97 File Extension

What is the .97 file type?

Numerical filename suffixes like .97 are chiefly used as a means of denoting versioned projects files in PTC Creo Parametric (formerly, Pro/ENGINEER), a powerful and complex parametric CAD solution from PTC Inc. Project versioning has been long adopted in Pro/ENGINEER as a safeguarding measure to ensure data safety and traceability of changes. More specifically, each time a Pro/ENGINEER project is saved, its versioned copy is created automatically in the same folder and assigned a dual extension with a trailing numerical index like .97 standing for the version number. So, in this context, a .97 file would be the ninety-seventh version of a very actively edited PTC Creo Parametric (Pro/ENGINEER) project. Versioned project backups are recognized and can be opened in PTC Creo Parametric (Pro/ENGINEER) the same way as regular project files.

Apart from the above, dotted numerals like .97 may apprear or become a technical filename extension due to the fact of the original extension's being missing or concealed by the file manager settings. On Microsoft Windows, the 'Hide extensions...' option in the Explorer can cause confusion as to the true types of files, and should always be turned off. If the original extension is missing rather than concealed, clues about the true type of the file may be gained through viewing the file's header or attempting to open it as text.

Besides, extensions like .97 are used as indexes to denote parts of files, split by using special file-splitting tools. In this case, a file bearing the .97 suffix would be the ninety-seventh part of a presumably very large file split to at least 97 parts or more. Before a split file can be used, it must be rejoined by gluing all of its parts together, usually done with the same tools as the initial splitting.

Software to open or convert 97 files

Pro/ENGINEER

 

3D-Tool by 3D-Tool GmbH & Co. KG

 

Creo Elements/Pro

 

3D-Tool by 3D-Tool

 

VLC media player by VideoLAN

 

Free File Viewer Pro

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