[plug] question about file types

[Steve Baker]

On Tue, 5 Jan 1999, Tamara Thompson wrote:

> This is just a minor annoyance, but when I'm exploring my Redhat system,
> sometimes I can't tell by the ls -l whether a file is a binary or a
> script.  So I just 'more' 'em. 
> 
> Problem is, <sheepish grin> as often as not I open a binary file and it
> mucks up my console.  Total garbage on screen, as if the font has been
> changed to hieroglyphs. 
> 
> 1) is there a way to determine if a file is a readable script or a binary?

Yes.  Use the 'file' command.

$ file /bin/bash
/bin/bash: ELF 32-bit LSB executable i386 (386 and up) Version 1
$ file /usr/bin/groups
/usr/bin/groups: Bourne Shell script text

> 2) is there a quick and easy way to restore the VGA settings?  

Not sure about this one.

> Logging out and back in fixes it, but seems rather inelegant to me.
> 
> Tamara
> 

--
Steve Baker,  aka  bakes at corona.iinet.net.au
Open your mind, then check out http://www.peg.apc.org/~nexus
No-one can tell you exactly what you have gotta be -- Jimmy Barnes