I've noticed that when you forward a pdf file and the length of the filename is too long, the file is received as a .dat file instead of pdf. The file can simply be renamed as a pdf and can be viewed, but I'm wondering if this is a known issue or whether there is any way to stop this from happening?
iPhone 4S
This has nothing to do with the file name being too long.
Try opening the received PDF file with iBooks, which will save the PDF file with iBooks.
Open the file with iBooks and try sending the file via email from there to see if the PDF is received as a .dat. I venture to say it won't be received that way.
If not, was the PDF file that you forwarded sent to you by a Windows Outlook user?
Hi Allan,
Thanks for your response.
Yes it was sent by an Windows Outlook user.
The reason I believe it was because of filename length was because I can forward other pdfs without this issue occurring. I did some testing:
- firstly I renamed the pdfs being received as .dat files wtih shorter filenames and when I re-forwarded these they were received as pdfs
- I then renamed a pdf that I didn't have issues with so that the filename was longer and when I re-forwarded these, they were then received as .dat files
This was the only thing changed so that's why I believe it is a filename length issue.
You're welcome.
You changed the file name how?
And if forwarded with the same email received from the Windows Outlook user, you are not removing the problem caused by Outlook. This is a known problem with Outlook and attachments when the sender composes email with RTF.
I have renamed the pdf by saving on my PC and resending using Outlook and then forwarding with iPhone. Same doc saved with different filename lengths, sent originally with Outlook and then forwarded with iPhone behave differently. Only thing different is filename length.
It's an odd one.
This is a known Outlook problem with attachments when using RTF for message composition.
Try using Plain Text for message composition and send a PDF file with a long file name and forward that message to see if the same occurs.
Tried what you suggested but same problem occurred with plain text. I will note that even when I was using RTF earlier, I was getting different results depending on filename size.
Thanks for your help though.
How about when sending the file when not forwarded from Outlook - from a new message?
Remove Outlook from this to see if the same occurs without Outlook involved.
Forwarding pdf files
