LeChiffre is a fictional character and the main antagonist in Ian Fleming’s 1953 James Bond novel Casino Royale. As a file extension, .LeChiffre does not exist and has no official meaning. File extensions like .txt, .doc, .jpg etc. indicate the file format and help computers understand what kind of data is contained in the file. LeChiffre is not a recognized file format.
Why do files need extensions?
File extensions are important because they allow operating systems like Windows, macOS and Linux to recognize what kind of data a file contains. When you click on a file, the OS looks at the extension to determine which program should open it.
For example, files ending in .doc or .docx are recognized as Word documents. The OS knows to open them with Microsoft Word or another compatible word processor. Files ending in .jpg or .png are image files that should be opened with an image viewer or photo editing program.
Without file extensions, operating systems would have a hard time knowing what to do with files. The extensions give a hint as to the file contents and format so the right program can be launched.
Common file extensions
Here are some of the most common file extensions and their associated file types:
- .doc or .docx – Microsoft Word document
- .pdf – Adobe Portable Document Format
- .txt – Plain text document
- .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif – Image files
- .mp3 – Audio file
- .mp4, .mov, .avi – Video files
- .xlsx, .xls – Microsoft Excel spreadsheet
- .ppt, .pptx – Microsoft PowerPoint presentation
File extensions can be 1 to 4 characters long, but 3 or 4 characters are most common. The dot (.) before the extension lets the OS know this is an extension.
Custom file extensions
While common extensions like .doc and .jpg are universally recognized, developers can also create custom file extensions for proprietary formats.
For example, some camera manufacturers use special raw image formats like .cr2 or .nef. Video game files come in formats like .bsp or .apk. Companies may use custom extensions when they develop new file types and software to handle them.
Custom extensions will only work if the associated software is installed. If you don’t have the right program, the OS won’t know how to open files with proprietary extensions.
No file extension
Files can also have no extension at all. With no .ext at the end, the OS has no hints about how to handle the file based on the name. Files without extensions tend to be executable programs, scripts or binary data formats.
On Windows, executable programs like notepad.exe don’t need a file extension. The .exe extension is assumed. Batch files that contain script commands are often saved as .bat or .cmd, but don’t require an extension to run.
The file contents ultimately determine what kind of data is inside. But file extensions give the OS a quick way to check based on the file name.
Changing file extensions
File extensions can easily be changed by renaming the file. But this doesn’t actually convert the file to a new format. Changing a .txt file to .doc does not make it a Word document. The contents remain plain text.
The only effect of changing a file extension is fooling the OS into thinking it’s a different format. This can cause issues when the OS tries to launch the wrong program to open the file. However, some users change extensions on purpose to force a file to open in a specific application against its default.
Hidden file extensions
Some file extensions are hidden in certain views by default. On Windows, known file extensions like .doc and .jpg don’t show up in Explorer. Only unfamiliar extensions appear. This behavior prevents cluttering file names with long extensions.
You can unhide extensions in Folder Options. But since well-known extensions are already associated with opening programs, hiding them doesn’t cause issues. The OS still recognizes the file types when extensions are hidden.
Conclusion
In summary, file extensions are an important part of file names that help identify file formats. Common extensions like .doc and .jpg are universally recognized across operating systems and programs. Developers can also create custom extensions for proprietary file types. Files without extensions tend to contain executable code or binary data. Overall, extensions provide a useful clue about files, allowing the OS to open them with the appropriate software.