Viewing MIME-encoded Messages

Ishmail does not "read" or view non-textual MIME body parts directly. Instead, it launches an external application program that loads and displays them. If the appropriate display application is available and is defined in your mailcap file, you can view a MIME-encoded inclusion or attachment from Ishmail's Reading window. Use the following procedure:

  1. Place the mouse pointer on the icon that represents the MIME-encoded message and press and hold the right mouse button.

    A pop-up menu with the options Show, Hide, Save ..., Retrieve ..., and a description of the attached MIME body part appears adjacent to the icon.

    The Save ... (or Play) option is not available until an attached file has been retrieved. However, the Save ... option is always available for an included file since it is part of the message body.

    NOTE:
    Audio messages use the options Play, Stop, Save, and Retrieve ....

  2. Slide the pointer down to the Show option and release the mouse button (or select the Retrieve ... option to retrieve the attachment, but not show it).

    (Alternatively, you can bypass the pop-up menu Show function and simply left-click the icon).

    If the file is an attachment, Ishmail invokes the specified transfer method to retrieve the file.

    Ishmail then launches the viewer application defined in your mailcap file to display the inclusion or attachment.

    MIME Message depicts the menu sequence for viewing a MIME-encoded GIF attachment.

Once you have performed the Show option on an inclusion or attachment, the Hide option becomes available.

To hide (or close) the window in which the MIME message is displayed:

  1. Open the pop-up menu as described in the Show procedure above.

  2. Select the Hide option (or shift-click on the icon with the left mouse button).

To save a MIME-encoded inclusion or attachment: select the Save ... option from the pop-up menu.

  1. Open the pop-up menu as described in the Show and Hide procedures above.

  2. Select the Save ... option.

    The Save MIME part to a file dialog window appears.

    1. Click the Clear button to clear the Selected File field (if applicable) and enter with the file destination in the inclusion or attachment, then click OK, or;

    2. Click the Cancel button to dismiss the Save MIME part to a file window, or;

    3. Click the Help button for more information.

Figure: MIME Message Menu Sequence

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Parent Section: Displaying MIME-encoded Messages
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