Windbag

George Costanza said:


> Quantum Windbag said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> George Costanza said:
> 
> 
> 
> Leaving for work and don't have time to check this out - will do when I get home.  But is this heading to where I will be able to merely _attach_ a photo without having the photo appear in the email itself?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It should, if you use the attachment instead of the add pic links.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I have switched over to Standard Version and I have located the Choose File button.  I am at work now, but when I get home tonight, I'll give it a shot and see if that will allow me to attach instead of imbed.
> 
> This still doesn't explain why I can attach and send Word or Excel files in the other version of AOL without embedding the file contents into the email itself.  Oh well - let's see what happens tonight.  I'll get back atcha.
Click to expand...


AOL imbeds pictures by default on the assumption that everyone wants their pictures in their email, not as attachments, it also assumes that no one actually wants other files in the email. For the whys and wherefores, you could ask AOL customer service, but don't hold your breath.


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## George Costanza

Quantum Windbag said:


> George Costanza said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quantum Windbag said:
> 
> 
> 
> It should, if you use the attachment instead of the add pic links.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have switched over to Standard Version and I have located the Choose File button.  I am at work now, but when I get home tonight, I'll give it a shot and see if that will allow me to attach instead of imbed.
> 
> This still doesn't explain why I can attach and send Word or Excel files in the other version of AOL without embedding the file contents into the email itself.  Oh well - let's see what happens tonight.  I'll get back atcha.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> AOL imbeds pictures by default on the assumption that everyone wants their pictures in their email, not as attachments, it also assumes that no one actually wants other files in the email. For the whys and wherefores, you could ask AOL customer service, but don't hold your breath.
Click to expand...


Well, sir, you have solved me problem for me.  When I switch to the Standard version, I am able to send photos by way of attachment only, with no imbedding.  I cannot thank you enough.

I hate AOL as much as anyone - probably more, because AOL software destroyed my computer, two computers back or so.  Truly.  Computer Guy was unable to solve the problems that he said were clearly caused by the AOL software on my computer.  As I recall, I had installed Version 9.0 and as a consequence, problems began to develop.  I had to get a new computer.  I know it sounds nutty - but that is truly what happened.

There are numerous Web sites dedicated to trashing AOL.  Just Google AOL Sucks and see what you get.  Computer Guy said I could continue to use AOL, but do not install their software.  (Did you know that if you do install AOL software, you will get 17 unasked for and unwanted programs along with it?)  Using their Web email service does not put you at risk.

So anyway, thanks again.  Problem solved.  I will have one of my many USMB girlfriends give you hugs and kisses (as they like to put it).


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## syrenn

What? No hugs and kisses for me too?


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## George Costanza

syrenn said:


> What? No hugs and kisses for me too?



I was kind of hoping you would be giving them to QW, if you get my drift here . . .


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## syrenn

Alright QW *hhhhhuuuuuuggggsssss* that's from GC 

And here is one for you to GC *hhhhhuuuuuugggggssss  and a kkkiiiisssssssss* 

Sorry QW no kisses for you if GC wants to give them to you thats up to him. 


Im just happy you got it working.


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## George Costanza

syrenn said:


> Alright QW *hhhhhuuuuuuggggsssss* that's from GC
> 
> And here is one for you to GC *hhhhhuuuuuugggggssss  and a kkkiiiisssssssss*
> 
> Sorry QW no kisses for you if GC wants to give them to you thats up to him.
> 
> 
> Im just happy you got it working.



Thank you, Syrenn.


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