Figure 3.1

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The .pdb extension can mean several things. The following is a list of all the formats that .pdb encompasses:

iSilo

DOC

TomeRadier protected files

Palm Reader protected files

ImageViewer Image

TealDoc

TealPaint

TealMeal

TealInfo

Wordsmith

 

For one file extension, that is quite a few different formats.

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NOTE: You may have noticed that this document treats DOC and .doc as two completely different things. A DOC file is a format that is used on Pocket PC, Palm and Desktops as a popular medium for eBooks whereas .doc is a file that Microsoft Word creates. They are in no way related.

 

Some extensions, thankfully, offer a very straightforward explanation of what they are. These tend to be completely proprietary and therefore limited to the software that the vendor provides however discerning what format a file is becomes a much simpler process. Below in figure 3.2 there is a listing of all the major proprietary formats and their associated reader.

Figure 3.2

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Common Proprietary Formats:

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While the aforementioned formats are very recognizable there are, as was stated, many that are not - a prime example is .pdb. There are methods though, for determining what format your file is. To do this you can either take the manual or automated routes. Since the automated route is very easy regardless of your platform we will not delve into it save for saying all you need is the program pdbhdr from Richard Hartman.

The manual route is a little more complicated and will take the user a little more time. This process involves taking each .pdb file and opening it in a text editor, such as Notepad and finding a specific word. Through using the list in figure 3.3 you will be able to determine just what type of format this is.

Figure 3.3

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While this may seem terribly complicated at first it is much easier than one might think. For example, if you were to open Macbeth.pdb in a text editor and found a word that reads BDOCWrdS it could then be assumed that it is a WordSmith document and that to open it you would need the WordSmith program. (See figure 3.4)

Figure 3.4

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