ASC File Format

Files with an extension of ".ASC" are usually ASCII text files, similar to the TXT file format. For Windows, while double-clicking an "ASC" file does not normally open Notepad, these files can normally be viewed with such a tool.

Windows users: NOTE that unless you have configured your computer with the file extension viewing tweak, it is possible that a filename that looks like it ends with ".asc", especially one attached to an e-mail message, actually has a hidden OTHER extension, meaning that if you double-click the file, it may actually run a computer virus!

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TXT File Format

A file ending in ".TXT" usually designates that the file is a plain-text file. This can contain virtually any type of text - a recipe, documentation for software, a book report draft, or whatever.

When a file ending in ".TXT" is double-clicked, a text editor, such as Notepad, should appear, allowing you to view and/or edit the contents of the file.

Windows users: NOTE that unless you have configured your computer with the file extension viewing tweak, it is possible that a filename that looks like it ends with ".txt", especially one attached to an e-mail message, actually has a hidden OTHER extension, meaning that if you double-click the file, it may actually run a computer virus!

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Viewing File Extensions on Windows

Depending on how your Windows computer is setup, file extensions may be hidden. Instead of seeing files containing a period and 1-4 character extensions, all you see are the filenames without the extensions. Or, some files may have extensions, but not all of them.

For safety reasons, and to learn more about file formats, you should configure Windows to show all file extensions.

Although the instructions for showing file formats differ depending on the version of Windows you are running, they are generally the following:

1. Open any folder on your machine.
2. Choose "Tools" - "Folder Options".
3. Click the "View" tab.
4. Uncheck "Hide extensions for known types".
5. Click "OK" to close the dialog box.

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