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How do I change the download files to be the name of the sending file and NOT ViewAttachment?

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I started to access my Charter email via Firefox. The names of attachments (Microsoft WORD, PowerPoint and .txt files) appear correctly. However, when I choose to download and save the attachment, the real name is changed to Viewattachment(n) where n is the number of the download. I am still running Windows XP, but will soon receive a new computer with Windows 7.

I started to access my Charter email via Firefox. The names of attachments (Microsoft WORD, PowerPoint and .txt files) appear correctly. However, when I choose to download and save the attachment, the real name is changed to Viewattachment(n) where n is the number of the download. I am still running Windows XP, but will soon receive a new computer with Windows 7.

Chosen solution

MI_Mom wrote:

My Content Disposition Header has the correct file name.

Without a screenshot of it, nobody can say if there's a site problem or a bug in Firefox.

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (8)

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It's the web site that determines the default filename, either through the download attribute of the a element, or through the Content-Disposition header.

Do you get different behavior in another browser? If yes, provide the following troubleshooting information:

  1. Load the web page with the download link.
  2. Press Ctrl+Shift+K to open the web console.
  3. Press the Clear button in the web console.
  4. Click the download link and save the file somewhere. In the web console, click the GET request for the file in question to get more details. Under response headers, what does the Content-Disposition header say? See the attached image for an example.
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Have you tried using Save link as ... for those attachments?
Does the downloaded file have the correct name then?

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I'm sorry but nothing happens when I try to open the web console. Also, I don't have Paint to enclose a screenshot. The renaming doesn't occur under Internet Explorer.

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Under Charter email, I have 1 option when I click on an attachment to a message - Download file. When I click on that, a pop-up screen titled "Opening viewattachment" appears with the following: You have chosen to open: viewattachment which is: xxxxxxxxxx from: http://enchanced.charter.net What should Firefox do with this file? Open with xxxxxxx Save File.

The file name has already been changed when this pop-up screen appears.

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I went thru something like that with Comcast web mail when they first started using Zimbra a few years ago,. Then 6 months later they "fixed" it.

See if this helps you.
Don't click on the link, right-click the link and select Save link as ..., then see what happens to the file name.

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First try the above suggestion to right-click the link and choose Save Link As, since that only takes a moment.

MI_Mom wrote:

I'm sorry but nothing happens when I try to open the web console.

Instead of the Ctrl+Shift+K keyboard shortcut, try either of the following:

  • Click the Firefox button, click the Web Developer menu, then choose Web Console.
  • Click the Tools menu on the menu bar, click the Web Developer menu, then choose Web Console.

MI_Mom wrote:

Also, I don't have Paint to enclose a screenshot.

Paint is a basic Windows component. The odds of you having uninstalled it are slim. Try the following. Also, you can use any other image editor instead of Paint.

  1. Click the Start button and choose Run.
  2. In the Run box, type the following then press Enter: mspaint.exe
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I don't get the "Save Link as" option when I right-click on the attachment. My Content Disposition Header has the correct file name.

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Chosen Solution

MI_Mom wrote:

My Content Disposition Header has the correct file name.

Without a screenshot of it, nobody can say if there's a site problem or a bug in Firefox.