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Types of Files
Everything in the Unix system is a ``file'',
even a directory or a printer or speaker or picture.
For a quick indication of the nature of each file
in your directory, use the file
command;
pascal> file *
Some of the usual file types are
- directory
- text -- i.e. normal readable stuff with words,
numbers, blank spaces, etc. Variations;
- English text
- ascii text
- c program text
- commands text (probably Unix commands)
- c-shell commands (Unix C shell commands)
- [nt]roff, tbl, or eqn input text (old-style formatted document)
- executable program/file -- you can type the name of the file
and it is executed. Variations;
- 32-bit executable (probably a compiled program)
- executable shell script (a file of Unix commands)
- shell commands (same thing)
- executable perl script (a file of Perl commands)
- executable, Permission denied (i.e. you can't execute it!)
- PostScript document (can view it with ghostview)
- data (binary file, don't bother trying to read or print)
- symbolic link (points to another file)
- archive random library (compiled subroutines)
- Permission denied (you can't read it at all!)
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Bruce.Fast@Colorado.EDU