Formats of Binary Files Used in Program Development

MS-DOS                      | OS/2            | WINDOWS

The information in this article applies to:

     - Microsoft C for MS-DOS, versions 5.1, 6.0, 6.0a, and 6.0ax
     - Microsoft C for OS/2, versions 5.1, 6.0, and 6.0a
     - Microsoft C/C++ version 7.0
     - Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, versions 1.0, 1.5, 1.51 and
       1.52

SUMMARY

The following are lists of file extensions used for binary files commonly found when developing MS-DOS, Windows, and OS/2 programs. The list also contains possible sources for more information about the format of each file.

List A: Code Files

Ext.  Type of File            Information Sources
----  ------------            -------------------

.COM  MS-DOS program          "MS-DOS Encyclopedia,"
                              "The Programmer's PC Sourcebook"

.DLL  Windows and OS/2        Same as .EXE (new segmented .EXE)
      dynamic link library

.DRV  Windows device driver   Same as .EXE (new segmented .EXE)

.EXE  (DOS) MS-DOS program    "MS-DOS Encyclopedia,"
                              "The Programmer's PC Sourcebook,"
                              "Microsoft C Developer's Toolkit
                               Reference" (CodeView information)

.EXE  (New segmented .EXE)    "MS-DOS Encyclopedia,"
      Windows and OS/2        "The Programmer's PC Sourcebook," and
      program                 "Microsoft C Developer's Toolkit
                              Reference" (CodeView information)

.SYS  MS-DOS device driver    "MS-DOS Encyclopedia"

List B: Other Files

Ext.  Type of File            Information Sources
----  ------------            -------------------

.BMP  Bitmap file             Microsoft Windows SDK programmer's
                              reference

.CUR  Cursor resource file    Microsoft Windows 3.0 SDK programmer's
                              reference, "The Programmer's PC Sourcebook"

.CLP  Clipboard file          Microsoft Windows 3.0 SDK programmer's
                              reference, "The Programmer's PC Sourcebook"

.FNT  Font resource file      "The Programmer's PC Sourcebook"

.FON  Font file               Same as .EXE (new segmented .EXE)

.ICO  Icon resource file      Microsoft Windows 3.0 SDK programmer's
                              reference, "The Programmer's PC Sourcebook"

.ILK  Incremental linker      Microsoft C Developer's Toolkit
      file                    Reference

.LIB  Library file            Microsoft C Developer's Toolkit
                              Reference

.OBJ  Object file             "MS-DOS Encyclopedia," "Microsoft C
                              Developer's Toolkit Reference,"

.SHD  Shed editor             Proprietary and unavailable

.SYM  Symbol file             "Microsoft C Developer's Toolkit
                              Reference"

.TIF  Tag Image File Format   "The Programmer's PC Sourcebook"

REFERENCES

"MS-DOS Encyclopedia," Microsoft Press, 1988

"The Programmer's PC Sourcebook," Thom Hogan, Microsoft Press, 1988

"Microsoft C Developers Toolkit" (Can be purchased from Microsoft End User Sales.)

"Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit Reference Volume 1," version 3.0

"Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit Reference Volume 2," version 3.0

"Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit Guide to Programming," version 3.0