[SOLVED] How to unzip binary tar-file?

idaham · 10-08-2009, 03:29 AM

Hello!

I've downloaded a file which should contain text. The file is zipped however, but not with the simple extension "tar.gz", "tar.bz2" or something like that, but it has extension "tar.bin". The only thing I've ever done in linux regarding zipping (did I mention I'm quite new to linux? =) ) is unzipping tar.gz-files...

The information about the file (from where I download it) is:

Code:

Name: MaterialsDB.tar.bz2
Type: application/x-bzip2
Size: 16974 bytes
Desc: 2249912135-MaterialsDB.tar.bz2
Url : http://lists.healthgrid.org/archives/gate-users/attachments/20080114/50ef5240/MaterialsDB.tar-0001.bin

As you can see, the file you download is NOT "MaterialsDB.tar.bz2", but "MaterialsDB.tar-0001.bin". What is this weird format, and how can I get to the text contents??

Thanks!
Ida

lutusp · 10-08-2009, 03:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by idaham

Hello!

I've downloaded a file which should contain text. The file is zipped however, but not with the simple extension "tar.gz", "tar.bz2" or something like that, but it has extension "tar.bin". The only thing I've ever done in linux regarding zipping (did I mention I'm quite new to linux? =) ) is unzipping tar.gz-files...

The information about the file (from where I download it) is:

Code:

Name: MaterialsDB.tar.bz2
Type: application/x-bzip2
Size: 16974 bytes
Desc: 2249912135-MaterialsDB.tar.bz2
Url : http://lists.healthgrid.org/archives/gate-users/attachments/20080114/50ef5240/MaterialsDB.tar-0001.bin

As you can see, the file you download is NOT "MaterialsDB.tar.bz2", but "MaterialsDB.tar-0001.bin". What is this weird format, and how can I get to the text contents??

Thanks!
Ida

First, find out what kind of file it is:

Code:

$ file (filename)

This should tell you how to proceed.

If the file is a gzipped archive, unpack it this way:

Code:

$ tar -xzf (filename)

If the file is a tar file without compression, do this:

Code:

$ tar -xf (filename)

If the file is a bz2-compressed tar archive, do this:

Code:

$ tar -xjf (filename)

And so forth.

mathew_p_a · 10-08-2009, 03:36 AM

If the file is a binary file, then you can execute the file akin to exe files in windows.

just change your directory to the files location and execute

./filename.bin

idaham · 10-08-2009, 04:27 AM

Hi lutusp!

Thanks, your suggestion "$ file" told me it was a bzip2 compressed data, and "$ tar -xjf (filename)" worked like a charm! =)
Cheers,
Ida

Quote:

Originally Posted by lutusp

First, find out what kind of file it is:

Code:

$ file (filename)

This should tell you how to proceed.

If the file is a gzipped archive, unpack it this way:

Code:

$ tar -xzf (filename)

If the file is a tar file without compression, do this:

Code:

$ tar -xf (filename)

If the file is a bz2-compressed tar archive, do this:

Code:

$ tar -xjf (filename)

And so forth.

chrism01 · 10-08-2009, 06:25 PM

Interesting, normally a .bin extension means its self-extracting ie you just

chmod u+x x.bin
./x.bin

and it self-extracts.
If you've still got a copy of the orig .bin, you might want to try that somewhere safe.

jschiwal · 10-08-2009, 06:29 PM

A self extracting executable binary file would have been identified by the file command as an elf file. The extension of the file was just wrong.

chrism01 · 10-08-2009, 06:30 PM

Ok; I can't remember the last time I've actually had to deal with one.