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Urgent - I need a utility to read .cap capture files but not be a sniffer itself.

Hi,

I have some .cap capture files that i can open in MS network monitor with no problems. Some of my developers need to be able to read these .cap files, but I don't want them to have to install a sniffer such as Ethereal.

Does anyone know of any utility (windows based) that can only read and maybe manipulate capture files but can't create or sniff new ones ?

I need to nkow this one quickly so its 500 points..

thanks,

Simon,

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

pseudocyber

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snerkel

Try notepad or excel, right click the file and select open with... then choose program. Quick way to open is change the extension to .txt or .csv

simonenticott

ASKER

hi Snerkel,
i've tried that but the files are binary so just show up as gibberish on the screen with a few bits of legible text.
thanks anyway,

Simon.

pseudocyber

... just going to say that - Ethereal saved and then changed to a .txt extension opens as garbage.

How about exporting the file, Simon?

simonenticott

ASKER

i've tried exporting from network monitor but it doesn't give me any useful format to export to, and when i open them they're still binary anyway.

I'm just downloading Ethereal now to take a look at what i can do in there. I did read that without winPcap Ethereal wont capture packets so i may end up having to give them Ethereal and not winPcap, but i'd rather give them just a viewer if i can find one.

xrok

No program will open file. if file is part of a program.

Best thing to do is, Open with your program and capture screen and send it to them.

simonenticott

ASKER

its 7000+ lines this time :(
(on the plus side, i dont have to analyse it)

simonenticott

ASKER

I'm off home for the day now, but will pick up on this again in the morning,

thanks for the helps so far, and keep those ideas coming in ...

simon,

pseudocyber

They really need the full packet analyzer. Then they can create their own display filters and possibly use whatever intelligence is built into the software. I don't think this functionality in a viewer type app exists.

bmquintas

Check this:
http://www.ethereal.com/lists/ethereal-users/200411/msg00312.html

simonenticott

ASKER

thanks guys,
i took psedocybers suggestion and used Ethereal to export the capture as a text file. Its a shame there isnt' a cut down version of Ethereal that can analyse only. Maybe i'll suggest to the authors,

thanks everyone.

Simon,