# What the Hell Is an "ink" file? I actually DO need the answer kinda fast. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 7, 2010, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354 "2010-06-07T22:56:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/1 "2010-06-07T22:56:16Z")
I’m a nursing student, but I work too so I thought I’d take the history requirement online. I can’t read the syllabus because the file has an “.ink” extension. I don’t even know what that is. I’m running a Dell Inspiron with Windows XP. I have _Microsoft Works_ which is kind of like _Office_ but not quite. I run Firefox as my browser. I’ve googled the .ink extension, but everything I find wants me to sign up for a “registry scan”. I may not know much, but I’m not following for _that_. So how can I read .ink files? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/2 "2010-06-07T22:58:33Z")
Here’s a [few](http://www.fileinfo.com/extension/ink)I found by using Google. Since you need it fast, I figure any little bit can help. ---
**Author:** ![BorgHunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@BorgHunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgHunter)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/3 "2010-06-07T23:04:19Z")
That’s bizarre. Ask the professor to send you the syllabus in a reasonable format, like .doc, .docx, .odt, .pdf…something that isn’t some goofball file format no one can read. There’s no way you’re the only one with this problem. ETA: Have you tried opening the file in a plain text reader like Notepad? ---
**Author:** ![StrangerThanFiction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f05b48/32.png) [@StrangerThanFiction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StrangerThanFiction)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/4 "2010-06-07T23:10:40Z")
Are you sure it’s not a lnk file format? A lnk file is a desktop shortcut that points you toward some other file. The professor may have had the syllabus hiding somewhere on his/her hard drive with a shortcut on the desktop pointing to it. Thinking (s)he was uploading the syllabus, (s)he may have uploaded the shortcut instead, which is useless to you. If you right click the file and look at the properties, what do you see? ---
**Author:** ![SylverOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SylverOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SylverOne)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/5 "2010-06-07T23:14:58Z")
Are you sure it’s \*.ink and not \*.lnk (link file)? Probably links to a file on the network. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/6 "2010-06-07T23:19:13Z")
**BigT** , the first line of your link says “Run a free scan for file extension errors”. Like I said in the O.P. I’m not going to fall for _that_ old trojan horse. **BorgHunter** , I’ve sent messages to the prof and the other students, so I’m not _that_ panicky, but this is the first day of classes - I want to know how to do this so I don’t fall behind. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/7 "2010-06-07T23:23:18Z")
I have a vague recollection that one of the common Learning Management Systems (LMS) uses .ink files. I’ll take a look around some of the ones we have in our test lab and see if I can confirm that. Certainly, it would make sense in the context, although sending it to a student directly instead of a link to it in an LMS portal would be a bug. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/8 "2010-06-07T23:25:30Z")
Are you sure it doesn’t say “.lnk” instrad of “.ink”? If so, then the prof screwed up and send the desktop link to his doc, not the doc itself. ETA: OK, I’ve been beaten to the punch. Several times, in fact. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/9 "2010-06-07T23:27:00Z")
> [@SylverOne](#): > > Are you sure it’s \*.ink and not \*.lnk (link file)? Probably links to a file on the network. Actually, no. But search results for both bring up the same pages that want to run a “free scan” of my registry. I’ve never run across this file type. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/10 "2010-06-07T23:48:20Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > **BigT** , the first line of your link says “Run a free scan for file extension errors”. Like I said in the O.P. I’m not going to fall for _that_ old trojan horse. > > **BorgHunter** , I’ve sent messages to the prof and the other students, so I’m not _that_ panicky, but this is the first day of classes - I want to know how to do this so I don’t fall behind. It’s just an ad. Apparently, you don’t have an ad blocker. It’s not like you actually have to click on anything to read it. It just mentions which programs will load the file. Apparently Corel Studio, some other studio, and pocket pc. If you’re talking .lnk, that’s just the format for shortcuts. Unless it points to a file on the server, you didn’t actually get the syllabus, but a file that tells the computer where to find the syllabus. It’s an easy mistake to make. Tell her you need the one without the little arrow in the bottom left-hand corner. ---
**Author:** ![BorgHunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@BorgHunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgHunter)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/11 "2010-06-07T23:52:03Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > It’s just an add. Apparently, you don’t have an ad blocker. It’s not like you actually have to click on anything to read it. It just mentions which programs will load the file I’m using Firefox with Adblock Plus and NoScript, and I see the blurb just fine. That said, no one’s advising anyone to click on said blurb, merely to utilize the information _below_ the blurb. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/12 "2010-06-07T23:54:39Z")
NETA: sorry I said her. I could have sworn you mentioned your teacher was female. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/13 "2010-06-07T23:56:29Z")
> [@BorgHunter](#): > > I’m using Firefox with Adblock Plus and NoScript, and I see the blurb just fine. That said, no one’s advising anyone to click on said blurb, merely to utilize the information _below_ the blurb. Huh. I must have customized the settings. I’ve tinkered with them a bit. But yeah, don’t click on the blurb. Heck, I do think it being a .LNK is more likely, so my link probably wouldn’t help you anyways. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/14 "2010-06-07T23:56:47Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > **BigT** , the first line of your link says “Run a free scan for file extension errors”. Like I said in the O.P. I’m not going to fall for _that_ old trojan horse. So what? Just don’t click that link, and read what is below. You can probably do the same, perfectly safely, with the other pages you found on Google too. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/15 "2010-06-08T00:11:55Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > So what? Just don’t click that link, and read what is below.. I did. It talks about touch sensitive PDAs. Not a lot of help. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/16 "2010-06-08T00:21:46Z")
Wiki says it’s a - Pantone reference fills file Used by - CorelDRAW ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/17 "2010-06-08T00:24:31Z")
> [@StrangerThanFiction](#): > > Are you sure it’s not a lnk file format? A lnk file is a desktop shortcut that points you toward some other file. The professor may have had the syllabus hiding somewhere on his/her hard drive with a shortcut on the desktop pointing to it. Thinking (s)he was uploading the syllabus, (s)he may have uploaded the shortcut instead, which is useless to you. If you right click the file and look at the properties, what do you see? I have done this when trying to upload the syllabus from my “recents” list, rather than the file itself. It uploads as a useless .lnk file. Email prof. S/he prolly doesn’t realize it. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/18 "2010-06-08T00:34:04Z")
And as others have said, can you donwload the file and look at the properties? Instead of ‘Open’ choose ‘Save’. Right click on it and look at properties. The url/location probably points to a drive on your professors C:\ drive or some such thing. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/19 "2010-06-08T01:05:58Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > And as others have said, can you donwload the file and look at the properties? I tried that first. I have nothing to open that type of file. And I am clueless as to what to open the thing with as I have never even heard of that file extension before. ---
**Author:** ![BorgHunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@BorgHunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BorgHunter)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354/20 "2010-06-08T01:11:04Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > I tried that first. I have nothing to open that type of file. And I am clueless as to what to open the thing with as I have never even heard of that file extension before. I’m going to repeat what I said in my first post, as I added the question after the fact and you might have missed it. Have you tried opening the file in a plain text reader like Notepad? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-an-ink-file-i-actually-do-need-the-answer-kinda-fast/542354.md?page=2)