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Harvard Graphics for Windows symbol graphic (.syw)

.syw file signature | application/octet-stream

SYW is a symbol graphic file format used by Harvard Graphics for Windows, developed by Harvard Graphics, Inc. for its presentation software. It stores reusable symbols and simple graphics for insertion into charts, slides, and other business presentation documents. The format is legacy and largely obsolete, but it is generally safe to handle; as with many older files, content should be opened with current tools from trusted sources.

Safe

Magic Bytes

Offset 0
41 4D 59 4F

Sources: Gary Kessler

Extension

.syw

MIME Type

application/octet-stream

Byte Offset

0

Risk Level

Safe

Validation Code

How to validate .syw files in Python

Python 
def is_syw(file_path: str) -> bool:
    """Check if file is a valid SYW by magic bytes."""
    signature = bytes([0x41, 0x4D, 0x59, 0x4F])
    with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
        return f.read(4) == signature

How to validate .syw files in Node.js

Node.js 
function isSYW(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
  const signature = Buffer.from([0x41, 0x4D, 0x59, 0x4F]);
  return buffer.subarray(0, 4).equals(signature);
}

How to validate .syw files in Go

Go 
func IsSYW(data []byte) bool {
    signature := []byte{0x41, 0x4D, 0x59, 0x4F}
    if len(data) < 4 {
        return false
    }
    return bytes.Equal(data[:4], signature)
}

API Endpoint

GET /api/v1/syw
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/syw

See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a .syw file?

A .syw file is a Harvard Graphics for Windows symbol graphic file. SYW is a symbol graphic file format used by Harvard Graphics for Windows, developed by Harvard Graphics, Inc. for its presentation software. It stores reusable symbols and simple graphics for insertion into charts, slides, and other business presentation documents. The format is legacy and largely obsolete, but it is generally safe to handle; as with many older files, content should be opened with current tools from trusted sources.

What are the magic bytes for .syw files?

The magic bytes for Harvard Graphics for Windows symbol graphic files are 41 4D 59 4F at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.

How do I validate a .syw file?

To validate a .syw file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (41 4D 59 4F) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.

What is the MIME type for .syw files?

There is no officially registered MIME type for .syw files. Systems typically use application/octet-stream as a generic fallback when handling this format.

Is it safe to open .syw files?

Harvard Graphics for Windows symbol graphic (.syw) 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.