FILE(1)             RISC/os Reference Manual              FILE(1)



NAME
     file - determine file type

SYNOPSIS
     file [-h] [-m mfile] [-f ffile] arg ...
     file [-h] [-m mfile] -f ffile
     file -c [-m mfile]

DESCRIPTION
     file performs a series of tests on each file supplied by arg
     and, optionally, on each file supplied in ffile in an
     attempt to classify it.  If arg appears to be a text file,
     file examines the first 512 bytes and tries to guess its
     programming language.  If arg is an executable a.out, file
     prints the version stamp, provided it is greater than 0.  If
     arg is a symbolic link, by default the link is followed and
     file tests the file that the symbolic link references.

     -c    Check the magic file for format errors.  For reasons
           of efficiency, this validation is normally not carried
           out.

     -f ffile
           ffile contains the names of the files to be examined.

     -h    Do not follow symbolic links.

     -m mfile
           Use mfile as an alternate magic file, instead of
           /etc/magic.

     file uses /etc/magic to identify files that have a magic
     number.  A magic number is a numeric or string constant that
     indicates the file type.  Commentary at the beginning of
     /etc/magic explains its format.

INTERNATIONAL FUNCTIONALITY
     file can classify files containing characters from supple-
     mentary code sets.  file reads each argument and can distin-
     guish data files, program text files, shell scripts and exe-
     cutable files as follows:

     Files                          Classification
     _____________________________________________
     Data files containing          data
     supplementary characters

     Shell scripts containing       command text
     supplementary characters






                        Printed 11/19/92                   Page 1

FILE(1)             RISC/os Reference Manual              FILE(1)



     Language program text files    xxx text
     containing literals or
     comments using supplementary
     characters

     Executable files               executable

SEE ALSO
     file(1) in the System V Release 4.0 User's Reference Manual.

FILES
     /etc/magic

SEE ALSO
     filehdr(4) in the System Administrator's Reference Manual.

DIAGNOSTICS
     If the -h option is specified and arg is a symbolic link,
     file prints the error message:

          symbolic link to arg


































 Page 2                 Printed 11/19/92