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File Extensions

What Are File Extensions?

It is difficult to exactly define the function and nature of file extensions because of the varying developments that have taken place in the computer industry over the years, including the competing influences of the various operating systems, software applications and hardware manufacturers.

During the 1960’s, the Digital Equipment Corporation implemented file extensions by breaking down a file into the a base name and an extension for the purpose of properly identifying its type and contents. This approach was subsequently adopted by Microsoft Corporation for use under its Disk Operating System (DOS) environment. Initially, the base name was limited to eight characters and the extension to three characters, like CONFIG.SYS for example, which meant that it is a system configuration file.

File Extension Errors

With the introduction of long file names and various commercial applications, the issue of the file extension became somewhat of a problem as more applications were developed and tended to use the same file extension. This presented a real problem for because the operating systems of the day were unable to correctly identify the application needed by that specific file extension - so the wrong program would be opened, or the file would not open at all.

File association problems are the most common errors related to files and file extensions. This usually happens when the application is not installed in the system, not associated with the file extension or the link in the Windows System Registry is broken. This problem can be resolved by installing the appropriate program, associating the file in the operating system or by using a registry cleaner to repair the broken file links and fix related errors.

Your computer system is composed of hundreds of interrelated and interdependent files that co-exist in order to complete a task - such as printing a letter from MS Word. In this specific case, when you double-click on the file, the word processing program is launched by an executable file with the extension .EXE; it in turn calls on a library file with an extension .DLL ( Dynamically Linked Library); the .DLL file calls the printer driver (small "translation code" associated with your printer) which collectively execute your print command and have the printer output the pages you selected in MS Word.

Is this relationship between the Windows Registry, the operating system and every installed application on your PC or laptop complex? ABSOLUTELY. Everything must be perfectly associated and functioning in order for your computer to execute even them most basic of tasks.

If your PC or laptop Windows Registry is malfunctioning or corrupted you will very likely experience problems including General Protection Errors, Invalid Page Faults or the immediate termination of the application that is brought about by dis-associated file extensions. These errors cannot be rectified manually and would need to be corrected by a registry cleaning utility to restore the dependencies and optimize the registry in order to help the application function properly.

File extension errors depend mostly on how the file is used or the environment where it is being implemented. For instance in a programming environment, common errors would include compile and run time errors, synchronous and asynchronous errors or uncaught exceptions all of which could be caused by failure to locate the module because it has a different file extension.

In a network environment like the Internet, common errors with file extensions can also occur because the web browser does not know how to handle a certain add-on or plug-ins. For example in the case of a Web browser that installs its add-ons by dragging them to an open window on the web browser. However, the file extension used by this add-on is .ZIP, which can confuse the novice user and install it by using the .ZIP utility that will result in the failure of the installation.

File extensions associated with multimedia content are also now perhaps the most common file type errors. In order for a multimedia player (of which there are many brands) to operate or interpret various file formats based on how the file was encoded. A correct codec (coder/decoder) is required to effectively uncompress and playback the file. Lack of a suitable codec is the most common reason for multimedia playback errors. The associated codecs can be identified based on the file extension used by the file, like .MP4, .AVI, .MOV etc. In many cases however the correct application may be installed but the application and file extension are not properly associated in the Windows Registry, a registry optimizing utility would go a long way to restoring these dependencies and re-associating the file extension with the application designed to open it.

Probably one of the most common and frequently disregarded causes of file extension errors is a corrupted file either due to incomplete download (in the case of those from the Internet or attachments) or because of system infection. The majority of home computer users are not properly equipped to handle the actual dangers of malicious code. Although you may have security tools like anti-virus and anti-malware installed, most of them do not have updated virus definitions, which makes them vulnerable to attacks from new threats. Before you open any files, even from a trusted source, it is highly recommended to update all of your security anti-virus, anti-spyware, spam controls, privacy software, data recovery tools and driver updating software protecting your computer system.

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