Problem attaching files

[JHSesq]

I can't attach anything other than music files. Screenshot attached.

[Thomas]

You need an app associated with the file type you want to add. For example for attaching images you need a picture viewer. Also any file explorer will do the job.

[JHSesq]

How does one associate such an app with Aqua mail?  To me, I should be able to compose an email, click the paperclip icon which should allow me to browse for the file I wish to attach (in this case a PDF file).  But instead, it only goes to music files.

[beaky]

How does one associate such an app with Aqua mail?  To me, I should be able to compose an email, click the paperclip icon which should allow me to browse for the file I wish to attach (in this case a PDF file).  But instead, it only goes to music files.

You can attach more or less any file if you have a file manager. As android does not have the equivalent of windows explorer, you need an app for that. I use file manager from rhythm software. Once you have such a thing, its icon appears on the list of choices to use. Click it and you are looking at your folders, pretty much as in any desktop system.
Easier still, start in your PDF reader - I have foxit and adobe reader, and both do this - select share, and then aquamail is an option. Select that, aquamail opens, edit your message and the file is already attached. If you want to edit your message first or attach more than one file, use a file manager app.
Some file manager apps are designed for rooted devices. The one I use is not, and my device is not rooted.

[JHSesq]

Thanks. I'll try that.   The "Easier still" idea didn't work either. That's what I normally do.   It gave me a weird error message so then I tried it the other way, which wasn't successful, and here I am.

[beaky]

Thanks. I'll try that.   The "Easier still" idea didn't work either. That's what I normally do.   It gave me a weird error message so then I tried it the other way, which wasn't successful, and here I am.

well, I just tried it again. I opened a file in adobe reader (the official one) and chose share, and aquamail, and it worked as planned. When opening the email, clicking on the attachment opened in adobe reader.
I tried the same using foxit, that I prefer in many ways (but for one), and it did just the same. I thought it was not going to arrive as the refresh hung for about 50 seconds, but I blame my connection, in a busy coffee shop right now, as other network-facing apps also were unresponsive.
Again opening the email opened it in adobe reader (and yes, that is my one reservation about foxit. It does not support opening automatically from another app).
I am using aquamail 1.2.5.14.
I am not conversant with internals of android, so cannot advise - I am sure on past form there are others who can!

[JHSesq]

well, I just tried it again. I opened a file in adobe reader (the official one) and chose share, and aquamail, and it worked as planned. When opening the email, clicking on the attachment opened in adobe reader.
I tried the same using foxit, that I prefer in many ways (but for one), and it did just the same. I thought it was not going to arrive as the refresh hung for about 50 seconds, but I blame my connection, in a busy coffee shop right now, as other network-facing apps also were unresponsive.
Again opening the email opened it in adobe reader (and yes, that is my one reservation about foxit. It does not support opening automatically from another app).
I am using aquamail 1.2.5.14.
I am not conversant with internals of android, so cannot advise - I am sure on past form there are others who can!


I don't want to be rude, Beaky - although I guess it will be - but your reply is meaningless.  I know how to attach files and I know it's supposed to work that way, and congratulations that your experiment worked perfectly.  But my phone doesn't do what yours does.  And knowing that it is supposed to do what yours does, I began started this thread to help resolve the issue.  It was not intended to be a poll to find out whose phone works the correct way, it was to find a solution.  If your phone works, great; but if you're not conversant in android and cannot advise, then why chime in at all? 

And I have File Manager, version 3.1.15056 installed on my phone but for some reason, Aquamail isn't using File Manager, hence my question about how to associate this program with Aquamail.

[JHSesq]

You need an app associated with the file type you want to add. For example for attaching images you need a picture viewer. Also any file explorer will do the job.

How does one do this?

[beaky]

Why chime in? I hoped to narrow the scope of your problem. For example whether it was linked to one or other version of aquamail. More data points often narrow down a problem.  That is also why I posted my aqua mail version. I am genuinely sorry that I cannot explain your problem and fix it.

[JHSesq]

Aquamail version: 1.2.5.5
AqualMail Pro Unlocker version 1.0.12

[beaky]

Aquamail version: 1.2.5.5
AqualMail Pro Unlocker version 1.0.12

I am happy to try the file manager you use to see if I get the problem, you have posted a version number for it earlier, but who is the app author? There are several called file manager, including one I use, but it is obviously not the same.

[JHSesq]

It's just the default app that came with the phone.  I can't seem to get any developer or author information.  But I think the problem is that Aquamail is not using file manager but rather some other program which looks only for music & picture files.

[Thomas]

It is not a problem of AqualMail.
Try to install TotalCommander, a free file manager. Then attache again a file and you will see that you got the choice via TotalCommander to choose any file you want.

[JHSesq]

I uninstalled the generic file manager and installed File Explorer by Nextapp.  It now gives me 4 "choose with" options instead of 3, and FX File Chooser (the Nextapp app) is an option (screenshot attached), so it's better.

But this still doesn't make sense to me because Aquamail did not perform this way on this phone before.  Something was reset and then this problem arose.  And I would prefer to not have to pick the app each time in order to look for the file I want to attach.  I would like to associate this function automatically with Aquamail but it doesn't give that option. 

[beaky]

I dug this out of the android documentation. http://developer.android.com/training/basics/intents/sending.html
Compare figure 1 and figure 2: It suggests that it is the developers choice whether to have a 'use this by default' check box (rather like windows). It is present in aquamail for opening a link from an email (I see it because I have two browsers installed).
 I am offered a choice of the two browsers and a choice of 'just once' or 'always'. If I was to check the 'always' I would in future not be offered the choice, I believe. I always check the 'once' box, as I don't know how to undo the 'always' choice.
The attach file function, though, does not offer that 'always/once' choice. I would guess it is not offered because if you have no file manager, but just a music app and a photo app, it is not predictable which kind of attachment you want to add every time.