CADKEY dynamic extension file format
File type: 3d graphics, CAD-CAM-CAE file
A cde file is a dynamic extension file used by CADKEY, a 2D computer-aided design program developed by Kubotek for Microsoft Windows.
It contains an extension component that CADKEY can load to provide additional program functionality. It is not a standard CAD drawing file.
File type category:
3d graphics, CAD-CAM-CAE file
Date updated: October 14, 2026
CADKEY was a 2D computer-aided design program developed by Kubotek and popular during the 1990s. The program is now known as KeyCreator.
The cde file contains a CADKEY dynamic extension. Dynamic extensions supplement the main program with additional functions or commands and are used as part of the CADKEY environment rather than as independent design documents.
The format belongs to the older CADKEY software line and is therefore a legacy format. Its practical use is generally limited to installations of CADKEY that require the corresponding extension.
Open or load the cde file from CADKEY on Microsoft Windows. The file is a CADKEY extension, so it should be used from within the compatible CADKEY installation rather than opened as a standalone drawing.
Other applications, including general CAD programs, may not recognize this format.
A CADKEY dynamic extension is a program component, not a drawing or model format, so it cannot normally be converted to a standard CAD file format.
To preserve its functionality, keep the original cde file with the compatible CADKEY installation. Design data must be opened in CADKEY and exported from the relevant CADKEY drawing format instead.
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