Visual Studio Solution User Options file magic bytes (.sou)
.sou file signature: D0 CF 11 E0 A1 B1 1A E1 | application/octet-stream
Visual Studio Solution User Options (.sou) is a Microsoft file format maintained by Microsoft for storing per-user settings associated with Visual Studio solution files. It is used to preserve workspace preferences, window layouts, and other solution-specific options across development sessions. The format is generally safe, though, as with other application data files, it should be opened only with trusted software and may not be useful outside legacy Visual Studio workflows.
Magic Bytes
Offset 0
D0 CF 11 E0 A1 B1 1A E1
Sources: Gary Kessler
Validation Code
How to validate .sou files in Python
def is_sou(file_path: str) -> bool:
"""Check if file is a valid SOU by magic bytes."""
signature = bytes([0xD0, 0xCF, 0x11, 0xE0, 0xA1, 0xB1, 0x1A, 0xE1])
with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
return f.read(8) == signatureHow to validate .sou files in Node.js
function isSOU(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
const signature = Buffer.from([0xD0, 0xCF, 0x11, 0xE0, 0xA1, 0xB1, 0x1A, 0xE1]);
return buffer.subarray(0, 8).equals(signature);
}How to validate .sou files in Go
func IsSOU(data []byte) bool {
signature := []byte{0xD0, 0xCF, 0x11, 0xE0, 0xA1, 0xB1, 0x1A, 0xE1}
if len(data) < 8 {
return false
}
return bytes.Equal(data[:8], signature)
}API Endpoint
/api/v1/sou
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/sou
See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.
Related Formats
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a .sou file?
A .sou file is a Visual Studio Solution User Options file. Visual Studio Solution User Options (.sou) is a Microsoft file format maintained by Microsoft for storing per-user settings associated with Visual Studio solution files. It is used to preserve workspace preferences, window layouts, and other solution-specific options across development sessions. The format is generally safe, though, as with other application data files, it should be opened only with trusted software and may not be useful outside legacy Visual Studio workflows.
What are the magic bytes for .sou files?
The magic bytes for Visual Studio Solution User Options file (.sou) files are D0 CF 11 E0 A1 B1 1A E1 at byte offset 0. These bytes identify the file format more reliably than the extension alone.
How do I validate a .sou file?
To validate a .sou file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (D0 CF 11 E0 A1 B1 1A E1) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.
What is the MIME type for .sou files?
There is no officially registered MIME type for .sou files. Systems typically use application/octet-stream as a generic fallback when handling this format.
Is it safe to open .sou files?
Visual Studio Solution User Options file (.sou) 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.