After installing some programs and receiving mail using mail clients, .dat files are created on the computer. Most often, they take up almost no space on the computer and do not flash before the user’s eyes, but this is not always the case. There are cases when such a file can occupy hundreds of megabytes. It is impossible to open it, and what it is needed for is not clear. In such files, information is stored either in binary or text form, and sometimes even encrypted.
A file with this resolution is created by almost all software, because... it stores system information necessary for the operation of a particular program, or simply text data. To find out what exactly is in it, you have to think about how to open it. There are many ways. Let's look at the most effective and common ones.
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Method 1
1. Click right click mouse over the .dat file and in the menu that opens, select “Open with”;
2. Next, in the program selection window, select the text editor you need and click the “OK” button.
Method 2
1. Click 2 times on the file with the extension .dat;
2. A window will open saying that the operating system does not know which program to open it with, so you will have to open it yourself. You will also be offered a choice: search the desired program on the Internet or from installed on your computer.
Select the second option and click the “OK” button, after which the same program selection form will open as in the first method.
Depending on what program and for what purposes this file was created, it may contain miscellaneous information: from text to video or audio.
As a rule, it is not very convenient to view files of this type using text editors. It is much more convenient to extract information from them using browsers.
1 way
Just like using text editors, select a program, only this time instead of Notepad or Word, click on the browser installed on your computer.
Method 2
Click on the .dat file with the left mouse button and, without releasing it, hover over the icon of any browser. After you release the mouse, a browser will open showing the contents of the file, and address bar the path where this file is located is indicated.
Note: because .dat files often contain encrypted information, instead of regular Russian or English letters, you can see the character set. This means that reading this file is intended only for the program that created it.
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In addition to .dat files, you can try to open any system file and also look at its contents, but you are unlikely to find anything interesting there. In addition, if you open important data in this way, this action may disrupt the operation of the system, after which the program that created it will begin to work incorrectly.
It seems to me that if you are a PC user, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner or more experienced, questions inevitably arise from time to time that you can’t immediately get an answer to.
For example, how to open dat, or how to run this or that program.
Of course, this is all a matter of experience and over time such questions will appear less and less. But, perhaps, we shouldn’t delude ourselves too much, because others are always ready to take their place, usually more complex and incomprehensible.
Today I propose to talk about how to open a dat file, and also dwell on the format itself in more detail, telling in what cases we may encounter it, why it has this particular name, and what it is connected with.
Section 1. How to open a dat file. Definition of the concept
In principle, the extension named “dat” is an abbreviation of the well-known English word “data”, which, contrary to popular misconception, is not translated as “date”. This word means "data".
Those. we can conclude that this is specifically created this file, containing certain data. Based on the extension itself, we will not be able to guess what information it includes. this document. It can be anything. The structure and type are determined only by the application, which needed to create a file of this particular type in order to work correctly.
One thing is certain: such files are service files and therefore are not intended for general viewing. The average user has no rights to change or modify it. How to open dat? This can only be done using the program that once created this document.
Section 2. Where to start and how to open dat
First, try opening the file yourself, i.e. without the help of specialists or professional software:
Section 3. How to open dat. Changing the format
You are most likely to see a file of this format in attachments received by email. Why? Today, such extensions are not common. Dat files are mostly used only by programmers.
I would advise you to seek help from the person from whom you received this document. He will probably tell you what program he used to create it. Although sometimes there are situations when your interlocutor will be surprised and say that he just wanted to send a photo or a regular text, deliberately not covering anything.
What to do in this case? And why did you receive the information in such a strange form? Maybe, don't worry! The dat file may have been generated during the delivery of the message to you. Automatically. That can be the case too!
I have noticed more than once that for some strange reason, some email programs can automatically change the attachment file extension to dat. So the person may have actually sent you a photo or image that has now turned into this kind of file.
First of all, save the document on your computer, and then try changing the file extension to JPG, GIF, PNG or any other format that you are familiar with or that you expect to see.
Well, for example, if the sender insists that he sent you a text document, change the format to DOC, etc.
Don't know how to change the file extension? There is nothing complicated!
But what to do if you are not sure which program to choose? Try clicking on the file and selecting "Open with". The computer itself will offer you several options to choose from.
If the above didn't work and you still don't know how to open dat, try one of the following: professional programs. Typically, professionals most often use Corel WordPerfect, Microsoft Visual Studio, Nero ShowTime, Nullsoft Winamp, Ontrack EasyRecovery, Runtime GetDataBack or SoftVelocity Clarion.
How to open dat file?
Many users often come across files with the .dat extension, but unlike .doc, .xls, or .txt, few people know what these files are and how to work with them. Some perceive them as elements of viruses and rush to remove them, but this should not be done because they can be lost important information, or ruin the work of any program that uses it. Let's figure out what these files are?
First of all, the .dat file is a binary file designed to store information from various programs. In most cases, a file with a .dat extension can only be opened by the program that created it. You can view the contents of the file in any text editor, but most ordinary users are unlikely to find useful information there.
Often .dat files are used as email attachments, they are added to the end of the sent email data packet in case the user's email client that receives the email does not support RTF format.
It is also common as a video data format.
And it opens in video players using standard decoders. This is especially common when files are written in the form DVD discs with corresponding menu and video navigation.
Programs that will help you open the DAT file
Files in DAT format were created for the purpose of enhancing group data. To create a DAT file you need to use a specific application. But if you then need to open access to the DAT file format, this can only be done from the application in which it was created. This type of file has the ability to include information not only in text format, but also in binary format.
List of programs that can create and provide access to documents in this format:
Soft Velocity Clarion Word Perfect Corel Winamp Null soft Pitney Bowes MapInfo Microsoft Ontrack Easy Recovery Runtime Get Data Back StudioVisual Show Time Nero
If you need to open a document with this type of extension in the Windows operating system, then you can do this using the usual text editor, or in the program where the file was created.
Note! If you use Mac OS, the same applications work as for Windows, that is, all text editors or the original program.
Winmail.dat is a document in DAT format that is used to send change data in RTF (Rich Text) mode that is sent by the service. As a rule, they are always attached to messages only if the recipient does not have the ability to support messages in RTF formats.
Such RTF documents are needed only by those who are related to Exchange Server and otherwise you won't need them. The dat file can be opened using the following Windows programs: Micr. Outlook 2010 Traction Win Mail Decoder Pro Biblet WMDecode Encryptomatic Mes. Viewer Lite Winmail.dat Reader Microsoft WM
Note! If you are an operating room user Mac systems OS or Linux, then you can open such a document using BGKlammerKupon. Another file type in the DAT format is designed to expand the video stream. With VCD, that is, VideoCD disc. And such a disk may contain all the necessary data in the form of a format such as MPEG1 or MPEG2.
Such video recordings can be played using VCD.
In Windows OS you can open such files through: VideoLAN VLC GRETECH GOM CyberLink - PowerDirector 11 and PowerProducer 6 VCDGear Nero 12 MPlayer River Past - Video Cleaner.
On Mac OS, files are played in VCDGear, MPlayer, in media players - Eltima Elmedia and VideoLAN VLC. If you Linux user, use standard MPlayer, VCDGear or VideoLAN VLC.
Minecraft also uses DAT files for data expansion. All files are stored in Gzip compressed format. It contains all the information: location, availability of supplies, state of the entire worlds and other data. It stores data about the game world and saves all game processes for progress.
As the game progresses, the document saves the levels of the player as he moves along the assigned map. Use of such a file is possible up to beta version 1.3. The MCR application is only used on maps. Minecraft tends to change as the game progresses. Based on this, new versions of this game are not always compatible with older versions of DAT, which are not designed to play them.
On Windows you can open it with the following programs: NVedit NBT Explorer Mojang Minecraft MCPlayerEdit.
Mac OS opens the game through Mojang Minecraft, NBTExplorer and MCPlayerEdit.
Linux reads files using the same applications as Mac OS. Web users can use the Minecraft Inventor Editor. Please log in or register to view hidden text. In order to expand the documents in DAT, they are also used in the game SimCity 4, in this game the virtual construction of residential cities takes place.
The document contains a large amount of SC4DESC data, as well as SC4LOT and SC4MODEL. Bundling of file contents may be used to reproduce game data. In order to find SimCity 4 game files, programs developed by DarkMatter are used - iLives and DataGen.
Windows users open the game through: iLive’s Reader Electronic Arts for SimCity 4 DatGen Electronic Arts Building Architect Tool Mac OS users can read files through ElectronicArtsSimCity 4.DeluxeEdition.
Register Components Windows Microsoft DAT documents are also used to expand the register level data of existing users. This includes, for example, setting up new and existing accounts, information about passwords and connecting data. As soon as the user is registered in Windows, the file is created immediately. It is located on drive C in the folder:>Users. Another DAT file is used to Reserve copy register information. It can only be opened in operating system Windows 7 via Microsoft.
Two words of theory about why it is not so easy to open a DAT file, or more precisely why opening it, for example with a text editor, usually does not bring results.
The fact is that a file with the Dat extension is a universal file that is used by a huge number of different applications - from various databases and Windows applications, it is also used by email mail programs and video players.
That is why, without knowing the program in which the file was created, we will not be able to view its contents, and most often the file does not even contain data presented in a form understandable to us.
As an illustration, you can try opening a DAT file with a text editor, it can even be a regular Notepad in Windows, or it is better to use specialized applications like Notepad++. If the DAT file is a text file, you will be able to read its contents.
The easiest way to do this is to right-click on the .Dat file and select “Open with Notepad” from the menu that opens, after which the contents of the file will open.
NTUSER.DAT is a popular file in Windows OS that stores user profile settings. The file is located in the C:\Users\username directory. When changing user settings - the location of shortcuts, desktop background, pictures, system variables, they are all stored in this file. The contents of the file cannot be edited; this is only available through the settings of the operating system itself.
Chats and mail, browsers: Yahoo! Instant Messenger, Outlook, Miranda IM, Skype, Safari AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), Pegasus Mail, Winmail Opener,
Office applications and graphics:Microsoft Word, Corel WordPerfect, XnView Corel WordPerfect Office, CyberLink PowerDirector
DAT (Data File) is a popular file format for storing information from various applications. Let's find out with the help of which ones software products you can produce it open.
It must be said right away that you can fully launch DAT only in the program that generated it, since there can be very significant differences in the structure of these objects, depending on whether they belong to a specific application. But in most cases, such opening of the Data File contents is performed automatically for internal application purposes (Skype, uTorrent, Nero ShowTime, etc.), and is not provided to users for viewing. That is, we will not be interested in these options. At the same time, the text content of objects of the specified format can be viewed using almost any text editor.
A text editor that copes with opening DAT is the program with advanced functionality Notepad++.
Another popular text editor that copes with opening DAT is the Notepad2 application.
A universal way to open text objects with a DAT extension is to use the standard Notepad program.
Data File is a file that is designed to store information, primarily for internal use by a specific program. At the same time, the contents of these objects can be viewed and sometimes even changed using modern text editors.
