Why the "file --apple" command is not giving expected output?

Solution Verified - Updated -

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8

Issue

  • --apple option in file command not giving the expected output for files and directories.

  • file --apple command gives "ERROR: (null)" or "UNKNUNKN" as output.

Resolution

  • --apple option will work only for file formats that have the apple-style output defined.

  • For any other files or directories where apple-style is not defined, the file --apple command will give output as "ERROR: (null)" or "UNKNUNKN"

  • Internal Bugzilla has been created for modifying the man page for file command.

Diagnostic Steps

  • file --apple command output for regular files.

    # file test1.tar.gz --apple
test1.tar.gz: UNKNUNKN                  <<<<<<<<

# file test1.tar.gz 
test1.tar.z: gzip compressed data, last modified: Thu Feb 14 23:13:08 2019, 
from Unix, original size 10240


# file --apple test_file                <<<<<<<< Empty text file
test_file: ERROR: (null)                <<<<<<<<       

# file test_file1         
test_file: ASCII text

# file --apple test_file1               <<<<<<<< Non-empty file
test_file: UNKNUNKN                     <<<<<<<<

  • file --apple command output for character device files.

    # file /dev/tty
/dev/tty: character special (5/0)

# file /dev/tty --apple
/dev/tty: ERROR: (null)                 <<<<<<<<

  • file --apple command output for a file with apple-style output defined.


    # file --mime TN001.SIT 
TN001.SIT: application/x-stuffit; charset=binary

# file --apple TN001.SIT 
TN001.SIT: SIT!SIT!                     <<<<<<<<

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