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Hi there!
Using Outlook 2011 for Mac and one thing that is driving me a little bananas that I am not sure how to fix is that if I click and drag an attachment from one email into another, it --oftentimes-- appends the file name of that attachment by adding numbers onto the end of it...
Does anyone know how I might fix this? I went through all of Outlook's preferences and all of my system preferences, as well. I believe it's related to the Outlook Temp folder. Is there a way to change the settings on the temp folder such that when you drag a file from one email onto another that it doesn't treat it as a brand new file (thus having to re-name it so that there aren't two files with the same exact name in the folder itself)? Hopefully that makes sense... here's a screen-cap of my temp folder to kind of help show what's happening:
Thanks!
Using older versions of Outlook for Mac in business environments
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Answer accepted by question author
As per my understanding outlook does automatically create a copy of the attachments when you first open the email. So the next time you actually try dragging the files to another attachment it creates another copy of file with (1). From my understanding I don't think this is actually an issue.
I also find this to be really annoying and would request Microsoft to consider this a bug (or an "issue") and fix it.
The same behavior happens with Outlook for Mac 2016 which is what I'm using (but, as you also did, I encountered the same behavior in Outlook 2011). Thanks for sharing your workaround regarding clearing out the Outlook Temp folder! Another workaround is to save the attachment to your desktop first, and then attach that file to the e-mail you're sending. In this way, it maintains the original filename.
Of course, ideally Microsoft would fix this so users don't have to go through any of these workarounds!
I agree. :(
What's odd is that it only happens on Outlook 2011 for Mac! (I haven't upgraded to 2016 yet...perhaps this issue is fixed?). When I had Outlook 2010 and then 2013 on my former PC (before getting a new work computer), this wasn't a problem. So it's either a Macintosh thing (that Microsoft doesn't have any control over) or it's a compatibility issue that Microsoft should remedy.
In any case....I just usually have to go into my Outlook Temp folder a few times each day in order to delete the temp files for whatever I'm needing to re-send? It was annoying at first but I'm used to it now. At least the folder clears itself after closing Outlook! =/
In case it's helpful for anyone, you can access your Outlook Temp folder by opening up Finder, selecting "Go to folder" (under "Go" drop-down menu), and typing in "~/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/Outlook Temp". Actually, I never have to type it in anymore; my Finder remembers the pathway.
Half the time, the files are "locked" so that they can't be deleted. If that's the case, just right-click whatever temp files you want to delete and select "Get Info". From there you can uncheck the box next to "Locked". Then you can delete them. ;)
As per my understanding outlook does automatically create a copy of the attachments when you first open the email. So the next time you actually try dragging the files to another attachment it creates another copy of file with (1). From my understanding I don't think this is actually an issue.
Hi Arshad!
Thanks for responding. :) You're absolutely correct!
It's not so much that I worry that it might be a problem, it's mainly that it's just reeeally annoying? In other words, it's more of an aesthetic issue that I wondered if I could remedy. Due to the nature of my job (I coordinate the implementation of materials for print and eMedia ads), I'm dragging files from one email into another on a regular basis...and because this didn't used to happen when I was on a PC, I find it incredibly vexing. =/
So yea, just purely aesthetic! Sending files with names like "ProgDyn-converter[1][1][1][1].jpg" just looks a wee bit tacky and unprofessional. Hoping there's an easy fix of some sort! :)
Thanks again,
Ashley