Best Free NFO Viewer

Updated 5. January 2013 - 3:01 by m22rdy

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Introduction
An NFO file is basically a text file that has the text width restricted to 80 chars (regardless of how large the window itself is) and the "Terminal" fixed system font used by default.  The Terminal font is used as it has a few ASCII blocks of various patterns that can be strung together like pixels creating ASCII art. It is all possible to re-create the formatting effects in notepad, but it's fiddly, you must have the window size exact and you can't change the foreground or background colors giving the NFO that extra shine.
 

Dedicated Applications

GetDiz is a simple NFO viewer which includes customization options including changing the foreground & background colors, fonts & sizes. There is an option which allows a customizable list of key words then lets set foreground & background colors to associate with the keyworks. The only feature that lets GetDiz down is the extremely large and somewhat cramped options menu item, the features could be housed more comfortly in a pop-up options dialogue box. Upon installation, there is a little option to add a link that creates a shortcut to a proprietary software site but it's easy to uncheck and the link inself doesn't install any actual software. There is multilingual support of 25 different languages and the GIF export allows an easier way to share the files among others who may not have an alternative NFO viewer.

Automatic association with .txt, .diz, .nfo & .ini files can be set.

Official Description

GetDiz is a Notepad replacement that offers a wide range of features while maintaining incredible speed, ease of use, stability, and small size. The user interface is handy, small, specific, and configurable. Do you want to go through a bunch of text files quickly in Explorer? Turn on the "Allow only one GetDiz instance" option and click on every file. GetDiz will display the files one after another in the same window. With GetDiz you also get enhanced functionality with DIZ and NFO files, which are often included in ZIP and RAR archives. GetDiz is able to display ASCII art correctly. You can even save text, nfo and diz files as GIF images! Even if GetDiz offers many features, the user interface is kept clean, so you can concentrate on text reading or editing. An optional USB-Stick installation is also possible. This notepad replacement is available for free.
 

Screenshots:

 

 

NFOPad allows foreground, background color, size & font options with a custom defineable set for both NFO & TXT independently. There is a nice alpha (opacity) setting with customizable blending. As stated even by the author, NFOPad resembles Microsoft Notepad with the extra support for .NFO files. There is also a nice control for URL & email integration allowing link clicking using the single click, double click or a CTRL click. 
 
Automatic association with .txt, .diz & .nfo files. Shell extentions allow for right-click  Edit with NFOPad option.

Official Description

NFOPad is a small, fast and flexible combined nfo viewer and text editor. It is a clone of Microsoft's Notepad but much more customizable and with some additional features. Of course NFOPad also supports nfo files with ASCII art. The file extension is used to determine whether to use an ANSI or ASCII font. NFOPad also fully supports Unicode.

 
Screenshots:
 
  
 

DIZzy is a simple viewer of DIZ, NFO & generic ASCII files that requires no installation, from the look of the website it has been abandoned, even the link from the official application leads to a dead domain. However, the link to the author's site is still active and DIZzy is still available for download. Is provides a simple Drag and Drop system to open the NFO files and has no configurable options. They four bottons present on the menu bar include the non-working website, an about page which opens on a seperate NFO style page, Start which brings the slider to the top of the page, and End which takes you to the bottom of the NFO.

There is no automatic file association avaialable.

 

Official Description

DIZzy displays DIZ, NFO and other confusing, ASCII-extended text files in a pleasing graphic format. It supports drag-and-drop, file associations and command line. DIZzy is an amazingly small, self-contained, flexible and free program.

Screenshots:

Similar to DIZzy, this is a small quick abandoned application that still works. The link on the programs menu leads to another obsolete website and the release build dates back to 2002. The options are limited but contains some level of customizability even with it's relitively small file size. It supports custom text and background, links & even link hover colors. There is no drag & drop file system like all the others, but opening is simple enough from the top menu bar. The text seems to render funny when opening a file from the menu (as opposed to double click) machine making options navigation DAMN impossible.
 
Without promting, DAMN NFO sets itself as the default viewer.

 

Official Description

DAMN NFO Viewer is an 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. 

Screenshots:
 
 
 
 
 
Multifunctional Applications
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Related Products and Links

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Quick Selection Guide

Outertech GetDiz
5
 
Gizmo's Freeware award as the best product in its class!

Runs as a stand-alone program on a user's computer
Top pick, full of features, supports many languages, flashdrive version available.
Nothing obvious.
http://www.outertech.com/getdiz/
http://www.outertech.com/en/download
4.8.0.0
1.2 MB
32 bit but 64 bit compatible
Unrestricted freeware
A portable version of this product is available from the developer.
Windows XP / Vista / 7

Option is given to make the product portable during installation.

True Human Design NFOPad
5
 
Runs as a stand-alone program on a user's computer
Small file size, supports many file types.
Nothing obvious.
http://truehumandesign.se/
http://truehumandesign.se/s_nfopad.php
1.66
1.17 MB
32 bit but 64 bit compatible
Unrestricted freeware
A portable version of this product is available from the developer.
Windows 2000 / XP / Vista / 7
DS Software DIZzy
4
 
Runs as a stand-alone program on a user's computer
Extremely small file size, very fast.
No extra bells and whistles, website link is broken
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~nulifetv/freezip/freeware/
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~nulifetv/freezip/freeware/
1.12
8 KB
32 bit but 64 bit compatible
Unrestricted freeware
This product is portable.
Windows 95 and above.
DAMN NFO Viewer
4
 
Runs as a stand-alone program on a user's computer
Small file size, supports multiple languages, lots of features.
No longer being updated.
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Office-tools/Text-editors/DAMN-NFO-Viewer.shtml
http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/DAMN-NFO-Viewer-Download-2132.html
2.10.0032.RC3
263 KB
Unrestricted freeware
There is no portable version of this product available.
Windows 95 and above.

Developer's homepage not available.

 
Editor

This software category is maintained by volunteer editor m22rdy. Registered members can contact the editor with any comments or questions they might have by clicking here.
 
Tags

nfo viewer, ASCII viewer, ASCII art, DIZ, ASCII extended, text files

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