I am helping someone retrieve "lost" files from an MS-DOS based database.  It turns out the files are not lost (whoo-hoo!), but they are not in the same folder as the DOS-based program (which is on the same computer, and DOES have files in different DIRECTORIES that I can see).

So the files I need to put back into the working database are on the c drive.  (OS is Windows XP).

My problem is that I tried to open the "unrecognozable" file in Wordpad (to see what I was looking at).  It didn't open, but now this file and about 6 others have a WordPad icon.  How do I switch the file extension back to the original "unrecognizable" extension so that I'm back at what I started with?  (BTW, the files that changed have/had extension .cml)

Any help appreciated!

T-what dos based database is involved?

if you have access to the program(yourbase.exe) create a file in it and see what the outcome data extends ito  

is it dat, dbf, etc.

i MIGHT be able to help you then.The quickest and easiest way to reassociate the files is to locate one of the files (search or windows explorer). Hold down the shift key and right CLICK. From the menu select "open with". It will bring the file open box. Scroll to the data base's exe file. Click to hightlight it. Now check the box "ALWAYS open with". Those files should now open in the data base.