Received .dat file - incompatible linux ?

I remember having been sent a .dat file once before, but have no idea how to handle
it. This is embarrassing as I had to contact the sender to send me the file in another format.

So, how does one handle these dat files ?

file -b attachment.dat
RFC 822 mail text

EDIT: I am stupid - it is fine with Thunderbird (of course).

 

.dat are usally media files try to play them in vlc

i am able to play them here in VLC

 

I wish. This was serious stuff relating to a deceased estate.
Thunderbird opened it and showed the attachments, one pdf and one xlsx.

 

What does file <filename.dat> say?
Mrk

 

It's sorted. See post #1
Is that what you mean ?

 

Ah yes ... I missed that. All is well. I'm stupid too.
Mrk

 

Probably from an exchange server, if not configured correctly sends rtf version and attachments in the winmail.dat file.

 

That sounds like it.
(By the way there is a nice add-on for Seamonkey/Thunderbird that shows the mail user agent .. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/seamonkey/addon/display-mail-user-agent/?src=userprofile)

 

Ocky, dat files are created when someone is using MS Word as the frontend for email as opposed to MS Outlook.
I don't know if Libre Office recognizes the file format.