---
name: "apple_file"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "netatalk"
version: "2.1.2-2"
release: "Debian 6.0 (Squeeze)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/apple_file"
---

# apple\_file(1)

display type and creator of Apple Macintosh files (netatalk format)

## NAME

afile - display type and creator of Apple Macintosh files (netatalk format)

## SYNOPSIS

**apple\_file** \[-a\] *file*...\

## DESCRIPTION

**apple\_file** displays the name and Macintosh type and creator of the *file* arguments. Tests whether the file is an AppleDouble header, in which case it checks the corresponding data fork exists, or assumes it is a data fork in which case it looks for the corresponding AppleDouble to find the type/creator information.

**apple\_file** does not look at any of the extension mapping files such as AppleVolumes.system.

## OPTIONS

- **-a**

  Include directories and data files of unknown type (i.e. without corresponding AppleDouble) in output.

## DIAGNOSTICS

returns exit status 0 if all files have a corresponding valid .AppleDouble header or data fork, or 99 for bad command line options. Otherwise it returns the following error code relating to the last invalid file.

1 file doesn´t exist

2 file is unreadable

3 file is directory

4 file is AppleDouble without data fork

5 file is AppleDouble with unreadable data fork

6 file is data fork without AppleDouble

7 file is data fork with unreadable AppleDouble

8 file is data fork with short AppleDouble

9 bad magic in AppleDouble

## SEE ALSO

[**apple\_chfile**(1)](/apple_chfile/1.md), [**afpd**(8)](/afpd/8.md)