path: root/docbook/wsug_src/WSUG_app_files.asciidoc

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[[AppFiles]]

[appendix]
== Files and Folders

[[ChAppFilesCaptureFilesSection]]

=== Capture Files

To understand which information will remain available after the captured packets
are saved to a capture file, it's helpful to know a bit about the capture file
contents.

Wireshark uses the
link:https://github.com/pcapng/pcapng[pcapng] file
format as the default format to save captured packets. It is very flexible
but other tools may not support it.

Wireshark also supports the
link:https://wiki.wireshark.org/Development/LibpcapFileFormat[libpcap] file
format. This is a much simpler format and is well established. However, it has
some drawbacks: it's not extensible and lacks some information that would be
really helpful (e.g. being able to add a comment to a packet such as ``the
problems start here'' would be really nice).

In addition to the libpcap format, Wireshark supports several different capture
file formats. However, the problems described above also applies for these
formats.

[[ChIOFileContentSection]]

==== Libpcap File Contents

At the start of each libpcap capture file some basic information is stored like
a magic number to identify the libpcap file format. The most interesting
information of this file start is the link layer type (Ethernet, 802.11,
MPLS, etc).

The following data is saved for each packet:

* The timestamp with millisecond resolution

* The packet length as it was ``on the wire''

* The packet length as it's saved in the file

* The packet's raw bytes

A detailed description of the libpcap file format can be found at:
link:$$https://wiki.wireshark.org/Development/LibpcapFileFormat$$[]

[[ChIOFileNotContentSection]]

==== Not Saved in the Capture File

You should also know the things that are _not saved_ in capture files:

* Current selections (selected packet, ...)

* Name resolution information. See <<ChAdvNameResolutionSection>> for details
+
--
Pcapng files can optionally save name resolution information. Libpcap files
can't. Other file formats have varying levels of support.
--

* The number of packets dropped while capturing

* Packet marks set with ``Edit/Mark Packet''

* Time references set with ``Edit/Time Reference''

* The current display filter

[[ChConfigurationPluginFolders]]

=== Configuration File and Plugin Folders

To match the different policies for Unix-like systems and Windows, and
different policies used on different Unix-like systems, the folders
containing configuration files and plugins are different on different
platforms.  We indicate the location of the top-level folders under
which configuration files and plugins are stored here, giving them
placeholder names independent of their actual location, and use those
names later when giving the location of the folders for configuration
files and plugins.

[TIP]
====
A list of the folders Wireshark actually uses can be found under the _Folders_
tab in the dialog box shown when you select _About Wireshark_ from the _Help_
menu.
====

==== Folders on Windows

_APPDATA_ is the personal application data folder, e.g.:
++C:\Users\++__username__++\AppData\Roaming\Wireshark++ (details can be
found at: <<ChWindowsProfiles>>).

_WIRESHARK_ is the Wireshark program folder, e.g.: `C:\Program
Files\Wireshark`.

==== Folders on Unix-like systems

_XDG_CONFIG_HOME_ is the folder for user-specific configuration files.
It's usually $HOME++/.config++, where $HOME is the user's home folder, which
is usually something such as ++/home/++__username__, or
++/Users/++__username__ on macOS.

If you are using macOS and you are running a copy of Wireshark
installed as an application bundle, _APPDIR_ is the top-level directory
of the Wireshark application bundle, which will typically be
`/Applications/Wireshark.app`.  Otherwise, _INSTALLDIR_ is the top-level
directory under which reside the subdirectories in which components of
Wireshark are installed.  This will typically be `/usr` if Wireshark is
bundled with the system (for example, provided as a package with a Linux
distribution) and `/usr/local` if, for example, you've build Wireshark
from source and installed it.

[[ChAppFilesConfigurationSection]]

=== Configuration Files

Wireshark uses a number of configuration files while it is running. Some of these
reside in the personal configuration folder and are used to maintain information
between runs of Wireshark, while some of them are maintained in system areas.

The content format of the configuration files is the same on all platforms.

On Windows:

* The personal configuration folder for Wireshark is the
`Wireshark` sub-folder of that folder, i.e. _APPDATA_`\Wireshark`.

* The global configuration folder for Wireshark is the Wireshark program
folder and is also used as the system configuration folder.

On Unix-like systems:

* The personal configuration folder is
__XDG_CONFIG_HOME__++/wireshark++.  For backwards compatibility with
Wireshark before 2.2, if __XDG_CONFIG_HOME__++/wireshark++ does not
exist and $HOME++/.wireshark++ is present, then the latter will be used.

* If you are using macOS and you are running a copy of Wireshark
installed as an application bundle, the global configuration folder is
__APPDIR__++/Contents/Resources/share/wireshark++.  Otherwise, the
global configuration folder is __INSTALLDIR__++/share/wireshark++.

* The `/etc` folder is the system configuration folder.  The folder
actually used on your system may vary, maybe something like:
`/usr/local/etc`.

[float]

[[AppFilesTabFolders]]
.Configuration files overview
[options="header"]
|===============
|File/Folder|Description
|_preferences_|Settings from the Preferences dialog box.
|_recent_|Recent GUI settings (e.g. recent files lists).
|_cfilters_|Capture filters.
|_dfilters_|Display filters.
|_colorfilters_|Coloring rules.
|_$$disabled_protos$$_|Disabled protocols.
|_ethers_|Ethernet name resolution.
|_manuf_|Ethernet name resolution.
|_hosts_|IPv4 and IPv6 name resolution.
|_services_|Network services.
|_subnets_|IPv4 subnet name resolution.
|_ipxnets_|IPX name resolution.
|_vlans_|VLAN ID name resolution.
|===============

[float]
===== File contents

_preferences_::
This file contains your Wireshark preferences, including defaults for capturing
and displaying packets. It is a simple text file containing statements of the
form:
+
--
----
variable: value
----

At program start, if there is a _preferences_ file in the global
configuration folder, it is read first.  Then, if there is a
_preferences_ file in the personal configuration folder, that is read;
if there is a preference set in both files, the setting in the personal
preferences file overrides the setting in the global preference file.

If you press the Save button in the ``Preferences'' dialog box, all the
current settings are written to the personal preferences file.
--

_recent_::
This file contains various GUI related settings like the main window position
and size, the recent files list and such. It is a simple text file containing
statements of the form:
+
--
----
variable: value
----

It is read at program start and written at program exit.
--

_cfilters_::
This file contains all the capture filters that you have defined and saved. It
consists of one or more lines, where each line has the following format:
+
--
----
"<filter name>" <filter string>
----

At program start, if there is a _cfilters_ file in the personal
configuration folder, it is read.  If there isn't a _cfilters_ file in
the personal configuration folder, then, if there is a _cfilters_ file
in the global configuration folder, it is read.

When you press the Save button in the ``Capture Filters'' dialog box,
all the current capture filters are written to the personal capture
filters file.
--

_dfilters_::
This file contains all the display filters that you have defined and saved. It
consists of one or more lines, where each line has the following format:
+
--
----
"<filter name>" <filter string>
----

At program start, if there is a _dfilters_ file in the personal
configuration folder, it is read.  If there isn't a _dfilters_ file in
the personal configuration folder, then, if there is a _dfilters_ file
in the global configuration folder, it is read.

When you press the Save button in the ``Display Filters'' dialog box,
all the current capture filters are written to the personal display
filters file.
--

_colorfilters_::
This file contains all the color filters that you have defined and saved. It
consists of one or more lines, where each line has the following format:
+
--
----
@<filter name>@<filter string>@[<bg RGB(16-bit)>][<fg RGB(16-bit)>]
----

At program start, if there is a _colorfilters_ file in the personal
configuration folder, it is read.  If there isn't a _colorfilters_ file
in the personal configuration folder, then, if there is a _colorfilters_
file in the global configuration folder, it is read.

Wwhen you press the Save button in the ``Coloring Rules'' dialog box,
all the current color filters are written to the personal color filters
file.
--

_$$disabled_protos$$_::
Each line in this file specifies a disabled protocol name. The following are
some examples:
+
--
----
tcp
udp
----

At program start, if there is a _$$disabled_protos$$_ file in the global
configuration folder, it is read first.  Then, if there is a
_$$disabled_protos$$_ file in the personal configuration folder, that is
read; if there is an entry for a protocol set in both files, the setting
in the personal disabled protocols file overrides the setting in the
global disabled protocols file.

When you press the Save button in the ``Enabled Protocols'' dialog box,
the current set of disabled protocols is written to the personal
disabled protocols file.
--

_ethers_::
When Wireshark is trying to translate an hardware MAC address to
a name, it consults the _ethers_ file in the personal configuration
folder first.  If the address is not found in that file, Wireshark
consults the _ethers_ file in the system configuration folder.
+
--
Each line in these files consists of one hardware address and name separated by
whitespace. The digits of hardware addresses are separated by colons (:), dashes
(-) or periods(.). The following are some examples:

----
ff-ff-ff-ff-ff-ff    Broadcast
c0-00-ff-ff-ff-ff    TR_broadcast
00.2b.08.93.4b.a1    Freds_machine
----

The settings from this file are read in when a MAC address is to be
translated to a name, and never written by Wireshark.
--

_manuf_::
At program start, if there is a _manuf_ file in the global
configuration folder, it is read.
+
The entries in this file are used to translate the first three bytes of
an Ethernet address into a manufacturers name.  This file has the same
format as the ethers file, except addresses are three bytes long.
+
--
An example is:

----
00:00:01    Xerox                  # XEROX CORPORATION
----

The settings from this file are read in at program start and never written by
Wireshark.
--

_hosts_::
Wireshark uses the entries in the _hosts_ files to translate IPv4 and
IPv6 addresses into names.
+
At program start, if there is a _hosts_ file in the global configuration
folder, it is read first.  Then, if there is a _hosts_ file in the
personal configuration folder, that is read; if there is an entry for a
given IP address in both files, the setting in the personal hosts file
overrides the entry in the global hosts file.
+
--
This file has the same format as the usual `/etc/hosts` file on Unix systems.

An example is:

----
# Comments must be prepended by the # sign!
192.168.0.1 homeserver
----

The settings from this file are read in at program start and never written by
Wireshark.
--

_services_::
Wireshark uses the _services_ files to translate port numbers into names.
+
At program start, if there is a _services_ file in the global
configuration folder, it is read first.  Then, if there is a _services_
file in the personal configuration folder, that is read; if there is an
entry for a given port number in both files, the setting in the personal
hosts file overrides the entry in the global hosts file.
+
--
An example is:

----
mydns       5045/udp     # My own Domain Name Server
mydns       5045/tcp     # My own Domain Name Server
----

The settings from these files are read in at program start and never
written by Wireshark.
--

_subnets_::
Wireshark uses the __subnets__ files to translate an IPv4 address into a
subnet name.  If no exact match from a __hosts__ file or from DNS is
found, Wireshark will attempt a partial match for the subnet of the
address.
+
At program start, if there is a _subnets_ file in the personal
configuration folder, it is read first.  Then, if there is a _subnets_
file in the global configuration folder, that is read; if there is a
preference set in both files, the setting in the global preferences file
overrides the setting in the personal preference file.
+
--
Each line in one of these files consists of an IPv4 address, a subnet
mask length separated only by a '/' and a name separated by whitespace.
While the address must be a full IPv4 address, any values beyond the
mask length are subsequently ignored.

An example is:
----
# Comments must be prepended by the # sign!
192.168.0.0/24 ws_test_network
----

A partially matched name will be printed as ``subnet-name.remaining-address''.
For example, ``192.168.0.1'' under the subnet above would be printed as
``ws_test_network.1"; if the mask length above had been 16 rather than 24, the
printed address would be ``ws_test_network.0.1''.

The settings from these files are read in at program start and never
written by Wireshark.
--

_ipxnets_::
When Wireshark is trying to translate an IPX network number to
a name, it consults the _ipxnets_ file in the personal configuration
folder first.  If the address is not found in that file, Wireshark
consults the _ipxnets_ file in the system configuration folder.
+
--

An example is:
----
C0.A8.2C.00      HR
c0-a8-1c-00      CEO
00:00:BE:EF      IT_Server1
110f             FileServer3
----

The settings from this file are read in when an IPX network number is to
be translated to a name, and never written by Wireshark.
--

_vlans_::
Wireshark uses the _vlans_ file to translate VLAN tag IDs into names.
+
At program start, if there is a _vlans_ file in the personal
configuration folder, it is read.
+
--
Each line in this file consists of one VLAN tag ID and a describing name separated by whitespace or tab.

An example is:
----
123     Server-LAN
2049    HR-Client-LAN
----

The settings from this file are read in at program start and never written by
Wireshark.
--

[[ChPluginFolders]]

=== Plugin folders

Wireshark supports plugins for various purposes.  Plugins can either be
scripts written in Lua or code written in C or C++ and compiled to
machine code.

Wireshark looks for plugins in both a personal plugin folder and a
global plugin folder.  Lua plugins are stored in the plugin folders;
compiled plugins are stored in subfolders of the plugin folders, with
the subfolder name being the Wireshark minor version number (X.Y).

On Windows:

* The personal plugin folder is _APPDATA_`\Wireshark\plugins`.

* The global plugin folder is _WIRESHARK_`\plugins`.

On Unix-like systems:

* The personal plugin folder is ++~/.local/lib/wireshark/plugins++.

[NOTE]
====
To provide better support for binary plugins this folder changed in Wireshark 2.5.
It is recommended to use the new folder but *for lua scripts only* you may
continue to use __XDG_CONFIG_HOME__++/wireshark/plugins++ for backward-compatibility.
This is useful to have older versions of Wireshark installed side-by-side. In case
of duplicate file names between old and new the new folder wins.
====

* If you are running on macOS and Wireshark is installed as an
application bundle, the global plugin folder is
_APPDIR_`/Contents/PlugIns/wireshark`, otherwise it's
_INSTALLDIR_`/lib/wireshark/plugins`.

[[ChWindowsFolder]]

=== Windows folders

Here you will find some details about the folders used in Wireshark on different
Windows versions.

As already mentioned, you can find the currently used folders in the _About
Wireshark_ dialog.

[[ChWindowsProfiles]]

==== Windows profiles

Windows uses some special directories to store user configuration files which
define the ``user profile''. This can be confusing, as the default directory
location changed from Windows version to version and might also be different for
English and internationalized versions of Windows.

[NOTE]
====
If you've upgraded to a new Windows version, your profile might be kept in the
former location. The defaults mentioned here might not apply.
====

The following guides you to the right place where to look for Wireshark's
profile data.

Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and associated server editions::
++C:\Users\++__username__++\AppData\Roaming\Wireshark++.

Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows 2000 footnoteref:[historical,No longer supported by Wireshark. For historical reference only.]::
++C:\Documents and Settings\++__username__++\Application Data++. ``Documents and
Settings'' and ``Application Data'' might be internationalized.

Windows NT 4 footnoteref:[historical]::
++C:\WINNT\Profiles\++__username__++\Application Data\Wireshark++

Windows ME, Windows 98 with user profiles footnoteref:[historical]::
In Windows ME and 98 you could enable separate user profiles. In that case,
something like ++C:\windows\Profiles\++__username__++\Application Data\Wireshark++
is used.

Windows ME, Windows 98 without user profiles footnoteref:[historical]::
Without user profiles enabled the default location for all users was
++C:\windows\Application Data\Wireshark++.

[[ChWindowsRoamingProfiles]]

==== Windows roaming profiles

Some larger Windows environments use roaming profiles. If this is the case the
configurations of all programs you use won't be saved on your local hard drive.
They will be stored on the domain server instead.

Your settings will travel with you from computer to computer with one exception.
The ``Local Settings'' folder in your profile data (typically something like:
++C:\Documents and Settings\++__username__++\Local Settings++) will not be
transferred to the domain server. This is the default for temporary capture
files.

[[ChWindowsTempFolder]]

==== Windows temporary folder

Wireshark uses the folder which is set by the TMPDIR or TEMP environment
variable. This variable will be set by the Windows installer.

Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and associated server editions::
++C:\Users\++__username__++\AppData\Local\Temp++

Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000 footnoteref:[historical]::
++C:\Documents and Settings\++__username__++\Local Settings\Temp++

Windows NT footnoteref:[historical]::
++C:\TEMP++

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