I need to view a file, but every time I open it it comes up as wierd symbols. How do I translate it? This is what it looks like (it is not the whole file, i just copied a peiceof it):

ǜ>v�ꪈ~M���{l<y�f�#$k41*~Fק

Somebody please help because it is my homework, and I need it.

Try "file <file>" and it should tell you what type of file it is.
You don't expect anyone to be able to read that do you?

I don't expect anyone to read it, I was just hoping that someone saw something like it before and knows how to fix it.....

I wrote the document and saved it. now it shows up like that.

What do you mean by "file <file>"? Where do it do that?

What is this file? Are you sure it's not a program? How are you trying to read it? Should it be text, pdf, .rtf....

You should also read the best practices on how to post. The subject line of your post is almost exactly how they tell you how to NOT post. Please, read the FAQ.

Thanks.

MrKnisely

I'm sure it's not a program because I just typed it about three hours ago. It is a text document. I'm sorry about the subject line, I didn't read the FAQ, but I will read it right now and change the subject line.

where did you write it? with what ? to what?

I'm no moderator or anything, no need to apologize. It's just some poeple get tired of seeing these types of posts and will not post a response.

What do you get when you type : cat /directory/filename ?

Also, what about if you do this: strings /directory/filename ?

How did you create this file? What application?

I used AbiWord

cat/directory/filename displays back this:

Couldn't display "http://cat/***", because no host "cat" could be found. Check that the spelling is correct and that your proxy settings are correct.

and strings /directory/filename displays back this:

Couldn't display "http://strings/***", because no host "strings" could be found. Check that the spelling is correct and that your proxy settings are correct.

Which program did you use to create the file? It was saved as a certain file type which is not plain text. The only way to view that file would be to know what type of file it is and open it with the appropriate program.

For example, if you were to use OpenOffice to create a document and save it in the default file type, and later try to use a text editor to view the file, it would not be readable in the text editor. This is because OpenOffice wouldn't have saved it as plain text unless you were to specify that when you saved the document.
So what you need is to know what type of file it is, and open it with the appropriate program.

That is what the purpose of the command Demonbane mentioned. If you go into a console window, and type "file <filename>", it should tell you what type of file it is. Then you'll have to open the file with a program designed to handle that type of file.

I used AbiWord, but when I open it with that it says that there was an error inporting the file. Does that mean that its just gone?