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How Do I Determine If A File is EXE or TXT?
Author: KB Admin Reference Number: AA-02832 Views: 7351 Created: 2012-08-05 19:00 Last Updated: 2012-06-08 04:10 0 Rating/ Voters
Windows has long included a feature to hide extensions for known file types. What this means is that the last three characters of a file name do not appear when viewed in Windows Explorer or other places where file names can be viewed.

Files on PCs actually have two parts, divided by a period. The part to the left of the period is called the file name, and the part to the right is called the file extension. The file extension usually indicates the file type, whether it is a program file, a data file, a document file, or some other type of file used by the computer or one of its programs. The feature in Windows to hide extensions for known file types means that if a file has a name such as BW700.EXE (the file used to start the BibleWorks program,) the .EXE part of the filename will be hidden, and only BW700 will display.


At times it is necessary to work with a specific file for troubleshooting or other purposes, and it will be important to identify the correct file to be used. When the extensions are thus hidden, it is sometimes difficult to determine which file is needed. A look at the contents of the BibleWorks 7 folder will discover that there are several files for which the file name is BW700. If the file extensions are hidden, how can one tell which one is which?


The icon to the left of the filename is often helpful, but sometimes they are so small it is difficult to distinguish the detail. One way to confirm the extension of a file, and thus choose the correct file, is to display the properties box for that file. To do so, take the following steps:
1. Open Windows Explorer to the folder containing the desired file.
2. Find and highlight a file that may be the one needed.
3. Click with the right mouse button on the filename.
4. Choose Properties from the pop-up menu.
5. Look to the top of the Properties box for the filename. The extension will be included. (See illustration)


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Last Update: 11/07/2007 - ELM