How to open .dll files?

Question

Level 1

20 points

How to open .dll files?

I'm not sure I have the correct forum, but I thought I'd try here.

I have .dll files I want to look at. I am unable to open them in any type of readable format. When I double click on them they open in Text Edit and jumbled up. I tried to open them in Preview and that didn't work either.

Can someone guide me on how to open these files? OR if this is the wrong board, let me know and I'll post some place else.

Thanks,
Ginger

iMac, MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.4), iPhone OS 4, iPad

Posted on Jul 29, 2010 11:42 AM

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Answer 1

xnav

Level 5

7,089 points

Jul 29, 2010 11:55 AM in response to teech79

.dll's are normally not human readable. See [this|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic-link_library] for a description.

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Answer 2

teech79 Author

Level 1

20 points

Jul 29, 2010 12:30 PM in response to xnav

I think I'm over my head! Crumb, I was wondering if I found someone with a PC if they'd be able to open them?

On the cd it says "PC AutoPlay DICOM Viewer" then on the next line it says "Exit view before removing disk"

Does that help at all?

Thanks much-
Ginger

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Answer 3

xnav

Level 5

7,089 points

Jul 29, 2010 1:04 PM in response to teech79

Yes you need a Windows PC, even then the .dll's are never opened directly.

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Answer 4

Jul 29, 2010 1:07 PM in response to teech79

No. A Windows DLL file is a library of machine code meant to be loaded by a piece of software. It's unreadable by humans. An experienced developer may be able to decompile the library into x86 assembly language.

DICOM is an image format used for storing medical image data (such as MRIs, CAT scans, etc.). Many packages that work with DICOM packages have an "export to CD" function that will burn a CD with a directory of DICOM images, optionally with a copy of a program for displaying the images. It sounds like you have one of those CDs that's been burned with a copy of a Windows DICOM viewer. You won't be able to use that without a copy of Windows installed.

However, that doesn't mean that you can't view the DICOM images. The most widely used DICOM viewer is probably [OsiriX|http://www.osirix-viewer.com>, which is free to download and use. Simple install, and use the import function to load a whole directory of DICOM images at once.

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Answer 5

Eskadi

Level 1

29 points

Jul 29, 2010 5:49 PM in response to teech79

A .dll file is (most of the time) a windows file. A windows library of function that can be executed by a windows program.

If you are using mac or linux, you can try to open the .exe file on your CD with WINE. This should do it. I run several complex windows programs with this and I am most satisfied.

Also, at the time I left the windows world, there was a programm called rundll32.exe, to execute dll functions (bottom line use the program on the dll to call a specific function). But there you have to know exactly what you are looking for.

So, best is for you to look for a windows computer, for bootcamp or for WIN (which is really worth trying)

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