WHATIS File Identifier, v2.4¢ (c)1989 by Bill Aycock¢¢WHATIS is a simple utility that will identify 37 different types of¢files. Running the program is very simple - just binary-load the¢program from any DOS. When you're asked for the name of the file to¢identify, type in its name. Wildcards are fine; if you enter a file¢mask (using wildcards) instead of a specific filename, WHATIS will¢check all the files that match the pattern. If you don't include a¢device spec, WHATIS will add D: to the file name. If you just enter a¢path name (that is, a drive or subdirectory path ending with ":", "\",¢or ">"), WHATIS will append *.* to the end of your entry.¢¢WHATIS will then read the first few bytes of each file in question. If¢these bytes match a known file "signature", WHATIS will tell you what¢type of file it is (or will say "TEXT (or data)" if the file doesn't¢match any of the known types). The program will then wait for you to¢press the START key before returning to DOS.¢¢SpartaDOS users: you have the option of passing the filename mask on¢the command line if desired. Also, you won't be prompted for the START¢key, since Sparta doesn't clear the screen when entering the command¢processor.¢¢So far, WHATIS can recognize files prepared with these compression¢utilities:¢¢ ARC¢ ALFCRUNCH¢ CRUSH¢ DISKCOM (Disk Communicator)¢ MASH¢ SCRUNCH¢ SHRINK¢¢Decoders for these file types are available in LIB 3 of ATARI8. In¢addition, WHATIS will recognize these types of files:¢¢ SAVEd BASIC programs¢ EXTENDed BXE (BASIC-XE) programs¢ SAVEd MAC/65 code¢ OBJECT code (machine language)¢ DaisyDot fonts¢ GIF pictures¢ compressed KOALA pictures¢ SpartaDOS X (SDX) external commands¢¢as well as these types of files for the ST or other computers:¢¢ executable ST programs¢ ST-Writer files¢ WordPerfect files¢ Regent Word II files¢ PageStream .DOC files¢ TINY pictures¢ TIFF image files¢ Degas pics (.PI? and .PC?)¢ Spectrum pics (.SPC and .SPU)¢ Neochrome animations¢ Cyber (.SEQ) animations¢ .ZIP files (similar to ARC)¢ .PAK files (also similar to ARC)¢ LHarc files (yep, also like ARC)¢¢It _is_ possible to fool WHATIS. If a data file happens to start with¢the same bytes as one of these file types, it will be identified¢incorrectly. Also, SpartaDOS X device handlers will usually show up¢as DISKCOM files.¢¢WHATIS was based on Roy Goldman's Compactor Detector, a BASIC program¢which identifies files and allows renaming them to have a "standard"¢extender. WHATIS was written in Action! and compiled with the RunTime¢Library, both of which are available from the fine folks at ICD. Some¢of the I/O routines used were written by Don Davis. The ST version of¢WHATIS was compiled with the HiSoft BASIC Pro compiler distributed by¢MichTron.¢¢I'm always looking for more file types to support in WHATIS. If you¢know of a particular type of file that always start with the same few¢bytes, please let me know - I'll be glad to add it in!¢¢¢ Bill Aycock¢ 76703,4061¢
