The Hindu Business Line : More on file extensions

Please let me know what is meant by .scr, .dat format and what are the applications that use this format. Also, please tell me which application runs the screen saver files in windows.

Anver Sadath

Extensions at the end of a filename refer to the file type. This information is used by the operating system to launch an appropriate program. For example, when you click on the filename, "file.txt", the extension .txt denotes that it is a text file and can be opened by a text editor program. So, basically file extensions help the system associate the file to its related programs. Please look up the list of extensions and the corresponding programs which run them in "Folder Options". To go to folder options, open any folder, go to Tools and select folder options; next go to the "File Types" tab to see the list.

The .scr file extension is a Windows Screen saver file extension. Files of this type are run by windows system just like a .exe file. It executes itself just like an executable file, and this is why most of the virus mass mailers prefer the .scr files, which they use to send themselves as attachments on a mail chain. In fact, Windows regards the .scr file as a script file, which is more platform-independent. The .dat file extensions is generally used for a "Data" file in which programs store their related data, be it text, structured data, encrypted information or anything else.It is a multi-purpose extension used with all kind of programs.

Solution by G. Rajah

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