Viewing source code of scripts

[ruslan35]

Hi All!!!

Just installed my first Linux. Everything is fine, but ran into one problem. Linux is famous for being open source. I found a script in my destribution which source code i cans see. When i use "less" command on it, here what it shows:

ELF


aux.so.2Ü5

urrchroptarg

ÊŒâ�ú¼åÊŒâˆú¼åʌ⠀ú¼åÊŒâxú¼åÊŒâpú¼åÊŒâhú¼åÊŒâ`ú
¼åÊŒâXú¼åobexget. ..
ÊŒâPú¼åÊŒâHú¼åÊŒâ@ú¼åÊŒâ8ú¼åÊŒâ0ú¼åÊŒâ(ú¼åÊŒâ ú¼åÊŒâú¼åÊŒâú¼åÊŒú¼åÊŒâÊŒâøù¼åÊŒ
âðù¼åÊŒâèù¼åÊŒâàù¼åÊŒâØù¼åÊŒâÐù¼åÊŒâÈù¼åÊŒâÀù¼åʌ⠸ù¼åÊŒâ°ù¼åÊŒâ¨ù¼åÊŒâ*ù¼å:à�å’ ëm ëP0Ÿå,„â:*἟åúþ ëE�â´Ÿå÷þ ë
*á( ë*á
´Ÿ *ã*ájþ ë*
Í·ÅO�â
*áLŸå®ý ë6¨�ý ë:f:0Üå ÜåÐå$‚à0Üå�à
4Ĉ
Œ�â*á *70C
0ÂÔ0Ÿå.�â0Òçc]AX0IMGaB *ã
:. ..
0�å0*áªù ëù ël êÐ�âð�½0�âký ë
ã�*0*
0*
Qãå
*�àž÷ ë*�àD0Ÿå šç@0Ÿå0šç@càDA*á
@Dâ
$0ŸåPšçà*áñ•ç
@Dâ
%s [parameters] bdad
dr channel localfile(sUse "-" to not send mime header.
àŒ 3.4.5(END)

This script was included in my distribution by a 3rd party. I was wondering if it was possible for them to code it the way, so i cant see it. (just like windows programs do) or maybe i am using a wrong command to view it? I can see code in config files and so on, but in theirs scripts.

I need to see how that script works, that would save me a lot of money and time. Also, what programming language is used in Linux to write applications?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[valan]

Likely it's not a script, but a binary file which you won't be able to view like that. Your best bet is to google whatever program it is and download the source tarball for it. Especially since many things are actually multiple files compiled into one or a few executables. Just like Windows programs you refer to, they are written in human readable form, then compiled into human nonreadable form like what you are seeing.

Another possibility is that less got confused about something and isn't viewing it right. Perhaps try more or cat instead. Less isn't always more, and sometimes they both can't catch the cat.

[Freston]

Less isn't always more, and sometimes they both can't catch the cat.

But we can make the most out of it :-p

Looks like binary to me, that file. You can make sure by typing <file name_of_file>. That will tell you what it is. Binary is not intended for human eyes. You can however obtain the source code as valan points out. It comes as .tar, .tar.gz or .tar.bz2

Also, what programming language is used in Linux to write applications?

Any number... C, C++ of course, and, ehm... others... Java