Visualization Toolkit parallel structured points data file
File type: Various data file
A .pvts file is a Visualization Toolkit (VTK) XML metadata file for a parallel structured points data set.
It describes how the data is divided into pieces and normally refers to separate files that contain the actual data.
File type category:
Various data file
Date updated: September 27, 2026
Visualization Toolkit (VTK) is an open-source software toolkit maintained by Kitware and the VTK community for scientific visualization and data processing. The .pvts file extension identifies a parallel structured points data file in VTK's XML file family.
A PVTS file stores the description of the complete data set, including its overall extent, the extents of its pieces, and references to the files containing those pieces. The referenced piece files generally use the VTK structured-data format and are required to reconstruct the complete data set.
VTK can read the PVTS description and combine its pieces for visualization or processing. VTK is available for Microsoft Windows, Linux and other Unix-like systems, and Apple macOS.
Open a PVTS file with Visualization Toolkit (VTK), using a VTK-based application or a program that uses VTK's parallel structured-data reader. VTK is available on Microsoft Windows, Linux and Unix-like systems, and Apple macOS.
Keep the referenced piece files in their expected locations when opening the file. A PVTS file may not contain the complete data set by itself.
A PVTS file is a dataset description rather than a self-contained data file, so converting only the PVTS file does not convert all of the data. The referenced piece files must be available.
VTK can read the parallel data set and write it to another VTK-supported format or to a serial output when required. The exact result depends on the writer and on whether the parallel piece layout is retained.
Software applications that handle other tasks involving pvts files:
Microsoft Windows
Apple macOS / Mac OS X
Linux/Unix
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