Merriam-Webster Pocket Dictionary file (.pdb)
.pdb file signature | application/octet-stream
BGBlitz (professional Backgammon software) position database file
Magic Bytes
Offset 11
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Sources: Wikipedia, Gary Kessler
All Known Signatures
7 signature variants are documented for .pdb files across multiple sources.
| Hex Signature | Offset | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 | 11 | Wikipedia, Gary Kessler |
| 4D 2D 57 20 50 6F 63 6B 65 74 20 44 69 63 74 69 | 0 | Gary Kessler |
| 4D 69 63 72 6F 73 6F 66 74 20 43 2F 43 2B 2B 20 | 0 | Gary Kessler |
| 73 6D 5F | 0 | Gary Kessler |
| 73 7A 65 7A | 0 | Gary Kessler |
| AC ED | 0 | Gary Kessler |
| AC ED 00 05 73 72 00 12 62 67 62 6C 69 74 7A 2E | 0 | Gary Kessler |
Extension
.pdb
MIME Type
application/octet-stream
Byte Offset
11
Risk Level
Safe
Validation Code
How to validate .pdb files in Python
def is_pdb(file_path: str) -> bool:
"""Check if file is a valid PDB by magic bytes."""
signature = bytes([0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00])
with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
return f.read(24) == signatureHow to validate .pdb files in Node.js
function isPDB(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
const signature = Buffer.from([0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00]);
return buffer.subarray(0, 24).equals(signature);
}How to validate .pdb files in Go
func IsPDB(data []byte) bool {
signature := []byte{0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00}
if len(data) < 24 {
return false
}
return bytes.Equal(data[:24], signature)
}API Endpoint
/api/v1/pdb
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/pdb
See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a .pdb file?
A .pdb file is a Merriam-Webster Pocket Dictionary file file. BGBlitz (professional Backgammon software) position database file
What are the magic bytes for .pdb files?
The magic bytes for Merriam-Webster Pocket Dictionary file files are 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 at byte offset 11. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.
How do I validate a .pdb file?
To validate a .pdb file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00) at offset 11. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.
What is the MIME type for .pdb files?
There is no officially registered MIME type for .pdb files. Systems typically use application/octet-stream as a generic fallback when handling this format.
Is it safe to open .pdb files?
Merriam-Webster Pocket Dictionary file (.pdb) files are generally safe to open. They are classified as low risk because they primarily contain data rather than executable code. However, always ensure files come from a trusted source.