PRF File Extension

What is the .PRF file type?

The primary association of the .prf filename extension belongs to the Microsoft Outlook Profile (PRF) file type. Microsoft Outlook is the messaging and organizer component of Microsoft Office, a popular commercial office software package by Microsoft (MS). Over several generations of MS Office, PRF profiles were and still are used to configure MS Outlook. PRF profiles can be imported or distributed at MS Outlook deployment.

A .prf file is a text-base MS Outlook profile, its actual format depending upon the MS Outlook version. In a PRF profile, MS Outlook settings, MAPI (Messaging Application Programming Interface) services, mail account data, and other preferences are stored. While MS Outlook profiles (.prf) are meant to be created and edited by the Office Customization Tool (OCT), any .prf profile can still be edited manually with a text editor.

MS Outlook 2002, 2003, and 2007 all use the same PRF file format, while MS Outlook 2010 uses a different, newer format. All PRF formats use an INI-like syntax.

A short for 'Profile' or 'Preferences,' the .prf extension is also generally used to denote various profiles or preferences. A profile is an aggregation of settings, preferences, and other case-specific data that establish a distinct instance of a software application or make up a user account. Preferences files (.prf) are mainly used to control behavior of computer programs, adjust settings, create queries and custom environments, etc.

A typical profile or preferences file (.prf) is a text-only file with a series of configuration statements, although binary .prf profiles can also be encountered. PRF profile/preferences files are used by operating systems, applications, games, and other software, while different .prf files use different file formats and are generally not compatible. Most programs provide means of configuration without the need to edit .prf files manually.

In the context of the popular cross-platform C++-based programming framework Qt, the .prf extension is employed to identify feature files (.prf). A feature file contains definitions and implementations of custom functions that can be included in a Qt project. Qt feature files (.prf) are text-based source code files that can be opened/edited in a text editor or an IDE.

Besides, the .prf extension has an association with the Monarch Portable Report Format (.prf) and file type. Monarch is a commercial data mining, visualization, and reporting application by Datawatch Corporation that makes use of the PRF format for exporting reports. A .prf file is a ZIP-compressed collection of report files, directly readable both in Monarch and Monarch Report Explorer (MRE). MRE is a commercial report viewer tool by Datawatch.

Additionally, the .prf extension also occurs in association with the Profiler Report (.prf) file type used with Oracle Java Micro Edition (ME) Software Development Kit (SDK). An Oracle Java ME SDK profiler report (.prf) contains application performance data gathered by the Profiler tool during a runtime emulation session.

Apart from that, historically, the .prf extension was also chosen to represent the Polychrome Recursive Format (PRF), a public-domain bitmap image format created by B.Raiter and intended for color and grayscale images. PRF is positioned as an extension of the earlier MRF (Monochrome Recursive Format) by R.Marks. Both MRF and PRF are quite rare.

Software to open or convert PRF files

Microsoft Office Outlook

 

Adobe Device Central CS5

 

Adobe Device Central CS5.5

 

Adobe Device Central CS4 by Adobe Systems Incorporated

 

Microsoft Outlook

 

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