[unix-history] / man6 / file.6

.th FILE VI 8/27/77
.sh NAME
file \- determine file type
.sh SYNOPSIS
.bd file
file ...
.sh DESCRIPTION
.it File
performs a series of tests on each argument
in an attempt to classify it.
If an argument appears to be \s-2ASCII\s0,
.it file
examines the first 512 bytes
and tries to guess its language.
.s3
Classification currently known to
.it file
are:
.s3
.dt
.br
	directory
.br
	( character | block ) special file
.br
	quota file
.br
	[ pure | separate ] executable [ not stripped ]
.br
	pascal object
.br
	[ old ] archive
.s3
The following text file classifications may indicate
``with garbage'' if there are non-\s-2ASCII\s0 characters
in the file.
.s3
	( c | fortran | pascal | assembler ) program
.br
	roff, nroff, or eqn input
.br
	commands
.br
	data
.br
	probably text
.sh SEE\ ALSO
head (VI)
.sh BUGS
Commit	Line	Data
0632d7e3 BJ	1	.th FILE VI 8/27/77
	2	.sh NAME
	3	file \- determine file type
	4	.sh SYNOPSIS
	5	.bd file
	6	file ...
	7	.sh DESCRIPTION
	8	.it File
	9	performs a series of tests on each argument
	10	in an attempt to classify it.
	11	If an argument appears to be \s-2ASCII\s0,
	12	.it file
	13	examines the first 512 bytes
	14	and tries to guess its language.
	15	.s3
	16	Classification currently known to
	17	.it file
	18	are:
	19	.s3
	20	.dt
	21	.br
	22	directory
	23	.br
	24	( character \| block ) special file
	25	.br
	26	quota file
	27	.br
	28	[ pure \| separate ] executable [ not stripped ]
	29	.br
	30	pascal object
	31	.br
	32	[ old ] archive
	33	.s3
	34	The following text file classifications may indicate
	35	``with garbage'' if there are non-\s-2ASCII\s0 characters
	36	in the file.
	37	.s3
	38	( c \| fortran \| pascal \| assembler ) program
	39	.br
	40	roff, nroff, or eqn input
	41	.br
	42	commands
	43	.br
	44	data
	45	.br
	46	probably text
	47	.sh SEE\ ALSO
	48	head (VI)
	49	.sh BUGS