file(1)
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file Command
determine file type
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SYNTAX
file [ -c ] [ -f ffile ] [ -m mfile ] arg ...
DESCRIPTION
File performs a series of tests on each argument in an attempt to
classify it. If an argument appears to be ASCII, file examines
the first 512 bytes and tries to guess its language. If an
argument is an executable a.out, file will print the version
stamp, provided it is greater than 0 (see ld(1)).
If the -f option is given, the next argument is taken to be a
file containing the names of the files to be examined.
File uses the file /etc/magic to identify files that have some
sort of magic number, that is, any file containing a numeric or
string constant that indicates its type. Commentary at the
beginning of /etc/magic explains its format.
The -m option instructs file to use an alternate magic file.
The -c flag causes file to check the magic file for format
errors. This validation is not normally carried out for reasons
of efficiency. No file typing is done under -c.
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EXAMPLES
$ file file1
file1: commands text
Since file1 contains DG/UX shell commands (i.e. it is a script
file), the file command gives the type as "commands text".
$ file -f filenames
file1: commands text
file2: ascii text
file3: c program text
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file(1)
file4: DG pure executable
The file filenames contained the names of four files.
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SEE ALSO
ld(1).
DG/UX 4.00 Page 2
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