Compact NFO Viewer for Windows

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Editors’ Review

Download.com staffJanuary 17, 2011

ASCII art is the ancient variety of computer graphics and images created by typing ASCII text characters. Most users encounter ASCII art in the form of NFO files, literally, "info" files; they're text files that Windows can open and display, albeit via a cumbersome process that uses Notepad. CubicDesign's Compact NFO Viewer is a great choice for folks who just need to open and view NFO files now and again as well as those who regularly handle NFO files, too. It's not often that a new ASCII art viewer comes along!

Compact NFO Viewer certainly is compact, at 670.5 KB; it's completely portable, too, requiring no installation or extraction. We simply ran the downloaded executable file, and Compact NFO Viewer's efficient interface opened with a black background in a blank main view. We clicked Open on the program's taskbar and browsed to an ASCII art file, which opened in an attractive green font, though font and background color are configurable via the Options menu. We were able to edit the document and save our changes, but only to the unprotected original; there's no "Save as" choice for renaming a file or creating a new file from the original. On the Options menu, we were able to associate the program with our NFO files by right-click or double-click. Compact NFO Viewer also extracts URLs from documents and displays them in its right-hand Navigator panel, which also links to some of the developer's other wares. We were able to toggle this panel open and closed via the Navigator menu. There's no Help menu, but there's little need for one; this is a simple, efficient program, and ASCII art is hardly mysterious.

Compact NFO Viewer is just the thing when you need to view and even edit NFO files. It beats Notepad, and it's probably better (or at least better looking) than the DOS-Age viewers still in use out there.

Compact NFO Viewer for Windows

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Full Specifications

GENERAL

Release: May 10, 2010

Latest update: January 17, 2011

Version: 1.5.6

OPERATING SYSTEMS

Platform: Windows

Operating System

Windows 2003
Windows XP
Windows 98
Windows 10
Windows NT
Windows 2000
Windows Vista
Windows ME

Additional Requirements: None

POPULARITY

Total Downloads: 29,857

Downloads Last Week: 0

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Last Updated

User Reviews

3/5

5 User Votes

A Solid and "Compact NFO Viewer"
CptCribApril 17, 2012
Pros
-the utility is compact -requires no installation -"properly" displays NFO files -simple to use -user can customize the font and background color -it's free -works on WinXP, 7, and 8 CP
Cons
-it displays some plugs for "similar" products in a column on the right side, but you can easily hide it and it didn't reappear on my system -pretty simple to use, but if you are a complete newb, you may not know how to set it as the default NFO viewer since there isn't an installation routine to do it for you, but this isn't difficult
Summary
I don't know what the people with negative reviews are on about. Ignore them. One negative review says it's garbage because there is no setup and it's just an exe file... That's actually a -benefit- of the software for anyone that knows how to use a computer, and it clearly says in the editor's review that the program is "completely portable requiring no installation or extraction". So if time was wasted by someone getting "just an exe file", perhaps they should spend more time reading the review. Another reviewer says "not necessary". Well.. not necessary can be said for MANY things in life. Sports cars aren't necessary, but would you down rate one if it was given to you because it "isn't necessary"? Sure you can get by without this app. Notepad WILL work in a pinch if you configure it to display correctly, but this app still looks better and is more convenient once you set it as the default for NFO files. The app does what it claims, does it well, has no hidden surprises, it's lightweight, simple to use, AND IT'S FREE. I figure that's worth 4/5 in my book.
It opens NFO files just like it says...
jediguitaristMarch 20, 2011
Pros
Small, nothing to install. Pretty colors
Cons
None 10char
Summary
Sure, I could use Notepad for NFO viewing but then I'd be missing out on all the colors. I like how it makes the NFO files look like the old BBS days from when I was like12. I tried Damn NFO Viewer but it had me download an installer of some sort. Looked like it was trying to install a toolbar so I canceled it.
Open the NFO file with notepad.
tejastodayJanuary 19, 2011
Pros
not necessary.
Cons
not necessary.
Summary
not necessary.
Compact & simple - Does exactly what it aims to do
extraballSeptember 29, 2010
Pros
Very simple - nice small file.
Cons
Can't think of any
Summary
Absolutely terrible
im_a_cuntSeptember 9, 2010
Pros
None! Don't bother with this and just download "DAMN NFO VIEWER"-[tried, trusted, easy to install and make the default nfo viewer]
Cons
no setup, just an exe file. Ridiculous. Complete waste of my god damn time.
Summary
This software is just crap

Developer’s Description

View text files containing ASCII Art and description files.

Compact NFO Viewer is the most popular utility designed for viewing text files containing ASCII Art (e.g. nfo files), and it proved itself to be handy.So, if you're fed up with starting some DOS-like file manager each time you need to view nfo file, or ain't too happy with the viewer you use, or (worst case) use Notepad - give this little tool a try.