Skip to main content
Service phase: Beta

This service is still in development. Give us your feedback or view this page on the current PRONOM service.

Format

AppleDouble Resource Fork

Summary

Name
AppleDouble Resource Fork
Version
2
Identifiers
  • PUID: fmt/503
  • MIME: multipart/appledouble
Description
The resource fork is a construct of the Mac OS operating system used to store structured data in a file, alongside unstructured data stored within the data fork. The format specification is available here: http://support.apple.com/kb/TA32537?viewlocale=en_US The format lacks an extension, and is instead represented by a file name consisting of ._<filename resource fork belongs to>
Source
Digital Preservation Department / The National Archives
Developed by
Apple Computer, Inc.
Supported by
Apple Computer, Inc.

Internal signatures

Apple Double Resource Fork (v2)

Note
BOF: "…….." 4 byte AppleDouble Magic Number, then 4 byte version number

Byte sequences

Min Frag Length
Absolute from BOF
Offset
0
Max offset
196
Byte Sequence
0005160700020000
Endianness
None

Changelog

  • Updated in V88

    Release date
    27 September 2016

    AppleDouble Resource Fork 2: Added version number 2 assisted by research by by Archives New Zealand.

  • Updated in V86

    Release date
    27 July 2016

    AppleDouble Resource Fork: Added MIME type.

  • Added in V67

    Release date
    26 February 2013

    AppleDouble Resource Fork: Signature developed through PRONOM Research.

    AppleDouble Resource Fork: Outline Entry Added.