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@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@ +** README for file(1) Command ** +@(#) $File: README,v 1.45 2013/01/11 16:51:01 christos Exp $ + +Mailing List: file@mx.gw.com +Bug tracker: http://bugs.gw.com/ +E-mail: christos@astron.com + +Phone: Do not even think of telephoning me about this program. Send cash first! + +This is Release 5.x of Ian Darwin's (copyright but distributable) +file(1) command, an implementation of the Unix File(1) command. +It knows the 'magic number' of several thousands of file types. +This version is the standard "file" command for Linux, +*BSD, and other systems. (See "patchlevel.h" for the exact release number). + +You can download the latest version of file from: + + ftp://ftp.astron.com/pub/file/ + +A public read-only git repository is available at: + + https://github.com/glensc/file + +The major changes for 5.x are CDF file parsing, indirect magic, and +overhaul in mime and ascii encoding handling. + +The major feature of 4.x is the refactoring of the code into a library, +and the re-write of the file command in terms of that library. The library +itself, libmagic can be used by 3rd party programs that wish to identify +file types without having to fork() and exec() file. The prime contributor +for 4.0 was M\xe5ns Rullg\xe5rd. + +UNIX is a trademark of UNIX System Laboratories. + +The prime contributor to Release 3.8 was Guy Harris, who put in megachanges +including byte-order independence. + +The prime contributor to Release 3.0 was Christos Zoulas, who put +in hundreds of lines of source code changes, including his own +ANSIfication of the code (I liked my own ANSIfication better, but +his (__P()) is the "Berkeley standard" way of doing it, and I wanted UCB +to include the code...), his HP-like "indirection" (a feature of +the HP file command, I think), and his mods that finally got the +uncompress (-z) mode finished and working. + +This release has compiled in numerous environments; see PORTING +for a list and problems. + +This fine freeware file(1) follows the USG (System V) model of the file +command, rather than the Research (V7) version or the V7-derived 4.[23] +Berkeley one. That is, the file /etc/magic contains much of the ritual +information that is the source of this program's power. My version +knows a little more magic (including tar archives) than System V; the +/etc/magic parsing seems to be compatible with the (poorly documented) +System V /etc/magic format (with one exception; see the man page). + +In addition, the /etc/magic file is built from a subdirectory +for easier(?) maintenance. I will act as a clearinghouse for +magic numbers assigned to all sorts of data files that +are in reasonable circulation. Send your magic numbers, +in magic(5) format please, to the maintainer, Christos Zoulas. + +COPYING - read this first. +README - read this second (you are currently reading this file). +INSTALL - read on how to install + +src/apprentice.c - parses /etc/magic to learn magic +src/apptype.c - used for OS/2 specific application type magic +src/asprintf.c - replacement for OS's that don't have it. +src/ascmagic.c - third & last set of tests, based on hardwired assumptions. +src/asctime_r.c - for systems that don't have it. +src/asprintf.c - for systems that don't have it. +src/cdf.c - parser for Microsoft Compound Document Files +src/cdf_time.c - time converter for CDF. +src/compress.c - handles decompressing files to look inside. +src/ctime_r.c - for systems that don't have it. +src/encoding.c - handles unicode encodings +src/file.c - the main program +src/file.h - header file +src/fsmagic.c - first set of tests the program runs, based on filesystem info +src/funcs.c - utilility functions +src/getopt_long.c - for systems that don't have it. +src/getline.c - for systems that don't have it. +src/is_tar.c, tar.h - knows about tarchives (courtesy John Gilmore). +src/names.h - header file for ascmagic.c +src/magic.c - the libmagic api +src/print.c - print results, errors, warnings. +src/readcdf.c - CDF wrapper. +src/readelf.[ch] - Stand-alone elf parsing code. +src/softmagic.c - 2nd set of tests, based on /etc/magic +src/strlcat.c - for systems that don't have it. +src/strlcpy.c - for systems that don't have it. +src/vasprintf.c - for systems that don't have it. +doc/file.man - man page for the command +doc/magic.man - man page for the magic file, courtesy Guy Harris. + Install as magic.4 on USG and magic.5 on V7 or Berkeley; cf Makefile. +Magdir - directory of /etc/magic pieces +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +If you submit a new magic entry please make sure you read the following +guidelines: + +- Initial match is preferably at least 32 bits long, and is a _unique_ match +- If this is not feasible, use additional check +- Match of <= 16 bits are not accepted +- Delay printing string as much as possible, don't print output too early +- Avoid printf arbitrary byte as string, which can be a source of + crash and buffer overflow + +- Provide complete information with entry: + * One line short summary + * Optional long description + * File extension, if applicable + * Full name and contact method (for discussion when entry has problem) + * Further reference, such as documentation of format + +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Parts of this software were developed at SoftQuad Inc., developers +of SGML/HTML/XML publishing software, in Toronto, Canada. +SoftQuad was swallowed up by Corel in 2002 and does not exist any longer. |