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File types are three-digit hexadecimal numbers. They are divided into ranges:
E00 - FFF | allocated by Acorn for generic data types |
B00 - DFF | allocated by Acorn to software houses for applications |
A00 - AFF | reserved for use by Acorn applications |
400 - 9FF | allocated by Acorn to software houses for applications |
100 - 3FF | allocated by Acorn to public domain applications |
000 - 0FF | free for users |
For information about the allocation of file types, see Appendix H: Registering names.
For each type, there may be a default action on loading and running the file. These actions may change, depending on whether the desktop is in use, and which applications have been seen. The system variables Alias$@LoadType_XXX and Alias$@RunType_XXX give the actions (XXX = file type).
Some types have a textual equivalent set at start-up, which may be used in most commands (but not in the above system variables) instead of the hexadecimal code. These are indicated in the table below by a double dagger '‡', or by a single dagger '†' if not available in RISC OS 2. For example, file type &FFF is set at start-up to have the textual equivalent Text. Other textual equivalents may be set as an application is first 'seen' by the Filer, or as it starts - for example, Acorn Desktop Publisher sets up file type &AF9 to be DtpDoc, and file type &AFA to be DtpStyle. These textual equivalents are set using the system variables File$Type_XXX, where XXX is the hexadecimal file type.
You should use the hexadecimal file type in command scripts and in programs, otherwise you will find that your files will give an error if you try to run them on a machine that uses a territory with different textual equivalents.
The following types are currently used or reserved by Acorn. Most file types used by other software houses are not shown. This list may be extended from time to time:
Type | Description | Textual equivalent | |
---|---|---|---|
FFF | Plain ASCII text | Text | ‡ |
FFE | Command (Exec) file | Command | ‡ |
FFD | Data | Data | ‡ |
FFC | Position independent code | Utility | ‡ |
FFB | Tokenised BASIC program | BASIC | ‡ |
FFA | Relocatable module | Module | ‡ |
FF9 | Sprite or saved screen | Sprite | ‡ |
FF8 | Absolute application loaded at &8000 | Absolute | ‡ |
FF7 | BBC font file (sequence of VDU operations) | BBC font | ‡ |
FF6 | Font (4 bpp bitmap only) | Font | ‡ |
FF5 | PostScript | PoScript | ‡ |
FF4 | Dot Matrix data file | Printout | † |
FF3 | LaserJet data file | LaserJet | |
FF2 | Configuration (CMOS RAM) | Config | † |
FF1 | Raw unprocessed data (eg terminal streams) | RawData | |
FF0 | Tagged Image File Format | TIFF | |
FED | Palette data | Palette | ‡ |
FEC | Template file | Template | ‡ |
FEB | Obey file | Obey | ‡ |
FEA | Desktop | Desktop | † |
FE9 | ViewWord | ViewWord | |
FE8 | ViewPS | ViewPS | |
FE7 | ViewSheet | ViewSht | |
FE6 | UNIX executable | UNIX Ex | |
FE4 | DOS file | DOS | † |
FE3 | Atari file | Atari | |
FE2 | Commodore Amiga file | Amiga | |
FE1 | Make data | Make | |
FDF | TCP/IP suite: VT220 script | VTScript | |
FDE | TCP/IP suite: VT220 setup | VTSetup | |
FDD | Master utilities | MasterUtl | |
FDC | TCP/IP suite: unresolvable UNIX soft link | SoftLink | |
FDB | Text using CR and LF for line ends | TextCRLF | |
FDA | PC Emulator: DOS batch file | MSDOSbat | |
FD9 | PC Emulator: DOS executable file | MSDOSexe | |
FD8 | PC Emulator: DOS command file | MSDOScom | |
FD7 | Obey file in a task window | TaskObey | † |
FD6 | Exec file in a task window | TaskExec | † |
FD5 | DOS Pict | Pict | |
FD4 | International MIDI Assoc. MIDIfiles standard | MIDI | |
FD3 | Acorn DDE: debuggable image | DebImage | |
FD1 | BASIC stored as text | BASICTxt | |
FD0 | PC Emulator: configuration | PCEmConf | |
FCF | Font cache | FontCache | † |
FCE | FileCore floppy disc image | FileCoreFloppyDisc | |
FCD | FileCore hard disc image | FileCoreHardDisc | |
FCC | Device object within DeviceFS | Device | † |
FCA | Single compressed file | Squash | |
FC9 | Sun raster file | SunRastr | |
FC8 | DOS MultiFS disc image | DOSDisc | ‡ |
FC7 | Macintosh format Type 1 font | MacType1 | |
FC6 | !Printers printer definition file | PrintDfn | |
FC3 | !Patch patch definition file | Patch | |
FC2 | Audio Interchange file format | AIFF |
Type | Description | Textual equivalent |
---|---|---|
DFE | Comma separated variables | CSV |
DEA | Data exchange format (AutoCAD etc) | DXF |
DB4 | SuperCalc III file | SuperCalc |
DB3 | DBase III file | DBaseIII |
DB2 | DBase II | DBaseII |
DB1 | DBase index file | DBaseIndex |
DB0 | Lotus 123 WK1 format | WK1 |
CE5 | TEX file | TeX |
CB6 | Amiga Sound Tracker | AmigaSTM |
CAF | IGIS graphics | IGIS |
CAE | Hewlett-Packard graphics language | HPGLPlot |
C85 | JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) file | JPEG |
C35 | Corel Draw file | CorlDraw |
Type | Description | Textual equivalent | |
---|---|---|---|
BBC | BBC ROM file (ROMFS) | BBC ROM | ‡ |