> > You only know that it's some sort of script-file, not for which > > script-language. > > You also know that the name of the interpreter follows. The /etc/magic file > contains several instances where the thing after the magic number is looked > at to classify the file further.
But "#!" is not in /etc/magic, and if it were, you will have all kinds of trouble updating that file whenever a new interpreter pops up. file(1) handles this as a 'special case' by recognizing that it's a "#!"-file and gives the following path as it's "nn executeable". > > > The UNIX 'magic number' does not necessarily have to be at the start > > of a file. > > I thought it did. What instance can you think of where it isn't? Well, for the IslandWrite utility the 'magic number' is "pgscriptver" at byte 4->. > > imc > -Frode
