How to find the correct extension for old files which now appear as Unix Executable

[pef105]

I have several files which have sat on my computer(s) for 10-15 years in an Archive folder and which now all appear as Unix Executable Files. Some are sound files, others scans and text documents. I have tried adding what I thought were correct extensions to them, but have had no luck in opening them. Is there a way that I can determine the correct extension so I can open them? Or any other way to open them? I'd hate to loose them.

 

[artov]

You might like to try the "file" command. Start the Terminal.App, cd to the Archive folder and type

file *

All the files are listed, plus what they are (or actually what the file command thinks they are).

 

[midijeep]

Do you have a copy of TextWrangler? If not you can download it--it is free from Bare Bones.

http://www.barebones.com/products/textwrangler/

I had determinedly tried to wreck a file, which was very small, and contained a minimal amount of formatting information (basically, just a particular font). It persisted in being opened correctly in Word and TextEdit. I opened it in TextWrangler, which would open it and display the sort of thing you would see in a hex editor, that is every thing encoded in the file, but in a more readily readable form. Here's what it looks like:

{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\cocoartf949\cocoasubrtf350
{\fonttbl\f0\froman\fcharset0 TimesNewRomanPSMT;}
{\colortbl;\red255\green255\blue255;}
\vieww9000\viewh9600\viewkind0
\deftab709
\pard\pardeftab709\ql\qnatural\pardirnatural

\f0\fs24 \cf0 This was a Neo office document. I'm trying to mess it up.\
}

You can see that it was originally in rtf form, with TimesNewRoman as the font. The actual text is the simple statement: This was a Neo office document. I'm trying to mess it up.

You might try downloading TextWrangler, then drop one of the smaller files on to it and see what you get.

 

[pef105]

Thank you both for your suggestions.

Midijeep - I have tried TextWrangler and it gives me a couple of pages of what is (to me) nonsense. I could find no references to anything recognizable.

artov - I have never used the Terminal app. I presume that "cd to the Archive folder" means to navigate to the folder, but what is the actual command to accomplish this? What do I need to type?

 

[pef105]

OK, I did some research on how to use Terminal and finally found the Creator Codes for the files. Most have the creator code MAXm, which I have found belongs to Paperport (I used to own an old Paperport scanner) so now I am on my way with these.

Three files had the creator code SFX!, however, and I have yet to find which application uses this code.

If anybody can tell me this I'd be very grateful. They are sound files, so it will be a sound recording (or editing) application.

Thanks

 

[SGilbert]

File Type Windows Self-Extracting Archive
Developer N/A
Popularity
Category Compressed Files
File Description
Compressed archive containing one or more files; may use one of several different types of compression, such as .7Z, .ZIP, or .RAR compression; runs itself when opened and decompresses and extracts the contents; allows users to open the archive without needing a file decompression program.

SFX files can be created by several different programs, including RARLAB WinRAR, Corel WinZip, 7-Zip, ESTSoft ALZip, and Smart SFX Pro. SFX files created with 7-Zip may be extracted with PeaZip.

NOTE: Self-extracting archives commonly use the .EXE extension and not the ".sfx" extension.
Program(s) that open .SFX files

Mac OS
Dare to be Creative Archiver info

Windows
Microsoft Windows 7 info
WinRAR info
Corel WinZip 15 Pro info
7-Zip info
PeaZip info

 

[pef105]

Thanks for your reply sGilbert.

I tried adding the SFX extension and opening in Archiver but that didn't work.

Perhaps this is because it is the creator code (not the extension) that is SFX! - four digits with the last being an exclamation point (not a capital i)