MCH File Extension

What is the .MCH file type?

Most commonly, the .mch filename extension occurs as a representation of the Adobe Xtra Extension Cache (.mch) file type/format. Xtra extensions are add-on modules developed to extend functionality of Adobe applications, such as Adobe Director, via the Adobe/Macromedia Open Architecture (MOA) framework. Playback or execution of any content (e.g., a Flash movie) created with the use of Adobe Xtras requires runtime availability of the same Xtras. For each Xtra module, whether on a development or runtime machine, a special cache file (.mch) is maintained. The .mch file is a temporary file acting as a cache storage for properties, variables and functions supported by the Xtra module.

Within the Super Audio CD (SACD) standard file structure, the .mch extension is assigned to multi-channel digital audio track container files ("TRACK001.mch," etc.) located in the "MC_AUDIO" directory. SACD is an advanced audio-only media format developed by Sony and Philips and based on the Direct Stream Digital (DSD) encoding. SACD disks contain both multi-channel (up to 6) and conventional stereo tracks (.2ch). Both .2ch and .mch files can be played by several multimedia players, like foobar2000 (with additional libraries).

The .mch extension also represents the Atelier B Machine Definition (.mch) file type. Atelier B from Clearsy System Engineering is an established software engineering system based on the use of formal methods, namely the B method. Here, the .mch is a text-based source code file in the B language that provides an equivalent description of a formal machine. The machine (.mch) file goes together with the refinement (.ref) and the implementation (.imp) files that make up a B project.

Another occurrence of the .mch extension has to do with the Trimble GCS/PCS Machine Configuration (.mch) file type/format, with reference to Trimble's Grade Control Systems (GCS) and Paving Control Systems (PCS) used to control heavy construction and earthwork equipment. The .mch file contains machine-specific parameters and settings and comes together with the display settings file (.dsp).

As a short for 'Machine,' the .mch extension is also generally used to label various machine description or configuration files. Such .mch files may contain text or binary data that describe the structure, capabilities, or interface of a machine. For instance, an .mch file can store a representation of an industrial CNC machine for simulation purposes, or an abstraction of a computing device (a PLC chip, etc.) to enable device-specific software testing and optimization.

With reference to PTC's ModelCHECK tool used to check Pro/ENGINEER models for correctness and consistency, the .mch extension is assigned to ModelCHECK check files. The .mch check file is a tab-delimited text file that configures model checking options for ModelCHECK. By editing the .mch file, individual checks can be enabled, disabled, or conditioned.

In astrophysics, the .mch extension serves to denote match files (.mch) produced by the Daomatch utility, a part of the Unix-based stellar photometry package Daophot, to match the same stars across different stellar images and combine their photometry data. Such match (.mch) files provide input data for Daomaster.

Software to open or convert MCH files

Director

 

Macromedia Director MX by Macromedia, Inc.

 

CodeWarrior

 

Columbia University Asm

 

Director 8.5 Shockwave Studio

 

Free File Viewer Pro

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