problem unzipping a file

[unixwhoopie]

Hello gurus, here is the situation. I am receiving several files from a remote server through an automated process. One of these files is zipped. It initially has a .dat.gz extension.

I know there is 'gunzip' command to unzip and read the files. However, when this file arrives into our server, it looses the .dat.gz extension. All files received have a common format: MFEX**.DateStamp

Since this does not have a .dat.gz extension, I cannot use gunzip or zcat. Is there any other way I can unzip this file?

Thanks in advance.

 

[fredericofonseca]

It probably isn't compressed anymore.

Some FTP's will uncompress the files on the fly, and this may well be the case. If it is then you can just use them directly.

See your FTP manual, both server and client.

You also don't say what is the OS, neither the FTP version used (client and server). Please supply us with this info.






Regards

Frederico Fonseca
SysSoft Integrated Ltd

http://www.syssoft-int.com

 

[unixwhoopie]

Frederico

It is still compressed because when I open, it displays strange characters.

Also, this file is coming from I3 (a file transfer mechanism between servers) and not ftp (as you mentioned in your post). Any other ways to unzip the file?

Thanks

 

[fredericofonseca]

Once again you failed to give the OS details.

If the file is still zipped, then just rename it.


Regards

Frederico Fonseca
SysSoft Integrated Ltd

http://www.syssoft-int.com

 

[chipperMDW]

> It is still compressed because when I open, it displays strange characters.

That's a non sequitur. You could see strange characters in the original file as well. The original file is [tt]something.dat.gz[/tt]. A [tt].dat[/tt] extension often indicates a file containing binary data, which wouldn't be readable in a text editor.


Use the command [tt]file[/tt] to check and see what kind of file it really is. If it really is gzipped and gunzip is just complaining about the file having a wrong extension, just rename it as suggested before.


Also, make sure you transferred the file in binary mode instead of text mode, if such a distinction exists on what you're using.