Hi all--
If this has been discussed before it was probably ages ago!!! 🙂
Years ago, I exported all my benchmark files to zip discs from the 3.5 floppies. When we moved over to AutoCAD, I took the zip discs through benchmark and once again exported them to CD's.
In a rat's nest in the deepest depths of the office, I found those discs. They are still good. Clean and when I open them on the computer, tons of info on there.
Problem is, they are all dat files. I am not sure what those are or how I can convert them. I know Benchmark was very finicky, but would love to have some of those old coordinates back.
The individual files names show as PB1, PB2, etc and I think that reflects our old ways of sorting the files minus the PB. We just numbered them per disc.
I wish I knew then what I know now about file types and the ever-changing computers. :-/
Any help is much appreciated!
Can you look at the files with a text editor, or are they binary data?
Being somewhat ignorant here...Do you mean adding a file extension-such as .txt? to try and change the file type to read it?
There are several ways to do it. In some text editors (Wordpad?) you can use the file-open command and pick any file regardless of type. If it isn't a text file you will see garbage.
Or you can copy the file and rename it xxx.txt and then clicking on it will open it in your favorite text editor/word processor. Or you can probably add .txt to the name of the existing file and do the same thing, but then you are messing with the original file and I'd avoid that.
> There are several ways to do it. In some text editors (Wordpad?) you can use the file-open command and pick any file regardless of type. If it isn't a text file you will see garbage.
>
> Or you can copy the file and rename it xxx.txt and then clicking on it will open it in your favorite text editor/word processor. Or you can probably add .txt to the name of the existing file and do the same thing, but then you are messing with the original file and I'd avoid that.
Thanks Bill,
That worked! I see the coordinates. The only problem now is deciphering which project is which, since I am not sure the jobs retained the same order or file name. When they were originally exported, it was through the program (DOS) into a file system and save place. Opened, it would have to follow the same path. Not sure what order the data on the discs ended up being.
That may be a bit of extensive trial and error.
I really appreciate your input!! 1 step closer!