Data file
What is a .mdf file?
A .mdf file is a SNAP Main Data File. This is a data file — structured information used by a program rather than read directly. Confusingly, this extension has been used by 3 different formats over the years — they're all listed below.
This extension has been used by more than one format
3 different formats have claimed .mdf over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.
How to open a .mdf file
- Start with the program that produced it; that's almost always the right tool.
- Open it in a text editor to see whether it's readable text or binary.
- For database formats, DB Browser for SQLite or LibreOffice Base can often import it.
The registry records this extension against SNAP Main Data File, Geosoft Map Description File, Media Descriptor File, so software from that family is the most likely match.
How to convert a .mdf file
- If you can view the data, exporting to .csv is usually the most portable option.
The technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .mdf.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| SNAP Main Data File | — | — | fmt/1056 |
| Geosoft Map Description File | — | — | fmt/1726 |
| Media Descriptor File | — | — | fmt/1758 |