General Guidelines

File Naming Convention
When you send files to the Mazer Corporation, we ask that you adhere to some very basic rules for naming files. This will help us ensure that we can successfully retrieve and read the files. These rules apply whether you are sending an e-mail attachment or a file through FTP.

  • Each file name should consist of no
    more than 28 characters.

  • There should be no slashes, exclamation
    points, question marks, or asterisks in
    the file name. A good rule is to use only
    alphanumeric characters except for
    periods, hyphens, and underscores.

  • There should be no spaces in the file
    name. If you want to separate words,
    use a hyphen or underscore.

  • Please include a 4-character suffix or
    extension at the end of every file name
    that corresponds to the type of file it is
    These 4 characters can be in addition
    to the 28 characters in the file name.
    Windows applications often do this
    automatically, but Mac users must add
    the suffix themselves. For example, if
    it is a Microsoft word document, the 4-
    character suffix would be ".doc" (note
    the period). If you are unsure about
    what suffix to use, make sure you
    inform your contact at Mazer what
    application you used to create the file(s).

E-mail and Internet Providers
Some of our clients have had problems with e-mail because of their current Internet Service Provider (ISP). If you would like to change your ISP, check out The List, where you can locate an ISP by area code. 

Before choosing an ISP, you should find out:
The ISP's capacity, or the number of connections it can support. If you live in a highly populated area, make sure the ISP has sufficient capacity so you won't always get a busy signal when you attempt to connect.

The extent of technical support the ISP offers. Do they have a 24-hour support line? What platforms do they support? For instance, if you have a Mac, but the ISP doesn't have a Mac technician, your ISP might not be able to help you when you are having a problem.

The ISP's coverage. If you travel often, will you be able to dial in to your ISP while on the road? AT&T WorldNet is accessible from anywhere in the country and from many places around the world. International ISPs often cooperate with local ISPs in other areas so they are accessible when you travel.

E-mail Attachment Policy
With some e-mail programs, you can attach up to 20 files to a single e-mail message. However, attaching multiple files to a single e-mail message sometimes causes problems. If Mazer has had problems with attachments from your e-mail messages, try sending only one attachment per e-mail message. Additionally, there is a maximum limit to the size of files attached to e-mail messages sent to Mazer. This limit has been set to a maximum of 10MB total per message. If you are attempting to send a file or files that are larger than 10MB combined, please use the FTP site.

FTP Site Policy
Due to limited space on the FTP server, files may remain on the FTP server for a maximum of 14 days. If you are placing a file on the FTP server or wish to retrieve a file from the FTP server, there are 14 days from the date it was placed to retrieve the file before it is deleted.

Common File Extensions
Below are listed some commonly used file types and their 4-character suffixes or extensions. For additional file types go to Wotsit's Format.