Windows Scripting - Windows File Extensions

Windows File Extensions

by Jeff Hunter, Sr. Database Administrator

This article provides a breif overview of many of the file extensions you will encounter when programming or scripting in the Microsoft Windows operating environment.

File Extension Description

.EXE This is the most common type of program file in the Windows environment. It can contain 16-bit or 32-bit Windows programs or DOS programs.

.COM This type of file can only contain 16-bit DOS programs.

.BAT These text files (sometimes called batch files) contain lists of DOS commands. These commands can launch other programs, rename and delete files, and perform other actions that can be used to automate a system. Although batch files can still be used, many administrators and users have moved to a more flexible form of task automation using the Windows Scripting Host.

.CMD Same as .BAT files, but only run under the Windows NT and Windows 2000 operating environment.

.PIF A Program Information File. It provides information about a DOS program, such as how much memory it needs, how it accesses the screen, etc. When you create a PIF file, you will associate it with an .EXE, .COM, or .BAT file along with the specific preferences you want to associate with the running of the DOS program. You when open or run the PIF file, and it will execute the associated .EXE, .COM, or .BAT file using your run preferences.

.VBS A text file containing a program written in the VBScript language. They are 32-bit Windows programs, and can do anything an EXE program can.

.VBE A VBScript (.VBS) file that has been encoded to prevent users from seeing its true contents. screnc.exe is a popular utility for encrypting Visual Basic, JavaScript, JScript, and C code into a solid file.
The authors of the Love Bug virus originally intended to distribute their program as a .VBE file, to hide its purpose. But they discovered this file format is only recognized by Windows 2000, and older versions of Windows that have been specially upgraded to Windows Scripting Host v2.0.

.JS A text file containing a program written in the JScript language. This is a scripting file (like .VBS, except the program stored in the file is written in the JavaScript or JScript programming language.

.JSE A JavaScript or JScript (.JS) file that has been encoded to prevent users from seeing its true contents. screnc.exe is a popular utility for encrypting Visual Basic, JavaScript, JScript, and C code into a solid file.

.WSH A text file that contains settings used when running a particular script. This is similar to a Program Information File (.PIF) used to open or run program executables. A .WSH file, however, is used to set preferences and open or run an associated script file (.VBS, .VBE, .JS or .JSE). The associated script file will be executed with the preferences set in the .WSH file.

.WSF This is a Windows Script File - a file containing scripts, data and other information in the XML (extensible Markup Language).

.REG Although not a program file, these files contain information that is automatically copied to your Windows Registry Installation information files.

.INF These files contain information describing how a program or driver should be installed. This includes lists of files to be copied, and may even contains Windows Registry entries to be added, changed or deleted.

Last modified on: Tuesday, 26-Jul-2005 19:05:49 EDT
Page Count: 7020

File Extension	Description
`.EXE`	This is the most common type of program file in the Windows environment. It can contain 16-bit or 32-bit Windows programs or DOS programs.
`.COM`	This type of file can only contain 16-bit DOS programs.
`.BAT`	These text files (sometimes called batch files) contain lists of DOS commands. These commands can launch other programs, rename and delete files, and perform other actions that can be used to automate a system. Although batch files can still be used, many administrators and users have moved to a more flexible form of task automation using the Windows Scripting Host.
`.CMD`	Same as `.BAT` files, but only run under the Windows NT and Windows 2000 operating environment.
`.PIF`	A Program Information File. It provides information about a DOS program, such as how much memory it needs, how it accesses the screen, etc. When you create a `PIF` file, you will associate it with an `.EXE`, `.COM`, or `.BAT` file along with the specific preferences you want to associate with the running of the DOS program. You when open or run the PIF file, and it will execute the associated `.EXE`, `.COM`, or `.BAT` file using your run preferences.
`.VBS`	A text file containing a program written in the VBScript language. They are 32-bit Windows programs, and can do anything an `EXE` program can.
`.VBE`	A VBScript (`.VBS`) file that has been encoded to prevent users from seeing its true contents. `screnc.exe` is a popular utility for encrypting Visual Basic, JavaScript, JScript, and C code into a solid file. The authors of the Love Bug virus originally intended to distribute their program as a .VBE file, to hide its purpose. But they discovered this file format is only recognized by Windows 2000, and older versions of Windows that have been specially upgraded to Windows Scripting Host v2.0.
`.JS`	A text file containing a program written in the JScript language. This is a scripting file (like `.VBS`, except the program stored in the file is written in the JavaScript or JScript programming language.
`.JSE`	A JavaScript or JScript (`.JS`) file that has been encoded to prevent users from seeing its true contents. `screnc.exe` is a popular utility for encrypting Visual Basic, JavaScript, JScript, and C code into a solid file.
`.WSH`	A text file that contains settings used when running a particular script. This is similar to a Program Information File (`.PIF`) used to open or run program executables. A `.WSH` file, however, is used to set preferences and open or run an associated script file (`.VBS`, `.VBE`, `.JS` or `.JSE`). The associated script file will be executed with the preferences set in the `.WSH` file.
`.WSF`	This is a Windows Script File - a file containing scripts, data and other information in the XML (extensible Markup Language).
`.REG`	Although not a program file, these files contain information that is automatically copied to your Windows Registry Installation information files.
`.INF`	These files contain information describing how a program or driver should be installed. This includes lists of files to be copied, and may even contains Windows Registry entries to be added, changed or deleted.