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Avoiding Shortcut Attachments
Symptoms:
This issue can occur any time you send an attachment. Recipients will report that they received a file that ends in .lnk and cannot open it. This issue is commonly associated with the following:
- E-mails
- WebCT Assignments
- WebCT Discussion Posts
- WebCT Mail
However, this issue is not isolated to these systems and can occur any time a file is attached.
Cause:
This issue occurs when you attach the shortcut to a file rather than the file itself. This is commonly the result of selecting the document from a folder of recently accessed files. To resolve the issue, you will need to attach and re-send or re-submit the proper file using the steps listed below:
Step 1:
When adding an attachment ensure that the file is not located in a folder of recently accessed files as shown below:
In Windows XP:
Do not attach files from the My Recent Documents location.
In Windows Vista:
Do not attach files from Recently Changed or Recent Places locations.
The files in these locations are all shortcuts and cannot be opened properly on another computer.
Step 3:
Before attaching the document, verify that it does not have an arrow on the bottom left corner of its icon, as this indicates that this is a shortcut rather than a file.
You will need to locate the actual file on your computer and attach it instead.
Congratulations! You have successfully attached a file instead of a shortcut. If this does not correct the issue, please contact the VSU IT Helpdesk at helpdesk@valdosta.edu or at 229-245-4357.