identifiying unknown filetypes

[RabbieBurns]

Our reception gets sent a multitude of files with no extension, which they forward to me to identify. I use the 'file' command on Linux to ID them, and send them back with the correct extension added.

 

She has asked if there is any way she could identify them herself, to save us having to do it.

 

Is there a similar program for windows that will check the signature and show what filetype it is, and thus what extension it should have?

[Paradroid]

One way I do it is to open it in notepad and look at the first few characters or if theres nothing identifable there look a the very end of the file.

 

If at the beginning of file:

MZ = EXE

PDF = errmm PDF

MSCF = Microsoft Cab File

CWS = shockwave Flash (SWF) file

BM = BMP file

 

End of File

Microsoft Office Word Document, MSWord, Word.Document = MS Word document

W o r k b o o k, Microsoft Excel (slightly higer up the file) = MS Excel

 

 

I've got a list of some more on my work computer that I can post up if needed but it's quite easy to work them out.

 

One way to automate it would be to do a patern match in a batch file for example.

[Arthur]

There's TrID or TrIDNet (which is a GUI for the former). If most of the extension-less files are images, then IrfanView can automatically detect the format too.