How to compress attachments while composing messages with WinZip?

You can use the technique described here to compress attachments with WinZip while composing messages using Outlook, Eudora, Netscape Mail, and other programs that allow you to attach files using the standard Windows "File Open" dialog box. This technique does not require a MAPI-compatible e-mail program.



Open the dialog box you normally use to attach files:

* In Outlook: choose File from the Insert menu.

* In Eudora: choose Attach File from the Message menu.

* In Netscape: choose Attach and then File from the File menu.

* In AOL: click the Attachments, then the Attach buttons.

Using the standard Open File dialog box, locate the file you wish to attach.

Position the mouse pointer over the filename in the dialog box, then click the right mouse button and choose Add to filename.zip from the context menu (note: the filename shown in the menu entry will be the same name as the file you selected). This will create a new Zip file with the same name as the file you selected; for example, it would create Budget01.zip from Budget01.xls.

Click once on the name of the new Zip file to select it. This file will normally be at the end of the current directory listing.

Click the Open or Insert button to attach the Zip file. You can delete the Zip file after attaching it.

Note: this technique has been tested with Outlook 97, Outlook 98, Outlook 2000, Outlook 2002, Outlook 2003 and Outlook Express; Eudora 3.0, Eudora 4.0 and Eudora 5.0; the mail program in AOL 4.0, AOL 5.0, AOL 6.0, AOL 7.0, AOL 8.0, and AOL 9.0; and the Netscape 4.0 mail client.