[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
New csa2 FAQs: F002t2TCOM
Apple II Telecom Manual II: Downloading & Uploading
Csa2 FAQs-on-Ground file: FxxxT2TCOM.txt
This material compiled by the Ground Apple II site, 1997.
It may be freely distributed.
Note: This is a pure Text file which has no Font, Color, etc.
formatting. To correctly view tables and diagrams on a super-res
display, use a mono-spaced Font such as CoPilot or PCMononspaced.
____________________________
001- How can I read & send email and newsgroup msgs with my A2?
002- With a fast modem, how can the IIe connect to the internet?
003- I'm running the Lynx web browser. Where do I put the URL?
004- How do I download an .SHK file through Lynx?
005- Can I send and receive FAXes using my Apple II?
006- What is a "Binary II" wrapper?
007- What is a "binscii" file?
008- What are .SHK files and how do I use them?
009- What are "DSK" files and how do I use them?
010- I have downloaded files in "gz" format? How do I use them?
011- ShrinkIt downloaded as a TXT file. How can I use it?
012- How can I move A2 programs to Quick BASIC on my PC?
013- What is the easiest way to get files from Apple II FTP sites?
014- Are there dwnload files I should process on the PC (or Mac)?
015- How do I upload files?
016- What do the popular file name extensions mean?
017- How do I tell what kind of file this is?
From: Brian Hammack
001- How can I read & send email and newsgroup messages
with my Apple II?
You can use a program by Tom Larson named "2qwk!". Many PC-based
BBS's and other servers have hidden among the door programs a
"maildoor," which will package all unread messages in a user's chosen
news groups and make them available for download as a single compressed
file, called a QWK packet. (Hence "2qwk", QWK access for Apple II; get
it?!)
So, you have a QWK packet sent to your machine, which takes a few
seconds to a few minutes depending on how fast the modem is and how many
messages there are. Then, you can go off-line and launch 2qwk!.
Selecting "Archiver" lets you start the utility of your choice (such as
Angel 0.81b, available separately) to unpack the QWK packet and return
to 2qwk!.
Now, you may select "Messages" to view your news groups, scan
messages by author and subject, and, finally, read individual messages.
When you find a post that needs a reply, you can decide how much of the
message to quote and type-in your words of wisdom. You can also haul in
text from disk and, even, pick just the right tagline (snappy words at
the very end of many messages seen on-line nowadays). Naturally, 2qwk!
allows complete freedom to change a message title along with the group
to which it is to be posted and to originate new messages.
When you are done reading and replying, you exit the program and it
creates a reply file, called a REP packet. The next time you connect,
you simply upload the REP to the maildoor. The maildoor will decide what
goes where and your messages will enter cyberspace pronto!
To use 2qwk! you will need an enhanced Apple IIe, IIc, or IIgs,
with at least 128k RAM and drive space to hold the QWK data. The program
itself will fit on a 5.25" disk with plenty of room to spare. Of course,
the server to which you connect must have a QWK-compatible maildoor.
2qwk! runs under ProDOS 2.x. It comes with QuickFix, a program to patch
ProDOS, and other utility programs to handle MSDOS-legal names.
_______________________________
From: Richard Der
002- With a fast modem, how can the IIe connect to the internet?
Get an Internet Service Provider that has the option of a text
based shell account. For email, Proline and METAL BBS's work well too.
---------------
003- I'm on the Internet and running the Lynx web browser.
It dosn't look like Netscape Navigator at all. Where do
I put in the URL?
Type "g" which will bring up a URL dialog. You can then type in the
URL and hit return.
---------------
004- How do I download an .SHK file through Lynx? Selecting the
link gives an unusable text dump.
Just highlight the link, but do not press return. Press "d"
instead, which will bring up the download dialog.
_______________________________
From: Rubywand
005- Can I send and receive FAXes using my Apple II?
If your Apple II is a IIgs, yes. There are two GS FAXing programs:
FAXination and PMPFAX.
------------------------
006- What is a "Binary II" wrapper?
A Binary II header is a small block of code tacked onto some Apple
II files. Sometimes, this is referred to as a "binary wrapper". Mainly,
the Binary II header contains filetype information. The purpose of
Binary II is to allow Apple II users to download files and have them
show up with the correct filetype. (Otherwise, a downloaded file tends
to show up as a TXT type file.)
In order for a Binary II header to be recognized and used to supply
the filetype info, the Apple II downloading software must have its
"Binary Down" option set to ON. The problem with this is that, at least
on a few popular telecom wares (like Spectrum), setting "Binary Down" to
ON will turn OFF Resume Transfer, something you probably do not want to
do when downloading over phone lines.
When you use a PC or Mac to handle downloads and, then, NULL-modem
the files to your Apple, it makes sense to leave "Binary Down" ON for
the telecom program running on the Apple II. Resume Transfer is not
necessary because you have a direct, noise-free connection between two
machines. Meanwhile, Binary Down will automatically recognize and
strip-off any Binary II header and save the resulting file with the
correct filetype.
Most Apple II files are no longer uploaded with a Binary II header.
When ShrinkIt became the de facto standard for Apple II files on the
net, Binary II encoding became unnecessary because ShrinkIt files retain
filetype information for the contained files.
-------------------------
007- What is a "binscii" file?
The term "binscii" comes from combining "binary" with "ASCII". A
file in binscii form has been changed so that it can be transmitted as
text to/from net servers which cannot handle pure binary transfers.
Today, practically all servers can handle pure binary transfers;
so, binscii is no longer in popular use. However, quite a few old A2
files are still in binscii form. To convert them to their un-biniscii-ed
form, you can use a program named "BINSCII" or, on a GS, the New Desk
Accessory named "GSCII". These programs can, also, create binscii files.
Note: Binscii is in no way related to Binary II. Binscii changes the
entire file into Text. Binary II is just a small block of bytes tacked
onto the front of a file, mainly to identify the file's filetype.
----------------------------
008- What are .SHK files and how do I use them?
.SHK files are the Apple II world's answer to .ZIP files in
PC-ville. A .SHK file is a file which contains one or more files in
compressed form. Usually, they are produced by GS-ShrinkIt (also called
"GSHK" or "ShrinkIt-GS") or, on 8-bit Apple II's, by ShrinkIt. Some .SHK
files are produced by Macs and are not compatible with A2 ShrinkIt
programs.
A .SHK file can be unpacked by ShrinkIt even if it shows up on the
Apple II with a TXT or BIN filetype. If a .SHK file has a Binary II
header, ShrinkIt will automatically remove it and assign the correct
filetype. (Of course, this will usually be SHK.)
Other kinds of ShrinkIt files include .SEA and .SDK. A .SEA file
is an executable self-extracting archive. A .SDK file is a Shrinked
diskette.
8-bit/IIe ShrinkIt is generally required for unpacking 5.25" disk
.SDK files. It can be used to fully unshrink any .SHK file _except_ a
.SHK file which contains files with GS/OS resource forks. For this
reason, 8-bit ShrinkIt should not be used to unshrink .SHK files
containing GS programs unless you know none of the contained files has a
resource fork. GS-ShrinkIt can handle all .SHK and .SDK files except
shrunk 5.25" diskette .SDK files.
Naturally, you can use the 8-bit and GS ShrinkIt programs to create
.SHK files. Since the unshrinking process is very speedy and since size
of a compressed .SHK file is, often, around half that of the original
files it contains, .SHK files are very handy for archiving your
software. Since a .SHK file also preserves filetype information of
contained files, .SHK has become the preferred format for uploading and
storing Apple II files on the internet.
---------------------------
009- What are "DSK" files and how do I use them?
DSK files are disk image files. Usually, they are images of Apple
5.25" game, utility, etc. diskettes. DSK files are used by emulators
like AppleWin to run A2 wares on the PC.
On an Apple II, a DSK file can be converted to actual 5.25"
diskette form using DSK2file or (GS-only) ASIMOV. You can, also, use
DSK2FILE or ASIMOV to create DSK files from unprotected 5.25" diskettes.
--------------------------
010- I have downloaded a bunch of files for the Apple II
lately that are in a format called GZ. I understand it
is some variation of Zip but I don't have a translator for
it on my GS. Does anyone know where I can find one?
Files downloaded from Asimov, mod files, and some others are,
often, in GZ format. If you download the files to a PC, you can use the
Windows version of PKZip (WinZip) to unzip the file.
Usually, an Asimov GZ image file will end up as a 143k DSK file.
The file may be moved to your Apple via NULL modem if you wish to
convert it to Apple-readable diskette form.
If you download a GZ file to your Apple you can use a program named
"GZPK" to convert it from PC-zip form to a zip format which (according
to the GZPK docs) can be unzipped via PMPUnzip 2.0 or Angel.
I found GZPK under the file name gzpk.txt in the new AOL archive on
Ground. (Thanks to Charles Turley for the info on the AOL archive!) The
file gzpk.txt is a binscii file. You can convert it to a SHK file using
GScii. The result, gz2pkz.shk, unshrinks using GSHK into the utility
plus docs, source code, and an icon. Using GZPK and PMPUnzip 2.0 on your
Apple, the GZ file (at least, one from Asimov) should end up as a DSK
file.
--------------------------
011- I've downloaded ShrinkIt but it comes in as a TXT file.
Since I do not have a way to change filetypes on my,
Apple II how do I get ShrinkIt going?
You can download a file named "TCHANGE.BIN" and the directions for
using it (in a Text file) from Ground's "Useful stuff" folder.
TCHANGE.BIN is the original Roger Wagner BASIC filetype-changer
program which has had a short machine code routine tacked onto the front
to make it BRUN-able.
It is BRUN-able in order to circumvent the 'Catch-22' situation
faced by many Apple2 (IIe, IIgs, etc.) users who employ a PC or Mac to
download Apple2 wares from the net.
How to Get Type Changer Going
Download the file TCHANGE.BIN as a binary file to your PC or Mac.
Move the file (e.g. via NULL modem or by copying to a ProDOS diskette)
to your Apple2.
Probably, the file will end up as a TXT type file. Make a temporary
backup copy of the file.
To get a BRUN-able BIN type file, start ProDOS-8 BASIC and BLOAD
the file:
BLOAD TCHANGE.BIN, TTXT, A2048
DELETE TCHANGE.BIN
Then, BSAVE the file:
BSAVE TCHANGE.BIN, A2048, L15711
TCHANGE.BIN is now BRUN-able. BRUN TCHANGE.BIN to start the
filetype changer program. By the way, once the program starts to RUN, it
is a BASIC program. (You can exit the program and SAVE it in BASIC
form.)
------------------------------
012- How can I move AppleSoft BASIC programs to Quick BASIC
on my PC?
Transferring Applesoft programs on an Apple II to QBASIC, GW-BASIC,
etc. on the PC is mainly a matter of moving a text copy of the program
to the PC. (To make a text copy of an Apple II program, you LIST the
program to a Text file.)
On the PC, you bring the A2 program text into your BASIC editor.
BASICs available on a PC are not 100% compatible with Applesoft. Once
you can list the Applesoft program on the PC under QBASIC (or whatever),
you will, almost certainly, need to modify it.
It will be necessary to replace some Applesoft commands with their
PC BASIC equivalents. Some commands are very similar but differ slightly
in syntax; and you are likely to find that some conventions, such as the
numerical value of "True" from boolean tests, are different.
The more an Applesoft program is "pure BASIC", the easier it will
be to get it working on a PC. Programs which employ lots of PEEKs and
POKEs, do monitor CALLs, and access other features specific to the Apple
II will be more troublesome.
-------------------------------
013- What is the easiest way to get files from Apple II FTP
sites?
Use a PC running a good FTP program (such as WS_FTP) to download
the files you want and transfer them to your Apple II via NULL modem.
One common way of connecting to an FTP site is to run a dial-up
program to establish contact with your Internet Service Provider (ISP),
start your FTP program, and select the FTP site you want from a list
you've created.
The list, also called a "profile list", contains ...
the site's internet name-- such as "ground.isca.uiowa.edu"
the particular folder or directory you want to begin with-- such as
"/2/apple2"
and the folder on your computer for downloads-- such as "C:\UPDOWN".
Other information, such as the kind of connection ( usually "Unix
standard") and the password you send to the site-- usually you will
log-in as "annanymous"-- are entered more or less automatically when you
first create a site's profile entry.
When the connection is made, you will see a list of files and
folders in the folder you have entered. If you open one of the folders,
you will get a new listing of files and folders contained in the
selected folder. You can 'navigate' deeper into the archive and reach,
say, Ground's /2/apple2/Collections/AOL/Games folder; and you can
navigate backward to, say, /2/apple2/Collections and explore some other
collection, such as /2/apple2/Collections/1WSW.
Practically all programs and compressed disks will be in .SHK or
some other "binary" form. "Binary" should be your download/upload mode
setting except when downloading (or uploading) Text files. To download
or view a Text file, you should click the FTP program's "ASCII" or
"Text" mode.
In general, when downloading an Apple II .SHK, .ZIP, etc. file, it
is best to avoid having any "helper" applications set up to
automatically process the file. Your Apple II can take care of
un-Shrinking and most other kinds of processing which may be required
after the file is transferred from the PC (or Mac).
To download one or more files you click-highlight each file you
want. Then, you click some button-- such as an arrow symbol pointing to
your C:\UPDOWN folder-- to start the download.
Usually everything will go smoothly and the files will appear on
hard disk in your target folder (e.g. C:\UPDOWN). One good check is to
compare file lengths displayed in your target folder with those shown in
the FTP site's list. If you do straight downloads with no processing,
there should be no differences.
-------------------------------
014- Are there any kinds of files I should process on the
PC (or Mac) before transfer to my Apple II?
Yes. Many old games and other interesting wares downloaded from
"emulator" sites like Asimov (ftp.apple.asimov-net) will arrive as .gz
files. These will, almost always, be compressed 5.25" disk image (DSK)
files. They should be un-compressed on the PC via WinZIP before being
sent to your Apple II. This avoids a messy de-compression process on the
Apple and makes the DSK file available on the PC (or Mac) should you
wish to use it with AppleWin or some other A2 emulator program.
Note: If you are running an FTP program under plain DOS or Windows 3.x,
long file names will be truncated to fit PC's old "8 and 3" format. A
.gz file may not show up in your C:\UPDOWN (or whatever) directory with
the ".gz" suffix. It is still a .gz file and will not be useful as a
disk image (DSK) file until it is uncompressed. The usual size of a
5.25" disk image file is about 143kB.
Other chores you will want to handle on the PC before sending a
file to your Apple II include converting .HTM (HTML) files to text and
splitting up very large Text files. Similarly, it will be easier to
view, process, and convert most large graphics files on the PC.
-------------------------------
015- I need some help with uploading. I uploaded a large file to
apple2.caltech but nobody seems able to download it without
ending up with garbage. What's wrong?
Uploading files to an FTP site is a fairly simple process--
basically, it's pretty close to the reverse of downloading described
above. For example, to upload a group of Apple IIgs files named
"NARFGAME" you would ...
o On the GS, use GS-ShrinkIt to created a single compressed file
containing the NARFGAME files. The new .SHK file could be named
"NARFGAME.SHK".
o Use Spectrum or some other A2 telecom program to NULL modem
NARFGAME.SHK to, say, the PC's C:\UPDOWN folder using Z-modem protocol.
o Dial-up your ISP and start your FTP program (e.g. WS_FTP).
o Select the desired FTP site's name in your "profiles list" (or, if
necessary, create the profile entry) and connect with the FTP site.
o Navigate to the FTP site's uploads folder-- usually, it will be named
"Uploads". (Note: you may or may not see any files listed when in a
site's Uploads folder. Some FTP sites hide file names and/or restrict
folder access to upload-only in order to prevent the Uploads folder use
as a transfer point for copyrighted wares.)
o Make sure 'transfer mode' is set to "binary".
o Highlight "NARFGAME.SHK" in the listing of files in your C:\UPDOWN
folder.
o Click an arrow button (or whatever) to start the transfer to the FTP
site's Uploads folder.
With a little experience everything is nearly 'automatic'. However,
there are a few common mistakes which can ruin an upload:
o Probably, the most common error is failing to make sure "binary" is
set (check-marked, etc.) as the transfer mode when a .SHK file or other
non-Text file is uploaded. Similarly, Text files are messed up if the
user neglects to set "ASCII" mode for his/her Text uploads.
o Many Apple II users seem to feel that, because "Binary Up"-- an
option which adds a Binary II header-- is available on their telecom
program, it should be used for all transfers. It is best to turn OFF any
Spectrum (ProTerm, etc.) option which adds a Binary II header. (Also,
you should _not_ use GS-ShrinkIt's option to add a Binary II header.) A
Binary II header renders a file useless until the header is stripped
off; so, for example, any Text file with the header will be un-readable
by a PC. If a dowloader does not have an A2 telecom program which
automatically strips off the header during NULL modem transfers (or if
"Binary Down" is turned OFF), the Text file will look like garbage on
the Apple II as well.
o Too many old-time Apple II users still insist upon doing a binscii
conversion of a .SHK file before uploading it. When, as sometimes
happens, a binscii'ed .SHK file is uploaded without the correct .BSQ
suffix, downloaders end up with a ".SHK file which ShrinkIt cannot
unshrink". Binscii is an anachronism. It is not necessary on the modern
internet.
o Sometimes, a user will NULL modem an Apple Text file to PC using a
block transfer protocol (like Z-modem) and, then, upload the file as
Text intended to be readable on-line. Such a file will, usually, be a
mess when viewed on a PC.
o Mac owners sometimes use the Mac version of ShrinkIt to create a
".SHK" archive of Apple II files which is then uploaded to an Apple II
FTP site. The result is another 'mystery .SHK file' which Apple II users
cannot unshrink. .SHK files uploaded to an Apple II FTP site should be
created on an Apple II using an Apple II version of ShrinkIt.
In short, most of the common uploading errors are the result of
carelessness or of doing something which is unnecessary. A good
uploading 'rule of thumb' is "Keep it simple".
_______________________________
From: Dan DeMaggio, Nathan Mates, Phil Abro, Rubywand
016- What do the different popular file name extensions, like ".BSC",
mean and how do I access the files?
What is it? (What program do I use?)
------------------------------------------------------------
.AAF Apple Archive Format [TEXT] for source code (aaf.unpacker)
.ACU NuFX Applelink archive (ShrinkIt*)
.ALU usually a multi-file, non-compressed A2 archive (ALU)
.APF GS super-res packed graphics format (Platinum Paint,
Convert 3200, etc.)
.ARC PC Archive (GS-ShrinkIt or DeArc2E or PC Arc program)
.BMP Windows Bit-Mapped graphics format (GS Convert 3200;
many PC viewers)
.BNX NuFX with BLU header. (ShrinkIt*)
.BNY BLU archive. (ShrinkIt*)
.BQY NuFX with BLU header. (ShrinkIt*)
.BSC BinScii file. [TEXT] (BinScii or GScii+)
.BSQ BinScii'ed NuFX file. [TEXT] (BinScii plus ShrinkIt* on
the result)
.BXY NuFX archive with a Binary II header. (ShrinkIt*)
.CPT Compactor Pro archive (Compactor Pro on a Mac only)
.EXE A2 Executioner file [TEXT]. (On A2 may only work in
DOS 3.3.)
.GIF Graphics Interchange Format: Compressed picture (IIGIF for
//e; Super Convert, ... on GS; PC, etc.: many viewers
and editors)
.GZ GZip PC archive format often used for storing A2 emulator
disk images (GS GZPK plus PMPUnZIP 2.0 or Angel; PC WinZIP)
.HQX Mac BinHex file. [TEXT] (BinHex on Mac or GSCII+)
.HTM HTML [TEXT] with embedded Text commands (Web
browsers, etc.)
.JPG PC JPEG hi-res, hi-color graphics format (GS JPEG.VIEWER,
etc. B/W only or PC, Unix viewers)
.LBR a multi-file, non-compressed A2 archive (Librarian)
.LHA LHA Archive (PC/Amiga LZH program)
.LZH LZH Archive (PC/Amiga LZH program)
.PCX PC graphics format (GS Convert 3200; PC many viewers)
.PD compressed GS multi-palette graphics file w/o
palettes (SuperPac)
.PNG PC PING hi-res, hi-color graphics format (PC viewer)
.PS compressed GS multi-palette graphics file with
palettes (SuperPac)
.QQ BLU archive. (ShrinkIt*)
.SDK ShrinkIt disk image, usually NuFX-compressed (ShrinkIt*)
.SEA Self-extracting A2 ShrinkIt* or Mac ShrinkIt archive
(depending upon kind, run on Apple IIgs or Mac)
.SHK usually an A2 NuFX-compressed archive; non-A2-compatible Mac
.SHK archives also exist (GS ShrinkIt* / Mac unshrinker
utility)
.SIT Mac StuffIt archive. (Stuffit on Mac or GS ShrinkIt)
GS-ShrinkIt will not decode StuffIt Deluxe files.
.TAR Unix Tape Archive (Unix tar with -xvf option, GS EXE tar)
.TGZ Gzipped .TAR file
.uu Unix uuencode file [TEXT] (//e uudecode, Unix uudecode)
.uue Unix uuencode file [TEXT] (//e uudecode, Unix uudecode)
.TIFF Graphics format (GS SHR Convert)
.TXT [TEXT] An ASCII text file (Text editors,
word processors, etc.)
.UU Unix uuencode file [TEXT] (A2 uudecode or Unix uudecode)
.UUE Unix uuencode file [TEXT] (A2 uudecode or Unix uudecode)
.Z Compressed file (GS-ShrinkIt or Unix uncompress)
.ZIP PC Zip Archive (GS PMPUnZIP or UNZIP [GS Shell EXE]
or PC WinZIP, PKUNZIP, Unix unzip)
.ZOO PC Zoo Archive (GS-ShrinkIt??? or PC ZOO program)
* Note: GS-ShrinkIt can handle all ShrinkIt files except 5.25" .SDK
(shrunken disk) files. 8-bit ShrinkIt does not work for GS
files having a resource fork.
All of these types, except the ones marked [TEXT] are FTP "binary"
files.
-------------------------
From: Apple's ftp site ...
Most files are in one of a few common formats, and many are a
combination.
.sit StuffIt 1.5.1 archives
.hqx BinHex 4.0 file
.bin Binary file
.image DiskCopy 4.2 image file
.txt plain ASCII text file
.bsc Apple II BinSCII file
.shk Apple II ShrinkIt file
Most of the Macintosh files are BinHexed StuffIt files. This means
you need to transfer the file, then read the license agreement which is
prepended to it (with any text processor), use BinHex or any utility
which can read BinHex 4.0 files to decode the BinHex to a StuffIt
archive, then use UnStuffIt or the StuffIt Expander (or any other
utility) to decompress the .sit file into the final file.
In some cases the final file is a .image file. These are exact
duplicates of floppy disks (with verified checksums). Use DiskCopy to
convert these files into floppy disks for installation. Usually Apple
System Software is in this format.
Most of the Apple II files are either straight text or BinSCII'd
ShrinkIt files. This means you need to transfer the file, then use
BinSCII to convert the .bsc file to a ShrinkIt file, then use ShrinkIt
to create the final file or disk.
___________________________________
From: Dan DeMaggio
017- How do I tell what kind of file this is?
Here is a simple guide to help you identify a file. You should always go
by filename extension first, but not everybody uses those. In Unix, you
can use the 'head' command to look at the first couple of lines of a
file. If it turns out to be a binary file, you may be in for a surprise.
You may want to use the Unix 'file' command to find out if it is a text
file or not first. Once you have identified the file, check the earlier
info on filename extensions for how to deal with it.
If there are lines in the file that look like this (there can be other
text before it--search for 'FiLeStArT'):
FiLeStArTfIlEsTaRt
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789()
GBINSCII AQhmAAAAA8)4MIAI02DA9ARMQEDtAQhmAIVZ
gYITA6u7xADA0MjM3YTNBlDOENkQwYURzITM2UDN5gzNDJUQGVERyEDM1QzM4cjN
CFUOFR0QxAjR0MjM3YTNBlDOENkQwAQRzITM2UDN5gzNDJUQGVERyEDM1QzM4cjN
..
then you've got something encoded by BinSCII. You must decode _all_ the
parts using BinSCII before attempting to extract using ShrinkIt.
On the other hand, if you have a binary file which resembles:
NuFilei][![/#NuFX_<:c[[[ H`F-fGSCII~[
cRJ0)fNN^P)3'A2p6SF6X#GPd<9#'LC^08N7n\NB7Dd!eMN&eYX0Am=fXp
dsPAsp7rh`I'NS0ALAfi2)2ysGEQ$k9CP%L9
...
then you have a NuFX file (note the key words NuFile and NuFX). You
should be able to extract the files it contains using ShrinkIt.
On the third hand, if you have a text file which resembles:
begin 666 nonsense.bny
M4W5N3U,s4F5L96%S92 T+C$s\%-$4U0V,"Ds(SsZ(%1U92!/8W0s.2 Q,CHS
M...3HT.2!%1%0s,3DY, HT
then you have a uuencoded file.
On another hand, if you have a text file which begins with
(This file must be converted with BinHex 4.0)
:$&4)48C28N0&,P009!"6593K8dP8)3%!!!#Ls!!!!!!Qie009#%!!3!!SPKb6'&
e!3!!!!!!!!!#!!P8D'8J4QpbBf9P)IN33)(4$N#"d4K!JG%S!!!!!`!'VfJ!"VP
then you have a BinHex file. The GSCII+ NDA by Derek Taubert decodes
BinHex files on an Apple IIGS. You can also use a variety of macintosh
programs to do the decoding. There is also a Unix implementation of
BinHex called mcvert.
On one more hand, if you have a text file which resembles:
CALL-151
E00:38 A5 FF D0 32 D8 20 8E FD AD 30 BF 8D 6A 0E 20 00 BF C7 6D 0E 0D 80
02
E18:D0 1D 20 00 BF C5 69 0E B0 15 AD 81 02 29 0F AA E8 8E 80 02 A9 2F 8D
81
and more lines like that, followed by a bunch of lines that look like:
A90885A420732090242039FB2058FCA200BD9220F00620EDFDE8D0F5200CFDA9
008DF2038DF3038DF4036CFCFFE6A4A5A4C96F90CFA9008DFCBFA9018DFDBFA0
A90885A420732090242039FB2058FCA200BD9220F00620EDFDE8D0F5200CFDA9
then you have an Executioner file.