Entourage docx Attachments and iPhone incompatibility

[imacken]

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel I've tried to get a response on this in the Office forum with no results. SO, I'm trying here.
Is there a solution to the problem where docx attachments sent from Entourage cannot be opened on the iPhone?
Attachments from Entourage come up as invalid file format on the iPhone.
If the same file is sent from Apple Mail or Google Mail, it is fine.
What is the solution, and why are MS taking so long to resolve this?

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Is there a solution to the problem where docx attachments sent from
Entourage cannot be opened on the iPhone?
Attachments from Entourage come up as invalid file format on the iPhone.
If the same file is sent from Apple Mail or Google Mail, it is fine.

Have you tried using a different encoding while sending through Entourage?

What is the solution, and why are MS taking so long to resolve this?

No idea what MS might be doing about it. In all fairness, I wasn't even
aware there was a problem (but I might be using a different encoding
method than you).

Corentin

 

[imacken]

Have you tried to send a docx file to an iPhone 3Gs?
Also, how do I change the encoding format?
Thanks.

 

[imacken]

OK, I see how to change the encoder, and none of them work.
I tried AppleDouble, BinHex, MIME and UUENCODE.
All produce 'Invalid format' on the iPhone.
This is crazy, if the same file is sent by Apple Mail or Google MAil then it's fine.
What is the solution here. There are quite a few happy, MS bashing, people on the Apple support forum about this!

 

[William Smith [MVP]]

OK, I see how to change the encoder, and none of them work.
I tried AppleDouble, BinHex, MIME and UUENCODE.
All produce 'Invalid format' on the iPhone.
This is crazy, if the same file is sent by Apple Mail or Google MAil
then it's fine.
What is the solution here. There are quite a few happy, MS bashing,
people on the Apple support forum about this!

I'm with Corentin. I'm not seeing this problem and I doubt that
Microsoft is perusing the Apple forums for problem reports about their
own products.

Are you using the exact same Gmail account that you're using in Mail?
Have you tested using another type of account such as MobileMe or Hotmail?

--

bill

Entourage Help Page <http://entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>
YouTalk <http://nine.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/youtalk>
Twitter: follow <http://twitter.com/meck>

 

[imacken]

Sorry, but that response is the kind of thing that annoys everyone about the Apple/MS rivalry. It's not Apple's product - it's Microsoft's! It's Entourage that's the issue here. The iPhone supports the docx format, but Entourage's encoding is not compatible.
There is a problem, and it is clear to me that it is MS' responsibility to fix it.
I am a life-long MS supporter and have bought every version of Windows since 3.1, so believe me I have no hidden agenda here!
However, this is a problem that needs resolving.
I have sent the same file by Google Mail, Apple Mail and MobileMe all completely successfully.
But Entourage.... no way. It just doesn't work.
You say you're not seeing the problem, but have you tried to send a docx file to an iPhone via Entourage?

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Sorry, but that response is the kind of thing that annoys everyone
about the Apple/MS rivalry. It's not Apple's product - it's
Microsoft's! It's Entourage that's the issue here.

Well no one here works for MS (or Apple).
There is no rivalry of any sort since we're all Mac folks using MS products.
This is a *peer* support group.

Now I'm sorry you don't like the answer but as far as I am concerned, I
believe that knowing it's not a generalize issue affecting everybody
can be of some use in order to attempt to identify the source of the
problem.

The iPhone supports the docx format, but Entourage's encoding is not
compatible.

How do you know?
I don;t see the problem when I send from Entourage on my Mac.
It could mean that your SMTP is performing conversions that affect the
readability of the file on your iPhone.
Have you tried using the same settings to send from Mail to see if you
still had the same issue?
Using some sort of webmail doesn't help (gMail webpage) since then, the
e-mail is not going through the same SMTP.

There is a problem, and it is clear to me that it is MS' responsibility
to fix it.

I'm not so sure, but if it is indeed a bug, use Help > Send feedback
from Entourage itself.

I am a life-long MS supporter and have bought every version of Windows
since 3.1, so believe me I have no hidden agenda here!
However, this is a problem that needs resolving.
I have sent the same file by Google Mail, Apple Mail and MobileMe all
completely successfully.

Are you using the same account (and especially the same SMTP server to
send out and sending on the same e-mail account) to send from Mail?

But Entourage.... no way. It just doesn't work.
You say you're not seeing the problem, but have you tried to send a
docx file to an iPhone via Entourage?

Yes I have and I don't have any problem reading the file.
That's why I *suspect* the problem is somewhere else along the line.

Corentin

 

[imacken]

Thanks Corentin.
Sorry about the tone earlier.
There is a problem here as many people are experiencing it over on the iPhone forums. Usually they just workaround it by sending the files by Apple Mail.
I can't see that it can be the SMTP performing conversions that is the problem as if I send the files via Outlook on my PC using the same SMTP server, then there is no problem.
How can I try Mail using the same settings? Do you mean SMTP settings? or encoding settings?
I'm glad that you don't have the issue of sending docx files via Entourage to iPhone 3Gs, because hopefully, we can solve this odd problem.
BTW, I don't get email notifications of replies on this forum.

 

[imacken]

OK, I've done some experimenting.
I created a 2-line document in word 2008 and sent it using the same SMTP server, i.e. my MobileMe account, both using Apple Mail and Entourage.
The Mail attachment is perfectly fine on my iPhone, but the Entourage one just gives the usual 'format is invalid' error message.

 

[imacken]

I've done some further experimenting, and it's only docx files produced from Word for Mac 2008 that have the problem.
I can read docx files from Word 2007 and 2010 (PC) via Entourage OK, and Excel xlsx files.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Thanks Corentin.
Sorry about the tone earlier.

Not a problem, don't worry.

There is a problem here as many people are experiencing it over on the
iPhone forums. Usually they just workaround it by sending the files by
Apple Mail.
I can't see that it can be the SMTP performing conversions that is the
problem as if I send the files via Outlook on my PC using the same SMTP
server, then there is no problem.

It could be a combination of encoding and the SMTP server. Hard for me
to go beyond speculations since I can't reproduce the problem on my Mac.

How can I try Mail using the same settings? Do you mean SMTP settings?
or encoding settings?

Well before I knew about your tests in Outlook, I was thinking about the SMTP.
Now it sounds like the SMTP isn't a problem.

I'm glad that you don't have the issue of sending docx files via
Entourage to iPhone 3Gs, because hopefully, we can solve this odd
problem.

And I sure hope we'll find a solution.
I need to make a few additional tests.
Is it by any chance through a gMail account using their SMTP?

BTW, I don't get email notifications of replies on this forum.

I don't use the forum interface at all. I access the same groups
through usenet with a usenet client (which I find FAR more convenient).

Corentin

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

I've done some further experimenting, and it's only docx files produced
from Word for Mac 2008 that have the problem.
I can read docx files from Word 2007 and 2010 (PC) via Entourage OK,
and Excel xlsx files.
Any help would be appreciated.

I made additional tests and couldn't come up with a solution.
I don't see what might be wrong.
I've tried all the encoding methods I could think of and had no problem
on my iPhone or Mac (getting the e-mails back in Mail, I can also see
the content through QuickLook and open the file).

I've looked around on the Web and saw another thread (in addition to
yours in the Apple forums) that mentioned this (without solution).
I'll ask around to see if anybody around me ever experienced this,


Corentin

 

[imacken]

Corentin, did you see my previous 2 posts?
It's not through a Gmail SMTP. The tests are done with 2 accounts, MobileMe and my main BT Internet SMTPs. Both are tested using Entourage and Apple Mail.
Just to summarise again, docx from Office 2007 and 2010 on PC work perfectly when sent via Entourage on both accounts, but docx created by Mac Word 2008 just get the 'invalid file format' on the iPhone.
I have tested this on my 2 iPhones and they are both the same.

 

[imacken]

Sorry, I think our posts crossed a little earlier.
If you look hard enough, there are more than 2 threads on this! Still, like you, I have no problem at all getting the mails back in both Mail and Entourage, and attachments look fine.
It's only on the iPhone from Entourage that there is a problem. As I said, it's only with docx. If I save the same files as doc, then they show up perfectly (embedded photos and all!).
I look forward to your thoughts.

 

[William Smith [MVP]]

Sorry, I think our posts crossed a little earlier.
If you look hard enough, there are more than 2 threads on this! Still,
like you, I have no problem at all getting the mails back in both Mail
and Entourage, and attachments look fine.
It's only on the iPhone from Entourage that there is a problem. As I
said, it's only with docx. If I save the same files as doc, then they
show up perfectly (embedded photos and all!).
I look forward to your thoughts.

Just wanted to let you know that I've managed to reproduce this with
Entourage. I've still yet to see what happens with Mail, webmail, etc.
At least now I can do some testing and troubleshooting.

Please keep in mind that the best I can do is pass this problem along to
the MacBU folks. You should do the same using the Help --> Send Feedback
tool in any Office application.

If I discover anything or hear anything that may resolve this I'll let
you know.

--

bill

Entourage Help Page <http://entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>
YouTalk <http://nine.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/youtalk>
Twitter: follow <http://twitter.com/meck>

 

[imacken]

Thank you William.
I will follow it up with some feedback, but if you could let me know on progress that would be great.

 

[imacken]

Been some time now. Any news?

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Been some time now. Any news?

Nope, and I bet it's going to take a lot longer than that. Any testing,
implementing a solution, retesting, approving, putting an updater
together, etc takes forever.
And that's only assuming it got high enough in their priority list to
get fixed before anything else.

Corentin

 

[Girish_G]

Been some time now. Any news?

We have a workaround for this issue i.e. by sharing the workbook. You can go to 'Tools' menu in Excel and choose 'Share Workbook'.

Girish

 

[imacken]

> We have a workaround for this issue i.e. by sharing the workbook. You can go to 'Tools' menu in Excel and choose 'Share Workbook'.
>
> Girish

HI Girish. I'm afraid you've confused me! This is about Word and docx files via Entourage. Where does Excel come into that?