HANDLING OF OVERSIZED EMAIL ATTACHMENTS
Systems and methods herein provide for improved handling of oversized email attachments. An example system can identify an oversized email attachment before an email is sent, by comparing the size of the attachment to a maximum file size at an email server. The user can then be notified that the attachment is over the allowable file size before sending the email. The system can also un-attach the oversized file, compress it using a suitable compression method, and reattach a compressed file. The compression can be done at the sender's request or automatically.
1 . A system for handling oversized email attachments, the system comprising:
a non-transitory, computer-readable medium that contains instructions;
a processor that executes the instructions to perform stages including:
identifying an outgoing email server associated with an unsent email;
retrieving a maximum attachment size for the outgoing email server;
determining a file size of a file attached to the unsent email;
comparing the file size of the attached file to the maximum attachment size for the outgoing email server; and
when the file size of the attached file exceeds the maximum attachment size, notifying the user that the file size exceeds the maximum attachment size.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein retrieving the maximum attachment size includes checking against a value parsed from a message associated with a prior rejected email.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the stages further include:
identifying a recipient email server based on a recipient listed in the unsent email;
retrieving a maximum incoming file size for the recipient email server; and
when the file size of the attached file exceeds the maximum incoming file size for the recipient email server, notifying the user that the file size of the attached file exceeds the maximum incoming file size for the recipient email server.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the stages further include prompting the user for instructions to compress the attached file.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the stages further include, in response to the user providing instructions to compress the attached file, compressing the file such that the file size of the compressed file is below the maximum attachment size of the outgoing email server.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein compressing the file comprises calculating a required data compression ratio based on the file size of the attached file and the maximum attachment size of the outgoing email server.
7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein compressing the file further comprises selecting a compression method based on the required data compression ratio.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the stages further include replacing the attached file with a link, wherein the link identifies a location of a downloadable version of the file.
9 . A method for automatically resizing oversized email attachments, carried out by a processor of a user device, the method comprising:
identifying an outgoing email server associated with an unsent email;
retrieving a maximum attachment size for the outgoing email server;
determining a file size of a first file attached to the unsent email;
comparing the file size of the first file to the maximum attachment size for the outgoing email server;
when the file size of the first file exceeds the maximum attachment size, compressing the first file into a second file that is smaller than the maximum attachment size; and
attaching the second file in place of the first file.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein compressing the first file further comprises selecting a compression method based on a required data compression ratio.
11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein compressing the first file further comprises:
compressing the first file using a first compression method;
comparing the file size of the file compressed with the first compression method to the maximum attachment size; and
if the file size of the file compressed with the first compression method exceeds the maximum attachment size, compressing the first file using a second compression method.
12 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
comparing the file size of the first file to a maximum file size for incoming messages at the recipient email server; and
if the file size of the first file or second file exceeds the maximum file size for incoming messages at the recipient email server, compressing the first file into a third file that is smaller than the maximum file size for incoming messages at the recipient email server.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein comparing the file size of the first file to a maximum file size for incoming messages at the recipient email server comprises looking up the maximum file size for the recipient email server stored in a table.
14 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising displaying a notice on a graphical user interface of the user device notifying a user that the first file will be compressed below the maximum attachment size of the outgoing email server.
15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the comparing, compressing, and attaching further comprises providing instructions to a secure email gateway to perform said comparing, compressing, and attaching.
16 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform stages for handling oversized email attachments, the stages comprising:
identifying an outgoing email server associated with an unsent email;
retrieving a maximum attachment size for the outgoing email server;
determining a file size of a file attached to the unsent email;
comparing the file size of the attached file to the maximum attachment size for the email server; and
if the file size of the attached file exceeds the maximum attachment size, notifying the user that the file size exceeds the maximum attachment size.
17 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the stages further include compressing the file such that the file size of the compressed file is below the maximum attachment size of the outgoing email server.
18 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the stages further include:
identifying a recipient email server based on a recipient listed in the unsent email;
retrieving a maximum incoming file size for the recipient email server; and
if the file size of the attached file exceeds the maximum incoming file size for the recipient email server, notifying the user that the file size of the attached file exceeds the maximum incoming file size for the recipient email server.
19 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the stages further include compressing the file such that the file size of the compressed file is below the maximum attachment size of the outgoing email server and the maximum incoming file size for the recipient email server.
20 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein compressing the file further comprises selecting a compression method based on a required data compression ratio.