Just Solve the File Format Problem - User contributions [en]

Microsoft Advisor Help

2024-05-18T08:11:20Z

Screwtape: Add links to file formats and resources.

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Help files
|extensions={{ext|hlp}}
}}
'''Microsoft Advisor Help file''' is an old help file format used by Microsoft's MS-DOS development tools. It is distinct from [[HLP (WinHelp)|Windows HLP]] format.

== Identification ==
Known files begin with {{magic|4c 4e 02 00 ?? 00 3a 00}}, where the fifth byte may be {{magic|00}} or {{magic|01}}.

== See Also ==

* [[Microsoft Quick Help]], a different format used by older software

== Specifications ==

* https://github.com/fancidev/DosHelp/blob/master/QuickHelp/Serialization/Format.txt

== Software ==

* https://github.com/fancidev/DosHelp (although it talks about Quick Help, it actually describes the Advisor Help format)

== Sample files ==

* QBASIC.HLP as shipped with MS-DOS 5.0 and 6.x
* Examples found on the web: [https://github.com/ibarrar/clipper/tree/master/C600/HELP/], [http://cursos.itam.mx/akuri/2003/OPC22003/MASM615/], [http://data.phys.ucalgary.ca/sort_by_instrument/other/poca/eu9514/011/C600/HELP/]
* {{DexvertSamples|document/microsoftAdvisorHelp}}

== Resources ==

* [https://archive.org/details/stx_Microsoft_Professional_Advisor_Library_Reference_for_MS_OS-2_and_MS-DOS_1990/mode/2up Microsoft Professional Advisor Library Reference]

[[Category:Microsoft]]

Linear Executable

2024-01-19T12:13:07Z

Screwtape: Link to the EXEPACK and EXEPACK2 compression algorithms sometimes found in LX executables.

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Executables
|extensions={{ext|386}}, {{ext|dll}}, {{ext|exe}}, {{ext|sys}}, {{ext|vxd}}
}}
'''Linear Executable''' is an executable file format in the [[EXE]] family. It was used by 32-bit OS/2, by some DOS extenders, and by Microsoft Windows VxD files. It is an extension of [[MS-DOS EXE]], and a successor to [[NE]] (New Executable).

There are two main varieties of it: '''LX''' (32-bit), and '''LE''' (mixed 16/32-bit).

== Identification ==
A Linear Executable file begins with the ASCII signature "<code>MZ</code>". At offset 60 is a 4-byte integer pointing to an "extended" header that begins with "<code>LX</code>" or "<code>LE</code>". For more information, see [[MS-DOS EXE]].

== Specifications ==
* [http://www.textfiles.com/programming/FORMATS/lxexe.txt LX Format Description] (1992 edition)
** [http://www.oldlinux.org/Linux.old/study/sabre/os/files/Executables/LX.txt Another copy of the 1992 edition]
* [http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/ibm/pc/os2/OS2_OMF_and_LX_Object_Formats_Revision_8_199406.pdf IBM OS/2 16/32-bit Object Module Format (OMF) and Linear executable Module Format (LX)] (Revision 8, 1994)
* [https://archive.org/details/IBMOS2Warp4ToolkitDocuments2/32-bit%20Linear%20eXecutable%20Module%20Format%20%28LX%29%20Specification/mode/2up IBM OS/2 16/32-bit Linear eXecutable Module Format (LX)] (Revision 11, 2001)
* [http://faydoc.tripod.com/formats/exe-LE.htm (.vxd) LINEAR-EXECUTABLE File Header Layout] (LE)

== Software ==

* [https://github.com/altsan/os2-gpi-font-tools/blob/master/parser/gpifont.c An OS/2 font resource extractor] reads resources from LX-format executable, including decompressing compressed pages

== Sample files ==
* http://cd.textfiles.com/hobbesos29411/BIN/ → *.EXE (LX, OS/2 console)
* http://cd.textfiles.com/hobbesos2/2_X/GAMES/ → *.ZIP → *.EXE (LX, OS/2 GUI)
* http://cd.textfiles.com/silvercollection/disc4/DRIVERS/ - The *.386 files inside the archive files (for example, [http://cd.textfiles.com/silvercollection/disc4/DRIVERS/19GXE.ARJ 19GXE.ARJ] → VDDS3.386) use MS Windows LE / VxD format.
* [http://cd.textfiles.com/doomcompanion/DOOM/DOOM.EXE DOOM.EXE] - Example of the format used by some DOS extenders. Technically this is an [[MS-DOS EXE]] file, with an embedded LE file.

== See also ==
* [[Dynamic-link library (Windows)]]
* [[EXEPACK]]
* [[EXEPACK2]]

== Links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190202155306/http://www.tenberry.com/dos4g/faq/format.html DOS/4G and DOS/4GW FAQ: Executable File Format(s)]
* [http://www.mitec.cz/exe.html EXE Explorer utility]
* [https://github.com/open-watcom/open-watcom-v2/blob/master/bld/watcom/h/exeflat.h Open Watcom structs with LX/LE differences]

[[Category:Windows]]
[[Category:OS/2]]

Linear Executable

2024-01-17T11:53:06Z

Screwtape: Link to code that handle compressed pages

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Executables
|extensions={{ext|386}}, {{ext|dll}}, {{ext|exe}}, {{ext|sys}}, {{ext|vxd}}
}}
'''Linear Executable''' is an executable file format in the [[EXE]] family. It was used by 32-bit OS/2, by some DOS extenders, and by Microsoft Windows VxD files. It is an extension of [[MS-DOS EXE]], and a successor to [[NE]] (New Executable).

There are two main varieties of it: '''LX''' (32-bit), and '''LE''' (mixed 16/32-bit).

== Identification ==
A Linear Executable file begins with the ASCII signature "<code>MZ</code>". At offset 60 is a 4-byte integer pointing to an "extended" header that begins with "<code>LX</code>" or "<code>LE</code>". For more information, see [[MS-DOS EXE]].

== Specifications ==
* [http://www.textfiles.com/programming/FORMATS/lxexe.txt LX Format Description] (1992 edition)
** [http://www.oldlinux.org/Linux.old/study/sabre/os/files/Executables/LX.txt Another copy of the 1992 edition]
* [http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/ibm/pc/os2/OS2_OMF_and_LX_Object_Formats_Revision_8_199406.pdf IBM OS/2 16/32-bit Object Module Format (OMF) and Linear executable Module Format (LX)] (Revision 8, 1994)
* [https://archive.org/details/IBMOS2Warp4ToolkitDocuments2/32-bit%20Linear%20eXecutable%20Module%20Format%20%28LX%29%20Specification/mode/2up IBM OS/2 16/32-bit Linear eXecutable Module Format (LX)] (Revision 11, 2001)
* [http://faydoc.tripod.com/formats/exe-LE.htm (.vxd) LINEAR-EXECUTABLE File Header Layout] (LE)

== Software ==

* [https://github.com/altsan/os2-gpi-font-tools/blob/master/parser/gpifont.c An OS/2 font resource extractor] reads resources from LX-format executable, including decompressing compressed pages

== Sample files ==
* http://cd.textfiles.com/hobbesos29411/BIN/ → *.EXE (LX, OS/2 console)
* http://cd.textfiles.com/hobbesos2/2_X/GAMES/ → *.ZIP → *.EXE (LX, OS/2 GUI)
* http://cd.textfiles.com/silvercollection/disc4/DRIVERS/ - The *.386 files inside the archive files (for example, [http://cd.textfiles.com/silvercollection/disc4/DRIVERS/19GXE.ARJ 19GXE.ARJ] → VDDS3.386) use MS Windows LE / VxD format.
* [http://cd.textfiles.com/doomcompanion/DOOM/DOOM.EXE DOOM.EXE] - Example of the format used by some DOS extenders. Technically this is an [[MS-DOS EXE]] file, with an embedded LE file.

== See also ==
* [[Dynamic-link library (Windows)]]

== Links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190202155306/http://www.tenberry.com/dos4g/faq/format.html DOS/4G and DOS/4GW FAQ: Executable File Format(s)]
* [http://www.mitec.cz/exe.html EXE Explorer utility]
* [https://github.com/open-watcom/open-watcom-v2/blob/master/bld/watcom/h/exeflat.h Open Watcom structs with LX/LE differences]

[[Category:Windows]]
[[Category:OS/2]]

Linear Executable

2024-01-17T10:36:42Z

Screwtape: Add links to newer versions of the LX format spec.

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Executables
|extensions={{ext|386}}, {{ext|dll}}, {{ext|exe}}, {{ext|sys}}, {{ext|vxd}}
}}
'''Linear Executable''' is an executable file format in the [[EXE]] family. It was used by 32-bit OS/2, by some DOS extenders, and by Microsoft Windows VxD files. It is an extension of [[MS-DOS EXE]], and a successor to [[NE]] (New Executable).

There are two main varieties of it: '''LX''' (32-bit), and '''LE''' (mixed 16/32-bit).

== Identification ==
A Linear Executable file begins with the ASCII signature "<code>MZ</code>". At offset 60 is a 4-byte integer pointing to an "extended" header that begins with "<code>LX</code>" or "<code>LE</code>". For more information, see [[MS-DOS EXE]].

== Specifications ==
* [http://www.textfiles.com/programming/FORMATS/lxexe.txt LX Format Description] (1992 edition)
** [http://www.oldlinux.org/Linux.old/study/sabre/os/files/Executables/LX.txt Another copy of the 1992 edition]
* [http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/ibm/pc/os2/OS2_OMF_and_LX_Object_Formats_Revision_8_199406.pdf IBM OS/2 16/32-bit Object Module Format (OMF) and Linear executable Module Format (LX)] (Revision 8, 1994)
* [https://archive.org/details/IBMOS2Warp4ToolkitDocuments2/32-bit%20Linear%20eXecutable%20Module%20Format%20%28LX%29%20Specification/mode/2up IBM OS/2 16/32-bit Linear eXecutable Module Format (LX)] (Revision 11, 2001)
* [http://faydoc.tripod.com/formats/exe-LE.htm (.vxd) LINEAR-EXECUTABLE File Header Layout] (LE)

== Sample files ==
* http://cd.textfiles.com/hobbesos29411/BIN/ → *.EXE (LX, OS/2 console)
* http://cd.textfiles.com/hobbesos2/2_X/GAMES/ → *.ZIP → *.EXE (LX, OS/2 GUI)
* http://cd.textfiles.com/silvercollection/disc4/DRIVERS/ - The *.386 files inside the archive files (for example, [http://cd.textfiles.com/silvercollection/disc4/DRIVERS/19GXE.ARJ 19GXE.ARJ] → VDDS3.386) use MS Windows LE / VxD format.
* [http://cd.textfiles.com/doomcompanion/DOOM/DOOM.EXE DOOM.EXE] - Example of the format used by some DOS extenders. Technically this is an [[MS-DOS EXE]] file, with an embedded LE file.

== See also ==
* [[Dynamic-link library (Windows)]]

== Links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190202155306/http://www.tenberry.com/dos4g/faq/format.html DOS/4G and DOS/4GW FAQ: Executable File Format(s)]
* [http://www.mitec.cz/exe.html EXE Explorer utility]
* [https://github.com/open-watcom/open-watcom-v2/blob/master/bld/watcom/h/exeflat.h Open Watcom structs with LX/LE differences]

[[Category:Windows]]
[[Category:OS/2]]

OS/2 PACK2 archive

2024-01-17T10:07:33Z

Screwtape: I found the actual official tools for working with this format.

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Archiving
|extensions={{ext|??_}}, {{ext|??@}}, others
}}
'''FTCOMP''' is the signature of a compressed archive format used on OS/2, particularly by software installers. Whether "FTCOMP" is the correct name of the format is unknown.

On the OS/2 3.0 and 4.0 installation disks, some FTCOMP files are named with a trailing underscore, like "DSPRES.DL_". These archives contain a single compressed file, and are named after that file with the last letter replaced with an underscore. Some FTCOMP files are named with no extension, like "BUNDLE" or "KLONDIKE" or "SERIAL". These archives contain a collection of compressed files - "BUNDLE" if there's no other archive in the same directory, or some name specific to its contents.

There are apparently two versions of this format, since some tools report "this file requires a newer tool to extract".

== Identification ==
Files apparently begin with bytes {{magic|a5 96 fd ff}}.

== Software ==
* https://github.com/martinlindhe/formats - Supports FTCOMP in some way
* The OS/2 3.0 and 4.0 install CDs contain OS/2 command-line tools UNPACK.EXE and UNPACK2.EXE (some files that cannot be unpacked with UNPACK will work with UNPACK2)
* The OS/2 Developer's Toolkit contains OS/2 command-line tools PACK.EXE and PACK2.EXE

== Sample files ==
* http://cd.textfiles.com/venus/64v2/os2/ → *.pk2
* http://cd.textfiles.com/hobbesos29709/disk1/GAMES/MAH21DE.ZIP → *@
* http://cd.textfiles.com/hobbesos29709/disk1/GAMES/SEAHAV23.ZIP → *_
* http://cd.textfiles.com/hobbesos29709/disk1/GAMES/TOYLAND.ZIP → *_

[[Category:OS/2]]