Description of problem: Executing the "file" command against purely ASCII text files returns a variety of spurious results. Some files return: file1: sticky Bio-Rad .PIC Image File 12330 x 11830, 16707 images in file or send.to.lqm: Bio-Rad .PIC Image File 12320 x 11830, 16707 images in file or file3: svm.ics: PC icon data The "send.to.lqm" file (attached) is only 59 characters long but the "file" command thinks that it is an image file 12320 x 11830 with 16707 images!?! Files are ASCII text with carriage-return/line-feed delimeters and some contain a Top-of-form character (012). Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): Advanced Server 4 (Nahant Update 4) Kernel 2.6.9-42.0.3.ELsmp on an i686 The file command, when executed as "file -v" returns file-4.10 magic file from /usr/share/file/magic How reproducible: execute "file" against the attached file Steps to Reproduce: 1. execute "file" against the attached file 2. 3. Actual results: send.to.lqm: Bio-Rad .PIC Image File 12320 x 11830, 16707 images in file Expected results: send.to.lqm: ASCII text Additional info:
Fixing component and reassigning.
*** Bug 221202 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
When file is detecting file type it takes rule by rule from its database until first match. When no rule matches it is plain text or data file. This is the way how "file" recognize plain text, because we cannot make rule for it. As 'file' db grows it is more likely we find false positive match. This is not nice, but also not a bug.