DAT

File extension dat is traditionally used by many various applications or programs for their data or resource files.

Data files cannot be opened directly in an application, they often contain data for internal purposes only. Different formats sharing the same file extension.

Most notably, the dat file extension was and still is commonly used for system files in MS-DOS and Windows operating systems. For example the Windows/System32 folder in latest Windows 10 is still full of various .dat files.

But overall, a .dat file may be anything. If you are unsure about the origins of your .dat file, first and foremost run some antivirus software. Once you know the file is safe, use FileAlyzer to determine the origin of your file.

File extension dat is also used for one of the embroidery file formats utilized in sewing and stitching machines made by Barudan.

Barudan offers embroidery equipment from single to fifty-six-head machines including sequin and chenille, plus embroidery design software.

DAT format is also used for alternative embroidery design used in the Korean SunStar machines. Probably different format, but supported in Embird for example as well.

The file extension dat is also associated with the Bitcoin P2P payment service, which operates without a central authority or banks. The network collectively manages transactions and issues bitcoins.

This specific wallet.dat file stores transaction data and all other related information (keys, metadata, options) about your Bitcoin activity. It contains:

• keypairs for each of your addresses
• transactions done from/to your addresses
• user preferences
• default key
• reserve keys
• accounts
• a version number
• Key pool

By default, the Bitcoin wallet.dat file and other related data are stored in:

C:\Users\"user"\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin\

At first start of Bitcoin app you will be prompted to set the place of Bitcoin data folder. Bitcon data folder can take about 20 GB of storage space.

If you need to create new Bitcoin data folder later: create a new folder on your hard drive, open command line, go to the folder where is Bitcoin Core installed:

C:\Program Files\Bitcoin

and type:

bitcoin-qt.exe --datadir=path\to\new\location

for example:

bitcoin-qt.exe --datadir=D:\mydata\bitcoindata

The dat file extension is commonly used for various data resource files for computer programs.

This extension is also frequently used in computer games. Usually many different formats sharing the same file extension, unless the game runs in the same game engine. Sometimes are used for saved game positions.

The dat file extension is also used by Microsoft Internet Explorer for files that contain cached data browsing data. This format was most likely used in some previous version of IE.

Each time you open a Web page, your browser creates a cache file (a temporary copy) of the page's text and graphics.

The dat file extension is also used by Nero BackitUp backup solution. Nero BackItUp automatically backs up your files quickly and easily to your choice of storage media, and creates bootable discs to restore your system if the worst happens.

The dat file contains drive image created by the program.

Runtime DriveImage XML program also creates disk images with the DAT file extension. That DAT format is however completely different for NeroBackitUp and not compatible.

The dat file extension is associated with the Prince of Persia, an action platform computer game for MS-DOS, Macintosh, Atari ST, Apple II and various other platforms, developed by Brøderbund and Jordan Mechner and released in 1989.

The dat files store various game data, such as models, animations, maps of dungeons for Prince of Persia game.

The dat file extension is used by Shareaza for Thumbnails. Thumbnails are reduced-size versions of pictures, used to make it easier to scan and recognize them, serving the same role for images as a normal text index does for words. Visual search engines and image-organizing programs normally use them, as do most modern operating systems or desktop environments, such as Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, KDE, and GNOME.

The dat file extension is also used for files that contain Digital Audio Tape data.

Digital Audio Tape (DAT or R-DAT) is a signal recording and playback medium developed by Sony in the mid 1980s. In appearance it is similar to a compact audio cassette, using 4 mm magnetic tape enclosed in a protective shell, but is roughly half the size at 73 mm × 54 mm × 10.5 mm. As the name suggests, the recording is digital rather than analog.

DAT format has the ability to record at higher, equal or lower sampling rates than a CD (48, 44.1 or 32 kHz sampling rate respectively) at 16 bits quantization. If a digital source is copied then a .dat file  will produce an exact clone, unlike other digital media such as Digital Compact Cassette or non-Hi-MD MiniDisc, both of which use lossy data compression.

The dat file extension is also used for SPOT image format.

SPOT is a system for implementing an unobtrusive, always-on-top interface-to-interfaces comprises a spot interface that is sufficiently small that it may lie unobtrusively over any open window such that it is always on top thereby enabling a user conveniently to access any available window without first having to return to a main window or close other open windows.

The dat file extension is used by the SWAT (Soil & Water Assessment Tool) for its database files.

SWAT databases include data about lands, tillage, pesticides, fertilizers, urban and septic.

The dat file extension is associated with Tecplot, a a family of visualization software tools developed by Tecplot, Inc.

The *.dat file contains text (ASCII) data from which the program can generate 3D data. Sometimes can also be found with TEC file extension.

These files can be converted to standard binary PLT format used by TecPlot with preplot.exe program located in the /bin folder inside the program folder. They can also be loaded directly to Tecplot and exported to another format.

The dat file extension is used by some apps, such as Zoner Photo Studio, a picture image editing program for Windows.

The dat file stores thumbnail cache created by these apps.

The dat file extension is associated with the Unreal Tournament, a first person shooter video game for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X (macOS) systems. It is remake of Unreal Tournament game from 1999.

The dat file contains some kind of data used by Unreal Tournament.

File extension dat has also been in the past related for its use Video MPEG movie file format.

A .dat files are stored on VCD (Video CD) optical disks.

Video is stored in MPEG1 video file format. VCDs were replaced by DVD and Blu-ray digital video formats.

VCDs are playable in most DVD and Blu-ray players as well as by multimedia players in computer.