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MAIL and MIME support; attachments?

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The Question is:

 
I would like to send a text file as an attachment in a COBOL program. From
reading the FAQs, I read that OpenVMS does not support MIME format. Q1. Is
the MIME format what I needed to send an attachment? Q2. if YES - is there a
work around? Q3. if NO - how
 would I send a text file as an attachment in a programming language such as
COBOL? Thank you in advance.
 


The Answer is :

 
  Simply add the text file to the end of the MAIL message, and send it.
 
  The source code portion of the message will be treated as part of the
  message text by the recipient, but the recipient can extract and process
  the message using the same time-honored techniques successfully used
  well over a decade prior to the availability of MIME encoding.
 
  MIME is a mechanism by which cooperating mailers can designate the
  specific content of mail messages -- this includes rather more than
  just the ability to designate a particular part of the message as an
  attachment, but the Wizard digresses.
 
  OpenVMS starting in V7.2 supports the reception of MIME messages,
  including extraction into constituent components.  The Wizard would
  expect additional MIME-related work in future OpenVMS releases.
 
  Under OpenVMS, the typical method of sending electronic mail is via
  the callable mail interface.  The callable mail interface is a series
  of routines that allow direct access and control over the processing
  of mail on OpenVMS.  This includes full access to the mail file, as
  well as the expected ability to send and receive mail messages.
 
  Documentation on the callable mail interface is included in the
  OpenVMS utility routines reference manual.
 
  For examples of calling the mail routines from COBOL, please check
  with DSNlink and with the folks at the customer support center.
 

answer written or last revised on ( 20-OCT-1998 )

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