xref: /original-bsd/usr.bin/file/file.1 (revision e1ce3925)
1.\" Copyright (c) 1990 The Regents of the University of California.
2.\" All rights reserved.
3.\"
4.\" %sccs.include.redist.man%
5.\"
6.\"     @(#)file.1	6.2 (Berkeley) 06/24/90
7.\"
8.Dd
9.Dt FILE 1
10.Os BSD 4.4
11.Sh NAME
12.Nm file
13.Nd identify file content
14.Sh SYNOPSIS
15.Nm file
16.Ar
17.Sh DESCRIPTION
18.Nm File
19tests the given argument(s) and reports
20the content type(s).
21If
22the file type is text,
23it attempts to determine
24the type of text (e.g.
25.Xr csh 1
26commands or C code)
27.Pp
28As several tests
29are used and
30.Nm file
31stops testing on the first successful one,
32it can make mistakes.
33.Pp
34.Nm File
35does not recognize Pascal or LISP.
36.\" .Sh ENVIRONMENT
37.Sh HISTORY
38A
39.Nm file
40command appeared in Version 6 AT&T UNIX.
41