View source for Linear Executable

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Executables
|extensions={{ext|exe}}, {{ext|dll}}, {{ext|386}}, {{ext|sys}}, others
}}
'''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]
** [http://www.oldlinux.org/Linux.old/study/sabre/os/files/Executables/LX.txt Another copy of the document]
* [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 ==
* [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]