Feature request - strip attachments

mgg · 10th October 2003, 03:06 AM

Hi all.

Can't seem to find the place to request new FM features...

Here's a big one for me: I'd LOVE to be able to strip the attachments from my messages (before or after downloading them). I'd like to keep the message body (mebbe with an appended note that says "this message contained the following attachments:....") but get rid of the attachment itself from the message store since that's what's been eating all my storage space. I don't want to just delete the messages since a lot of the time they have important information in the text and are parts of threads - i go crazy when there's a message missing from the thread just because it had a 3M file attached to it.

Anyone else think this would be a great feature??

comments welcome.

<M>

ewal · 10th October 2003, 05:05 AM

Hi mgg

I agree - I have a few emails on the server which I refer too ften but with attachments (that I don't need that often) that must aggregate 30 or more mb.

In the "coming enhancements" screen at http://www.sent.com/docs/comingenhancements.htm there are two references that will help:

- Allow all attachments to a message to be compressed as a zip file

- Interface to edit received messages (delete attachments, change subject...

Also hopefully when the filespace project is in production we may get the ability of detaching attachments to that filespace. I am hoping - dunno if detachments will actually happen in that way.

Edward

mgg · 10th October 2003, 09:13 AM

Oh..... I had looked over that page but missed the bit about "delete attachments, change subject, etc..."

Interesting that the previous one (download all attachments as zip) is already implemented... can't wait for the editing interface.

<M>

ewal · 10th October 2003, 03:11 PM

Hi mgg

I think the zip reference means zipping attachments within the actual email such that the email becomes smaller.

I believe what you may be referring to is the archive facility where you can download a zipped version of the email leaving the original email untouched. One can then decide to delete the whole email or not.

I may be wrong

Edward

kander · 10th October 2003, 06:42 PM

Perhaps you are wrong. When you are within an email you can click the All (compressed) link, which allows you to download a ZIP of all the attachments. The Archive feature is something completely different from that.

--K

ewal · 10th October 2003, 07:36 PM

kander, you are of course right. As I see it, currently we have two options for downloading emails or attachments:

1. Using the archive facility - a zip file containing the .eml message (with attachments). A user then has the option of deleting the original source email - thus freeing up MB

2. Compressing the attachments only and saving the attachments locally - leaving the original email intact with attachments on the IMAP server.

Neither of the above results in leaving the email only (i.e. without attachments) on the server.

However I now see that Robert of fastmail in a seperate thread said he will be (or is?) working on changing various items such as stripping attachments from existing emails.

So, for now, the only way I see us being able to "strip" attachments from existing emails is to forward to oneself the email without the attachment. But this way does not preserve original sender and header details. Of course one can "spoof" this partly by using the original senders addy as the From addy when forwarding.

Edward

kander · 10th October 2003, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ewal
kander, you are of course right.

As usual...

Quote:

Originally posted by ewal
However I now see that Robert of fastmail in a seperate thread said he will be (or is?) working on changing various items such as stripping attachments from existing emails.

Yes, I read it too (for reference: here ). Seems interesting!. But I didn't know his full name was Robert. I always thought it was just good ol' Rob...

I think some clients can also do this. But I am not a client-man, so I wouldn't be able to tell you which can.

--K

ewal · 10th October 2003, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kander
But I didn't know his full name was Robert. I always thought it was just good ol' Rob...

Rob, Bob, Robert - whatever - but he is the man. Old?

BTW - did Juliette and Jane meet up yet and discuss their vested
interest in Joe and fastmail usage?

Edward

kander · 10th October 2003, 08:43 PM

I am saving that one up in case someone asks a question where I can provide an example (read: write the next saga of 'The adventures of Joe Citizen'...)

--K

glennm · 18th October 2003, 06:18 AM

Consider this another vote for the ability to
strip attachments from a message
via the web interface.

splustest · 25th January 2004, 07:08 AM

And another vote. It is a pain when someone
sends an email with megabytes of attachment
and having to deal with it - especially when
it causes an overquota situation. It is not
even possible to forward only the text of the
email before completely deleting the original
email because the mailbox is already full.

Yes, I can bring up the email, save the text
to a file, delete the email, and then send
myself an email with the saved text - but
it is a pain.

aussieboykie · 25th January 2004, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kander

I think some clients can also do this. But I am not a client-man, so I wouldn't be able to tell you which can.

--K

Mulberry can do this. It works well. The complete process is described in their FAQ.

In my opinion, for what it's worth, Mulberry is a pretty good IMAP client although it can be a bit complex to set up properly. It's certainly much more functional than most other clients I have tried. It was designed to work with IMAP from the ground up so it integrates very well with FastMail.

Regards, AB

labarum · 25th January 2004, 04:36 PM

Another vote for a function to strip attachments from individual emails, or from a whole folder.

I hope sopmeone is counting the votes.

dragonlady · 10th February 2004, 10:14 PM

Add me to the request for implementation of this feature!!!!!!

ewal · 10th February 2004, 11:10 PM

For some time now I have been using a freeware utility called IMAPsize that does allow, for most mime types, stripping of attachments of emails saved on IMAP servers. Basically it creates a copy of the email message and then strips the attachment(s).

http://www.broobles.com/imapsize/index.php

This utility, originaly written to calculate and graph the size of ones IMAP folders has now grown to do other things such as changing flags, peeking in messages etc.

I now mainly use it for stripping attachments, saving folders locally in mbox (and eml) format and moving emails from one IMAP account to another.

This utility is still in alpha testing mode so anyone using it should take the usual precautions. The utility is written by a fastmail user. Other than being a satisfied user I have no other connection with IMAPsize.

Edward

10th October 2003, 03:06 AM	#1
mgg Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 43	Feature request - strip attachments Hi all. Can't seem to find the place to request new FM features... Here's a big one for me: I'd LOVE to be able to strip the attachments from my messages (before or after downloading them). I'd like to keep the message body (mebbe with an appended note that says "this message contained the following attachments:....") but get rid of the attachment itself from the message store since that's what's been eating all my storage space. I don't want to just delete the messages since a lot of the time they have important information in the text and are parts of threads - i go crazy when there's a message missing from the thread just because it had a 3M file attached to it. Anyone else think this would be a great feature?? comments welcome. <M>

10th February 2004, 10:14 PM	#14
dragonlady Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 1	Deleting attachments Add me to the request for implementation of this feature!!!!!!

10th February 2004, 11:10 PM	#15
ewal Master of the @ Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 1,188	For some time now I have been using a freeware utility called IMAPsize that does allow, for most mime types, stripping of attachments of emails saved on IMAP servers. Basically it creates a copy of the email message and then strips the attachment(s). http://www.broobles.com/imapsize/index.php This utility, originaly written to calculate and graph the size of ones IMAP folders has now grown to do other things such as changing flags, peeking in messages etc. I now mainly use it for stripping attachments, saving folders locally in mbox (and eml) format and moving emails from one IMAP account to another. This utility is still in alpha testing mode so anyone using it should take the usual precautions. The utility is written by a fastmail user. Other than being a satisfied user I have no other connection with IMAPsize. Edward Last edited by ewal : 11th February 2004 at 12:02 AM.

10th October 2003, 05:05 AM	#2
ewal Master of the @ Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 1,188	Hi mgg I agree - I have a few emails on the server which I refer too ften but with attachments (that I don't need that often) that must aggregate 30 or more mb. In the "coming enhancements" screen at http://www.sent.com/docs/comingenhancements.htm there are two references that will help: - Allow all attachments to a message to be compressed as a zip file - Interface to edit received messages (delete attachments, change subject... Also hopefully when the filespace project is in production we may get the ability of detaching attachments to that filespace. I am hoping - dunno if detachments will actually happen in that way. Edward

10th October 2003, 09:13 AM	#3
mgg Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 43	Oh..... I had looked over that page but missed the bit about "delete attachments, change subject, etc..." Interesting that the previous one (download all attachments as zip) is already implemented... can't wait for the editing interface. <M>

10th October 2003, 03:11 PM	#4
ewal Master of the @ Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 1,188	Hi mgg I think the zip reference means zipping attachments within the actual email such that the email becomes smaller. I believe what you may be referring to is the archive facility where you can download a zipped version of the email leaving the original email untouched. One can then decide to delete the whole email or not. I may be wrong Edward

10th October 2003, 06:42 PM	#5
kander The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 4,110	Perhaps you are wrong. When you are within an email you can click the All (compressed) link, which allows you to download a ZIP of all the attachments. The Archive feature is something completely different from that. --K

10th October 2003, 07:36 PM	#6
ewal Master of the @ Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 1,188	kander, you are of course right. As I see it, currently we have two options for downloading emails or attachments: 1. Using the archive facility - a zip file containing the .eml message (with attachments). A user then has the option of deleting the original source email - thus freeing up MB 2. Compressing the attachments only and saving the attachments locally - leaving the original email intact with attachments on the IMAP server. Neither of the above results in leaving the email only (i.e. without attachments) on the server. However I now see that Robert of fastmail in a seperate thread said he will be (or is?) working on changing various items such as stripping attachments from existing emails. So, for now, the only way I see us being able to "strip" attachments from existing emails is to forward to oneself the email without the attachment. But this way does not preserve original sender and header details. Of course one can "spoof" this partly by using the original senders addy as the From addy when forwarding. Edward

10th October 2003, 08:43 PM	#9
kander The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 4,110	I am saving that one up in case someone asks a question where I can provide an example (read: write the next saga of 'The adventures of Joe Citizen'...) --K

18th October 2003, 06:18 AM	#10
glennm Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 5	Consider this another vote for the ability to strip attachments from a message via the web interface.

25th January 2004, 07:08 AM	#11
splustest Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 128	And another vote. It is a pain when someone sends an email with megabytes of attachment and having to deal with it - especially when it causes an overquota situation. It is not even possible to forward only the text of the email before completely deleting the original email because the mailbox is already full. Yes, I can bring up the email, save the text to a file, delete the email, and then send myself an email with the saved text - but it is a pain.

25th January 2004, 04:36 PM	#13
labarum Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: UK Posts: 149	Another vote for a function to strip attachments from individual emails, or from a whole folder. I hope sopmeone is counting the votes.