How to see in "Preview Pane" if downloaded emails have attachments...

[Clouseau]

How to see in "Preview Pane" if downloaded emails have attachments...

Good Evening Folks.

Like many of you I am sure, I have downloaded quite a few messages from my Gmail account into various specific folders on my computer, for the sake of streamlined viewing of all of the emails that relate to only the subject of that particular folder (For instance, one folder might relate to spare parts for my table-saw, whilst another folder might deal with the sale of my last house). The only problem is: I can’t see anywhere in my Windows Explorer “Preview Pane” whether any given downloaded message has any attachments or not…?

On my system (Windows 7 / 64bit), the Preview Pane in Windows Explorer displays who a particular downloaded email (file type = .eml) is from, as well as who it was sent to, and its subject, but NOT whether there are any files attached to it. And scrolling down to the bottom of each message’s preview doesn’t confirm the presence or absence of any attachments either. This is a genuine pity, because most of the emails I seem to find myself referring back to are the ones that had files attached to them…

I don’t suppose any of you know whether there’s some box that can be ticked somewhere that will enable this information to be shown?

I’m not actually looking to be able to preview such attachments, but to instead simply be able to see whether or not there are any present on a particular email in the first place…(?)

Many Thanks in advance,
Clouseau

 

[file3456]

Is the preview pane enabled? Window 7 Tip: Enable the Preview Pane for Quick File Viewing – Techerator

Also, it may depend on the folder properties of the folder. If you go into the folder and right click properties | customize and select pictures, that may enable the preview pane to be populated. Or it may be another customize setting.

 

[file3456]

Okay, I downloaded some emails from Thunderbird and placed the eml files in a folder. These eml files have attachments, but they seem embedded in the eml file its self. So because of that there won't be a preview that I know of.

If you want to quickly look for attachments, then install Thunderbird, configure it for your gmail account and you'll then have a better method for organization.

Although, with gmail you may have to turn off less secure apps for the damn thing to work in an email client.

Less secure apps & your Google Account - Google Account Help

 

[Snick]

Outlook works also for what OP is asking to do.
However, I would leave them in my email client and review the emails.
Attachments are viewable there.
Problem solved.

 

[RoWin7]

I use Thunderbird and have made some folders for various senders. Thunderbird sorts them using the filters I've set up.

You can make various folders in Gmail too, and just drag 'n' drop emails to where you want them.

 

[Clouseau]

Hearty thanks for your replies so far Gents, and sincere apologies for my delay in acknowledging them (There seems to be something amiss with my Subscription Alert setup!) Anyhow:

Is the preview pane enabled?

It certainly is F22, and successfully creating previews of the downloaded eml’s, but unfortunately the previews are not displaying whether or not the eml's have any attachments…

Okay, I downloaded some emails from Thunderbird and placed the eml files in a folder. These eml files have attachments, but they seem embedded in the eml file its self. So because of that there won't be a preview that I know of.

Just wondering F22 - Were the attachments on those eml’s you downloaded definitely “attachments”, or “inline” insertions of files (such as images) within the emails themselves?
If definitely “attachments”, it sounds like it might indeed be game over. Pity…

If you want to quickly look for attachments, then install Thunderbird, configure it for your gmail account and you'll then have a better method for organization.

Outlook works also for what OP is asking to do.
However, I would leave them in my email client and review the emails.
Attachments are viewable there.

I use Thunderbird and have made some folders for various senders. Thunderbird sorts them using the filters I've set up.
You can make various folders in Gmail too, and just drag 'n' drop emails to where you want them.

Gents, you are of course correct when asserting that using an email client will allow me to detect the presence of attachments, without having to open each and every email. But sticking to this method wont allow me to preview all of the documents (ie. Eml’s, PDF’s, and jpg’s, etc) one after the other seamlessly (bang, bang, bang, bang!) in any given folder, in continuous chronological order…

And there’s also the question of whether any of the email clients can be opened within an arbitrary folder, to view all (instead of only 1) of the eml’s in that particular folder (as opposed to only the client's usual In-Boxes/Folders, Sent-Boxes/Folders, etc).

Having said this, I will definitely have a look at Thunderbird as you have suggested F22 and RoWin7. It obviously can’t hurt to have a peek...

I’ve got a feeling, however, that the answer might lie in some sort of File Manager that had superior functionality to Windows Explorer(?)
Hmmm...

Best Wishes for now Gents,
Clouseau.

 

[RoWin7]

You can choose 3-pane view, which has the preview pane on the bottom right. The list of mails is on the top right, and you can just run down the list. I use an old TB, and it looks like this, with 3 accounts. Ignore the file name in Postimage:

steel cro hook sizes — Postimage.org

The second column shows a paper clip if there's an attachment. 3rd column shows if you replied. You can drag n drop emails to any subfolders on left.
Newer versions of TB might have a little different arrangement.

 

[file3456]

I don't think the attachments were inline. I tried several eml files with attachments.

 

[Clouseau]

Hello again Gentlemen,

RoWin - It does look pretty good going by that screenshot, and many thanks for going to the effort of posting it for me. The only thing is, I'll still have to satisfy myself that:
Firstly, those folders can be stored in arbitrary locations (rather than subbed within a single folder whose location isn't compatible for some reason with where I like to store my document folders).
Secondly, that Thunderbird can also preview PDF's and JPEG's, etc. (which would probably surprise me...)
But I will definitely have a peek at it when I can.

F22 - Thank-you for the response. It doesn't sound like I'm going to be in luck...

Stay safe over there Gents!

Best Wishes for now,
Clouseau.

 

[RoWin7]

Hello again Gentlemen,

RoWin - It does look pretty good going by that screenshot, and many thanks for going to the effort of posting it for me. The only thing is, I'll still have to satisfy myself that:
Firstly, those folders can be stored in arbitrary locations (rather than subbed within a single folder whose location isn't compatible for some reason with where I like to store my document folders).

You can see mine are independent of the Inbox and the Trash. I also archive some in "Local Folders."


Secondly, that Thunderbird can also preview PDF's and JPEG's, etc. (which would probably surprise me...)
But I will definitely have a peek at it when I can.

Yes it can, if they're either attached or inline. I'm not sure of what you're looking for that a POP3 program couldn't do. If you store eml's outside the program, you again have the problem of not previewing images.

 

[Clouseau]

Hello again RoWin - I can effectively summarise what I want to be able to do as follows:

1) To be able to see in preview-style whether an EML in any given folder has any attachments or not (without actually also needing to be able to preview those attachments, other than to know whether they are a PDF, or a JPG, etc)

2) To be able to also preview standalone PDF's, JPG's, etc that are separate documents in their own right (as opposed to attachments to an EML) that are living in the same folder as the EML's.

An email client can perform No.1, but possibly not No.2 (unless Thunderbird comes to the party...)
Windows Explorer can perform No.2, but apparently not No.1.

I wish to be able to undertake both (1) and (2) with a single utility, that previews all file types seamlessly (bang, bang, bang, bang) as I mouse-point my way down a list of all of the documents - both standalone PDF's, JPG's, and EML's - in any given folder.

Some kind of tweak to Windows Explorer would have been by far the most convenient solution, given that Explorer is what any of the folders I keep on my Desktop innately open with when I left-click on them (ie. without having to do any right-clicking, followed by selecting and clicking from a contextual drop-down menu, etc.)

Anyhow, from what you're saying, it sounds like Thunderbird can indeed view PDF's and JPG's, BUT, does it perhaps only acknowledge their presence when they are attached to EML's...? (as opposed to also recognising standalone PDF's and JPG's that are living in the same folder as the EML's...) What I mean is - Most programs only bring up a list of their native file types when you look into any given folder with them. Perhaps Thunderbird has the same limitation... (in spite of being able to preview the other file types when they are attached to an EML...) Having not had a play with the thing, I've got no idea, so only time and a play around with it will tell.

Thanks once again RoWin,
Clouseau.

 

[RoWin7]

Install it, set up your accounts, and try it. The time you've spent here could have been used to set it up. If you don't like it, uninstall it.

 

[Clouseau]

Hello again Folks...

For the benefit of future readers on the same quest, I thought I’d summarise my final conclusions regarding the aim of this particular thread…

It appears that normal “Email Client”-type programs such as Windows Live Mail and Mozilla Thunderbird can certainly display a “preview” of successive emails whilst arrow-keying their way down through their dedicated storage folders, and such previews can successfully depict whether or not each email has any attachments (such as PDF’s or JPEG’s), without actually having to fully open each email in turn, BUT… the previously stated weakness of such programs in the context of my original post is that they don't seem to be able to "browse" (to the limits of tinkering abilities at least) to and through any arbitrary folder not registered with the program that the user might have downloaded some emails regarding a specific subject into. Such programs seem to instead only be able to be used to preview the emails in whatever folders (either default or user-specified) that the user either accepts or sets as the official storage folders for the program. So scratch Email Clients off the list as a solution…

My next port of call was to look further into the capabilities of “File Manager”-type programs such as Windows Explorer and FreeCommanderXE. Such programs can of course effortlessly browse to and through all arbitrary folders, and can readily provide a “preview” of any downloaded email files (such as EML's) within any given folder, without having to fully open each and every email, BUT… the preview they provide (once again, to the best of my own tinkering abilities at least) can only display whether there are any images in the email (either attached or “inline”), without indicating the presence of any PDF attachments. So scratch File Managers off the list as a solution too…

On a hunch, I eventually found myself looking into whether a class of program existed that could best be classified as either “Email Viewers” or “EML Viewers”, and it turns out that such programs do exist (although there doesn't seem to be many of them to choose from…) After downloading a few, I've settled for now upon one called “CoolUtils Mail Viewer” (link shown below) and it’s close to ideal for what I’m looking for. In other words, it can browse its way to any arbitrary folder, and will provide a preview of each EML-file in that folder, with such previews not only displaying whatever images are either attached or inline within the email, but also whether there are any PDF’s attached to it. All such attachments are listed as openable links at the top of the preview pane (ie. which is much better than at the bottom…) It displays the presence of standalone PDF files in its file/folder tree, and you can certainly open these PDF’s by clicking on them, but it just wont provide a preview of them in its preview pane.

Free Mail Viewer by Coolutils.com Download CoolUtils Mail Viewer Now ��

The program is free for home-users, and according to an AVG scan of it, it doesn’t seem to contain any viruses. It apparently supports Windows 2000 and onwards, and multiple instances of it can be run concurrently. It would be perfect for my purposes if it could also preview standalone PDF files, but it will certainly do for the time being. I guess I will probably end up either running it concurrently with a session of Windows Explorer for any given folder of interest in order to be able to preview the PDF’s with Explorer’s preview pane, or just plain open up each PDF fully from within Mail Viewer to see what the PDF is actually about.

I’m still learning how to use the thing fully, and although there doesn’t appear to be a huge number of settings in it that can be tinkered with, one bit of early advice I can offer is to definitely make sure you open “View” on the menu-bar and have “Folders”, “Files”, and “Preview” all ticked if you plan to use the program in the manner that I am wanting to.

Best Wishes for now, and Sincere Thanks again to all respondents...
Clouseau.