When downloading emails or reading newsgroups, users might encounter attachments saved in a wide variety of file formats, such as the IMF format. Thunderbird lets you download attachments, but finding the right application to open them can be time-consuming. Fortunately, opening files in the IMF format can be achieved by using the right application.
Thunderbird
- Thunderbird is a free, open-source, application published by the Mozilla Foundation. This program allows users to manage their email accounts and connect to Usenet servers. Usenet servers contain message groups known as newsgroups. When viewing an email or a newsgroup post in Thunderbird, users may sometimes want to open the files attached to it. Although Thunderbird can natively open common file formats, it does not support the IMF audio format.
IMF Format
- The IMF, or id Software Music Format, is a file format that is used to store audio files contained in certain video games released by id Software. IMF files contain various types of audio tracks, such as character dialog, sound effects or music tracks. Because IMF files do not use a compression algorithm, they can be used to store high-quality audio tracks.
id Software
- Id Software is a company which, over the past 20 years, has released a series of popular computer video games, such as the "Wolfenstein 3D," "Duke Nukem" and "Quake" series. Some of those games use audio tracks stored in the IMF format. You can find the IMF files inside the main installation folder of id Software games.
Opening IMF Files
- Unfortunately, Thunderbird cannot directly open IMF files. Due to the fact that IMF is an uncommon format, Windows itself cannot open those files either. To open IMF files, users must download and install Winamp, a free media player, by visiting Winamp.com. Once Winamp has been correctly installed, users can then download AdPlug, a free audio plugin, at Shakadi.net. This plugin will allow Winamp to open and play IMF files. From within Thunderbird, users will then be able to open attached IMF files by dragging them on top of the Winamp window.
