Same email attachment problem "how do you want to open this file?"
Greetings,
The person I try to email (as attachments) Musescore files is still getting the following message when he clicks on download within my email: "how do you want to open this file?" and then advises "file is not recognized, not downloadable, or file cannot be opened". Because he cannot open the MuseScore file, he also cannot save it somewhere and then try to open it.
I forwarded him the comment I received from this initial post a few weeks ago but today he told me he still cannot open my files, yet the samples which the person who replied to my initial forum posting said he could open with no difficulty. Any more suggestions? We both use Yahoo! mail and the same version of MuseScore.
Many thanks!
Comments
Ciao Megan, make sure you have not attached a backup file (ends with a comma).
Attach here your score and ask the person to download it from this page (just an idea).
In reply to Ciao Megan, make sure you by Shoichi
A sincere thank you, Shoichi, for your reply.
Yes, I am sure I have not attached back-up files. Unfortunately, we are not quite ready to make the files in question public at this time.
In reply to A sincere thank you, Shoichi, by Megan R
Have you tried to Export as XML and attach it? Or use something like WeTransfer?
In reply to Have you tried to Export as by Shoichi
No, I have not..........as I am not that skilled in software. I have done a search on Google for the prompt ("how do you want to open this file" and will email him these links but I am not sure if what is presented is an answer to a different problem. In the past he used to be able to open my files......but not more. Here are the links. Thank you!
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/choose-which-windows-8-program-sh…
http://www.gcflearnfree.org/windows8/17
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/7811-open-change-default-program-w…
http://techforluddites.com/windows-8-1-change-the-default-program-for-o…
In reply to A sincere thank you, Shoichi, by Megan R
If you are concerned, just delete the contents of the score (eg, Ctrl+A, Delete) and then share the resulting empty score. Whatever is going wrong will presumably still go wrong. I think, though, it will turn out that the problem is with how you are mailing it, not anything with the file itserlf or with MuseScoreand you will need to find someone who is reasonable computer-savvy to stand over your shoulder and see what you might be doing wrong, and the same for the person receiving the file.
In reply to If you are concerned, just by Marc Sabatella
Thank you, Marc. I email him MS files the same way I email him PDFs and he is able to open those, as is every one else I send photos or PDF files. I do not email anyone else MS files.
I also attach them the same way I have in the past during the days when he was able to open my MS files. I will send to him the links I provided in my last MS forum reply and see if that helps him open my files.
This is how I attach the MS files I send him: From within MuseScore (MS), I save the file to my desk top, open my email, and attach the MS file on my desktop to my email. I am positive I am not emailing him the back up copy.
Is this an incorrect way to do it? Thank you.
Attached is the file after I have deleted the contents.
In reply to Thank you, Marc. I email him by Megan R
The file you posted is fine, as I expected.
Basically, the error message he is seeing suggests the problem is with the *name* of the file. That's how Windows decides what program to use to open the file. If it ends in ".mscz", Windows knows to send it to MuseScore. So somehow, by the time you attach it and he gets it, the name of the file is not right. Which is why we keep suggesitng you might accidentally be sending the backup, since those do not end in ".mscz" (they end in ".mscz,", which is different). Either that or something has messed up the file associations on his computer so that Windows has forgotten how to handle ".mscz".
Either way, he should be able to open the file just fine if saves it from the email rather than trying to open the attachment directly. Presumably Yahoo mail allwos you to save attachments, so tell him to save it, make sure the name ends in ".mscz", and then he can open it directly from within MuseScore (File / Open). Whatever is going on to cause Windows to be confused would probably be obvious to any reasonably computer-savvy person who was standing over your friend's shoulder and they could probably sort it out in 10 seconds. But if your friend doens't know anyone who can help him, just tell him to do exactly what I said Again:
1) save the file, make sure name ends iin ".mscz" (without the quotes)
2) open MuseScore
3) File / Open
4) browse to where he saved the file
5) selelct the file
6) Open
In reply to The file you posted is fine, by Marc Sabatella
Thank you, Marc.
I have checked 5 times to make sure I have never sent him a back up file and I have not. And the fact that I attached the correct (non-back-up) file to this posting assures me that I have been attaching the correct file(s) and not the back-up versions. All the sent files end in .mscz So........I will email him your much appreciated instructions that you posted moments ago.
If Windows has forgotten how to handle .mscz files, perhaps the info contained in the Google search result links I will send him will refresh Windows' memory??? As for Yahoo! being able to save from within email, I personally get that prompt allowing me to save attached documents, which is how I save all kinds of email attachments. He, instead of getting that same prompt to save, gets the "how do you want to open" prompt. Nevertheless, if the links I will send him momentarily along with your comments and that of the other responder(s) do not work, it seems there is nothing else to do but have someone try to help him at his end.
As soon as I hear back from him, I will post the successful remedy in case others ever have the same problem.
My sincere thanks to you, Marc, and all who replied. With very best wishes, Megan.
In reply to A sincere thank you, Shoichi, by Megan R
Another thought, in line with Shoichi's idea: you can upload the score to Musescore.com and set permissions to PRIVATE. Then create a group, make it private, add that score to it, and make your friend a member of the group. Only he and you will be able to see it.
To create a group: Make sure you're logged in, then click on Dashboard (upper right of page). On that page you'll see the heading Groups and below that a link for Create a group. Click on that and follow the prompts.
On the group page, you will see links to enable you to invite or add members to the group.
To add the score to the group page, click on the score on your My Profile page, then click Add to/remove from Group on the page for that score. Follow the prompts.
I gather you're not using an onboard mail client, but are composing and sending your e-mail directly on the Yahoo webmail page. Since that procedure used to work and has stopped working suddenly for no apparent reason, it occurs to me that Yahoo may have recently updated its spam/virus filters and that could be causing the names of the files you attach to become corrupted.
Try sending a copy of one of those e-mails to yourself; in theory, the copy you receive should show things the same way as they appear in the original you send to your friend. If the file names are correct in your copy, it might be that HIS e-mail server has recently updated virus/spam filters.
In reply to I gather you're not using an by Recorder485
Oh, all of you are so wonderful to reply to my inquiry with your helpful suggestions.
Yes, I am sending my e-mail and attachments directly from my Yahoo email page where I compose my message.
As far as emailing the files to myself, I just did that and have done that in the past and ALL times I can open them with no problem and with no file extension name changes.
I very much like your and Shoichi's idea of creating a private group and adding his name to it. Thanks much for the instructions on how to do this as I would not have known otherwise. I will try this, ask him to go to my group, and report back our findings. Know that I appreciate everyone's assistance VERY much.
What are the chances that his following the instructions in the links I provided in an earlier post (they all give the same directions just worded differently) could resolve this issue? Meaning, Windows maybe doesn't realize he has MScore on board and seeing if he can set it as the default that that might work? Thanks again!!
In reply to Oh, all of you are so by Megan R
It is indeed possible, but I think not too likely. Normally when you install MuseScore, it tells Windows that it wants to own the extension ".mscz". I believe you said he no trouble opening other files by clicking them, which tells me his file associations are fine. So it somehow his email client seems to be getting confused with these new attachments. It would be interesting to have him try my suggestion of saving the attachment, and see what filename his email client tries to save it with. Also would be interesting to find out if he has that horrible option set in that causes Windows to lie about filenames, hiding the extensions for known file types. I'll never understand why Microsoft offers that option, much less made it the default in at least some versions of Windows, but it leads pretty directly to all sorts of confusion and problems like this.
In reply to It is indeed possible, but I by Marc Sabatella
Hi, Marc,
That is the problem.........since he cannot open it, he cannot save it to see the file name. Unlike me, Yahoo! doesn't give him the option to save.........it just asks the question: "how do you want to open this file?" and then tells him it cannot be opened.
I have just set up a group and will add his name to it. Do I understand correctly that only he and I can see it and that he, too, will be able to make changes to the score, which is what I want him to be able to do?
He has no trouble opening PDF files I send him; but the PDF files cannot be edited.
I will email him your comment about that horrible Windows option. I doubt if he or I know where to look for that default setting. I do, however, understand how to work with that group option so if I can get that to work for us, I will stick to sharing files with him that way as long as his being a member of my group will allow him to edit the scores.
Thanks much!
In reply to Hi, Marc, That is the by Megan R
The answer to both questions is 'yes'.
1. If you set the group to be a PRIVATE group, and set the score to be PRIVATE when you upload it to your own Musescore user page (which you have to do first so that you can then add the score to the group page), then only you and members you invite to belong to that group will be able to see the score.
2. Your friend will be able to download the score from the group page, and when he does that it will open automatically in MuseScore, so he'll be able to work on it, save his changes, and then upload the revised version to the group page where YOU can see what he's done.
In reply to Hi, Marc, That is the by Megan R
I don't understanmd how his mail client could not be letting him save the file. I don't know the program he is using, but normally that option would be available in a right click menu.
Again, I really think if he could find someone more computer-savvy to stand over his shoulder, this could be resolved completely in minutes. But meanwhile, the private group should indeed be a workaround. He should be able to downlaod the scores from there, then uplaod his changes.
In reply to I don't understanmd how his by Marc Sabatella
My sincere thanks to Recorder485, Shoichi, Marc and others who have provided very helpful and appreciated suggestions, instructions and replies.
Since I do not have access to his computer to try the e-mail related suggestions you have generously provided, I am awaiting his reply to my invitation to join my group and the results of his attempt at opening and editing his creations. Thank you for the reassurance that his work will indeed remain private if I check the right boxes, which I believe I have. As soon as I hear back from him, I will post the results of his attempts to open the scores from within the group.
Thanks again!
Just wanted to again thank all of you for your assistance. My recipient has since told me he was able to open the score attachments I sent in my earlier email but has not yet indicated what offered suggestions he tried or why he thinks he was able to do so. Nevertheless, I very much like the option of posting scores using the MuseScore group feature and will use it to avoid any other future email-attachment difficulties. Best wishes.