Installing File-4.07

The File package contains a utility for determining the type of files.

Approximate build time:  0.1 SBU
Required disk space:     6.3 MB

Official download location for File (4.07): 
ftp://ftp.astron.com/pub/file/

Alternate Download Location:
ftp://gaosu.rave.org/pub/linux/lfs/

For its installation File depends on: Bash, Binutils, Coreutils, Diffutils, GCC, Glibc, Grep, Make, Sed, Zlib.

Installation of File

Prepare File for compilation:

./configure --prefix=/usr

Compile the package:

make

And install it:

make install

Contents of File

Installed program: file

Installed library: libmagic.[a,so]

Short descriptions

file tries to classify each given file. It does this by performing several tests: file system tests, magic number tests, and language tests. The first test that succeeds determines the result.

libmagic contains routines for magic number recognition, used by the file program.