Altium File Type Not Recognized

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William Gayhart

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Dec 10, 2023, 1:32:57 PM12/10/23

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Altium File Type Not Recognized: How to Fix It

Altium Designer is a powerful and versatile software for designing printed circuit boards (PCBs). However, sometimes you may encounter a problem when trying to open a file in Altium Designer: the file type is not recognized. This can happen for various reasons, such as incompatible file formats, corrupted files, or missing extensions. In this article, we will show you how to troubleshoot and fix the altium file type not recognized error.

altium file type not recognized

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What Causes the Altium File Type Not Recognized Error?

The most common cause of the altium file type not recognized error is that the file you are trying to open is not supported by Altium Designer. Altium Designer can open and import many different file types, such as:

Altium Designer Project Files (*.PrjPCB)

Altium Designer Schematic Files (*.SchDoc)

Altium Designer PCB Files (*.PcbDoc)

Altium Designer Library Files (*.LibPkg)

Altium Designer Integrated Library Files (*.IntLib)

Altium Designer Database Library Files (*.DbLib)

Altium Designer Script Files (*.PrjScr)

Altium Designer Output Job Files (*.OutJob)

Altium Designer CAM Document Files (*.CamDoc)

Altium Designer Draftsman Document Files (*.DwfDoc)

However, Altium Designer cannot open or import some other file types, such as:

Protel Design Database Files (*.Ddb)

Protel PCB 4.0 Binary Files (*.Pcb)

Allegro PCB Design Files (*.Brd)

Allegro ASCII Extract Files (*.Alg)

If you try to open or import one of these unsupported file types in Altium Designer, you will get the altium file type not recognized error. To fix this, you need to either convert the file to a supported format or use a different software that can open it.

How to Convert Unsupported File Types to Altium Designer Format?

If you have an unsupported file type that you want to use in Altium Designer, you can try to convert it to a supported format using the Import Wizard. The Import Wizard is a tool that allows you to import files from other EDA software into Altium Designer. To use the Import Wizard, follow these steps:

In Altium Designer, go to File > Import Wizard.

Select the file type that matches your source file and click Next.

Browse to the location of your source file and select it. Click Next.

Follow the instructions on the subsequent pages of the wizard to configure the import options and settings.

Click Finish to start the import process.

The Import Wizard will create a new Altium Designer project with the imported files. You can then save and edit the project as usual.

How to Use Different Software to Open Unsupported File Types?

If you cannot or do not want to convert your unsupported file type to Altium Designer format, you can try to use a different software that can open it. For example, if you have a Protel PCB 4.0 Binary File (*.Pcb), you can use Protel 99 SE or Protel DXP to open it. If you have an Allegro PCB Design File (*.Brd), you can use Cadence Allegro PCB Editor to open it. However, keep in mind that using different software may result in some loss of data or functionality compared to using Altium Designer.

Conclusion

The altium file type not recognized error is a common issue that can occur when trying to open or import files in Altium Designer. The main reason for this error is that the file type is not supported by Altium Designer. To fix this error, you can either convert the file to a supported format using the Import Wizard or use a different software that can open it. We hope this article has helped you understand and solve the altium file type not recognized error.

How to Prevent the Altium File Type Not Recognized Error?

The best way to prevent the altium file type not recognized error is to use the correct file format and extension for your Altium Designer files. Here are some tips to help you avoid this error:

Always save your Altium Designer files with the appropriate extension, such as .PrjPCB for project files, .SchDoc for schematic files, .PcbDoc for PCB files, etc.

Do not rename or change the extension of your Altium Designer files manually, as this may cause confusion or corruption.

Do not open or edit your Altium Designer files with other software that may not support or recognize them.

Do not use file formats that are obsolete or deprecated, such as Protel DDB or PCB 4.0 Binary files.

Do not use file formats that are specific to other EDA software, such as Allegro BRD or ALG files, unless you want to import them into Altium Designer using the Import Wizard.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your Altium Designer files are compatible and recognizable by the software and avoid the altium file type not recognized error.

Summary

In this article, we have explained what causes the altium file type not recognized error and how to fix it. We have also given you some tips on how to prevent this error from happening in the future. We hope this article has been helpful and informative for you. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below.