About Pro/ENGINEER Files Page 1 of 1

About Pro/ENGINEER Files

The following requirements apply when creating and performing operations on Pro/ENGINEER files:

● File names have a 31 character limit. You cannot create or retrieve an object with more than a 31
character file name.

● You cannot use brackets, such as [ ], { }, or ( ), spaces and punctuation marks (.?!;) in file names.

● File names can contain hyphens and underscores, however, the first character in a file name cannot be a
hyphen.

● Use only alphanumeric characters (see hyphen and underscore exception in previous bullet) in file
names. Object files containing non-alphanumeric characters (such as @, #, and %) in their names do
not display in, and are not retrievable from dialog boxes. You cannot save new object files with
nonalphanumeric characters in their names.

● Use only lowercase characters for file names. An object or file on disk always saves with the name in
lowercase.

● Directory paths can use special characters, such as tilde ( ~ ) and two periods ( .. ) to specify relative
paths. It is better, however, to always show the absolute path names (from the root) to avoid problems
if you change working directories or use the same configuration file in another startup directory.

● A directory path can contain up to 260 characters.

File Format
Saving an object to disk creates a file with the following format:
object_name.object_type.version_number

For example, if you create and then save the part bracket, the filename for the part is bracket.prt.1.

Related Links
About File Types

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About File Types

The majority of Pro/ENGINEER files are object files that store information about an object. Other files
created in Pro/ENGINEER are object-dependent, temporary files that contain information that may have
been output by you, or created as a quick way to retrieve data without regenerating the object, such as
the .ptd file for Family Tables.

You can remove temporary files from the system (identified with an asterisk in the following table), but you
must never delete object files.

In the following table of file-naming conventions, words like sectionname, partname, and filename indicate
the name you enter at the prompt for sections, parts and data files, or the active object used to create the
file (for example, partname.inf).

File Name Description

Asm####.asm Default assembly name.

Assemblyname.asm Assembly with name entered by you.

Assemblyname.als Assembly, Program design file.

Assemblyname.bom* Bill of Materials file.

Assemblyname.inf* File created when you choose Info ▶ Assembly.

Assemblyname.ptd* Family Table file for assembly.

Assemblyname.ref* File created when you are saving an assembly by using File ▶ Save a Copy. It
lists the components that you selected for renaming.

Assemblyname.tst* Records results of Verify operation on instances of assemblyname.

Assemblyinstancename.xas Instance accelerator file for assembly instance.

Assemblyname_a.wrl VRML export file for an assembly.

Color.map Color palette of user-defined colors.

Componentname.memb* File created when you choose Info ▶ Component

Config.pro Configuration options file.

Curv#.dat* Data file containing curvature information for curve, where # is curve
internal ID.

Dgm####.dgm 2D schematic diagram with default name.

Diagramname.dgm 2D schematic diagram created with name entered by you.

Datafile.ers* Summary of drawing setup file errors generated upon reading a setup file
with errors.

Dimdiff.info* Tabulation of dimension and feature differences between two parts, or two
versions of the same part. Created when you choose Analysis ▶ Part
Comparison

Directoryname.idx Instance index file for directory directoryname.

Drw####.drw Drawing with default drawing name.

Drawingname.drw Drawing with name entered by you.

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File Name Description

Feature.lst* File created when you choose Info ▶ Feature List.

Feature.inf* File created when you choose Info ▶ Feature.

Filename_amp.dat* Assigned mass properties file.

Filename.cbl Cable parameters file.

Filename.con Connector parameters file.

Filename.dat* Data files created for editing, such as relations data.

Filename.dtl Setup file used by drawings, formats, and layouts.

Filename.gph User-defined feature with name entered by you.

Filename.ibl File containing data for creating a blend feature.

Filename.inf* Information files created using the Info menu.

Filename.lgh File containing lights data.

Filename.ncl* File containing manufacturing CL data.

Filename.pts File containing spline points coordinate data with name entered by you.

Filename.scl File containing definitions for system colors.

Filename.shd* Shaded view file.

Filename.sym Symbol file storing geometry of drawing symbol.

Filename.tph* File containing manufacturing toolpath information for model filename.

Formatname.frm Format used by drawings and layouts.

Iges_stats.dat* A summary of processing an IGES file.

Lay####.lay Layout with default layout name.

Layoutname.lay Layout with name entered by you.

Machinename.mac File containing data for a manufacturing machine.

Manufacturename.mfg Manufacturing object with name entered by you.

Markupname.mrk Drawing markup file. Created in Markup mode.

Menu_def.pro Default menu options file.

Modelname.wrl File created when you export a model to the VRML format.

Param.inf* File created when you choose Info ▶ Relations and Parameters.

Partinstancename.xpr Instant accelerator file for part instance.

Partname.bde File that lists the elements that exceed the aspect ratio bound of a meshed
object.

Partname.bdi File that lists the elements that have a Jacobian distortion index lower than
preset bound for a meshed object.

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File Name Description

Partname.bdm File that lists the elements that have mid ratios higher than a preset bound
for a meshed part.

Partname.ger* Geometry misalignment data.

Partname.pls Part, Program design file.

Partname.prt Part with name entered by you.

Partname.m_p* Part mass properties file.

Partname.ptd* Family Table file for part.

Partname.tst* Records results of Verify operation on instances of partname.

Partname_p.wrl VRML export file for part.

Partname_pr#.wrl VRML resolution file for part.

prt####.prt Part with default part name.

Rels.inf* Relations info file created when you choose Info ▶ Relations and Parameters.

Reviewref.info* File created when reviewing feature references during a regeneration failure.

s2d####.sec Sketch with default sketch name.

Sectionname.sec Sketch with name entered by you.

Spline.pts Default name for file containing spline points coordinate data.

Toolname.tpm File containing data for a manufacturing tool.

Training_file.txa Training file.

Trail.txt* Default name for trail file.

Xsectionname.m_p* Cross-section mass properties file.

Related Links
About Pro/ENGINEER Files

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