>Thanks for that
>
>But I think I did not make myself clear
>
>On average the file that I wish to send a client may contain 12 data records each with its embedded bmp image - the catch is that my clients do not run vfp - so how can I send the data to them in a form which is widely readable - if there were no images I would send CSV format - with images embedded what are my options - or am I forced to send data and image files as separate entities?
>
>Zipping is taken for granted naturally

There are several options - most of which require that you either create a little exe on their side which will just get the pictures out (and you can find the exe which will install the runtimes somewhere on fox wiki), or that you specify here how are your users supposed to consume the content you send. One option is compiled HTML, which means embedded images (.mht format - which I don't know exactly how to create, and is actually IE specific and won't open in normal browsers). Yet another is embedding the images in PDF or Word or even Excel.

It all depends on what do they need the images for, i.e. how would they use them. Just look at them and read the data, or use them for further manipulation (using what exactly?) etc etc. IOW, not simple.