When I make changes to an attached file in email the sources file also changes. How do I prevent this happening?
I attached an excel file into an email and deleted fields in the attachment and sent the email. When I went back into my source file the fields had also been deleted. How can I prevent this from happening?
Chosen solution
The file you are attaching is one and the same file, so it should get changed if you just selected to 'Save'.
When you have attached the file to an email in a Write window and you right click on the attached file and select 'Open', it is opening the original because that is the source of the attached file. You can remove the attachment and add it back whilst that file is open. The source of the file in not in a Write window; it is just a link to the original and a copy will be appended when you send the email.
How can you prevent it happening : You would need to have used 'Save as' - not 'Save', if you didn't want the original to be altered. That would be the same for any file on any computer. If you update the original, then it gets updated with all modifications you made which explains your situation.
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Save a copy of the attachment to your desktop or suitable folder outside of Thunderbird. This will be the copy as the sender sent to you. Open this excel file, make necessary changes and then use the 'Save As' option. Save it in the same folder but mofify/change the filename so it has _mod added. so if file was called: 'clients.xlsx' then Save as 'clients_mod.xlsx' then attach the modified file. this will give you two copies, the original and the modified.
This issue has only arose since we moved to Thunderbird from Outlook. The file was on my server but when i attached it to an email and made changes to the attached file before i sent it to a colleague and saved changes it didnt just save changes to the attached file it also went and saved the source file on my network drive.
Chosen Solution
The file you are attaching is one and the same file, so it should get changed if you just selected to 'Save'.
When you have attached the file to an email in a Write window and you right click on the attached file and select 'Open', it is opening the original because that is the source of the attached file. You can remove the attachment and add it back whilst that file is open. The source of the file in not in a Write window; it is just a link to the original and a copy will be appended when you send the email.
How can you prevent it happening : You would need to have used 'Save as' - not 'Save', if you didn't want the original to be altered. That would be the same for any file on any computer. If you update the original, then it gets updated with all modifications you made which explains your situation.