>i can work with this - great idea. however i have just tried multiple versions of the syntax without sucess. Do you have one that would work or do i need to set this up entirely differently now. what i am getting for the body is 'c:\sample.html' and not the actualy html or else if i get the raw html code (my email is set to html and still i get the code.) I am obviously missing something here.
>
>lcBody = c:\sample.html (X)
>lcBody = 'c:\sample.html' (X)
>lcBody = ('c:\sample.html') (X)
>filetostr gives me the html code (X)

You may not be able to do it with simple Mapi, according to Microsoft it does not support HTML. (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/268440)
But your original code seem to indicate that you need to pop-up the mail message before sending (Using Outlook Express I take).
You have a few options depending on your needs.
1. Use CDO2.x wich supports HTML, but you are not able to open the message before sending.
2. Use CDO 1.x (same as above)
3. Automate Outlook where everything you need is available, HTML support, attachments and open message before sending.

Outlook Express is not a COM, so you cannot automate it, you can only send parameters to it as your original example.