CATALOG File

What are CATALOG files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a CATALOG file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your CATALOG files.

What is a CATALOG file?

CATALOG files have multiple uses, and CATIA Catalog is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

CATIA Catalog File

Files with the .catalog extension are most commonly used by the CATIA suite of CAD, CAE, and CAM software applications. These programs allow manufacturers to simulate the industrial design process. Files with the .catalog extension contain the catalog files used by the CATIA application.

How to open CATALOG files

We have identified one CATALOG opener that is compatible with this specific type of CATALOG file.

Programs that open CATIA Catalog files

Last updated: August 31, 2026

All known file formats using extension .CATALOG

While CATIA Catalog File is a popular type of CATALOG-file, we know of 2 different uses of the .CATALOG file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

Amiga Catalog Translation Format

The Amiga Catalog Translation Format is a binary resource file used by AmigaOS to hold localized strings that applications display as part of their user interface. It complements text‐based description and translation files: developers write a catalog description file listing all built-in (usually English) strings, translators produce a translation file with the localized text, and AmigaOS tools compile those into a catalog file. Locale.library uses catalogs at runtime to look up message strings by numeric ID, falling back to built-in values if a catalog for the current locale is unavailable.

Catalog files are written by tools such as CatComp or FlexCat during the build process; they take the translation file (.ct) plus the catalog description file (.cd) as input and output the binary catalog. Applications read them at runtime via the Locale Library's functions OpenCatalog or OpenCatalogA. The catalog's version number and revision number help ensure applications use matching catalogs, and code sets define which character set is used.

Internally these catalog files use the EA IFF (Interchange File Format) wrapper. They begin with the ASCII signature FORM and include a FORM subtype "CTLGFVER". Inside are chunks (identified by four-letter codes) such as CSET (codeset), LANG (language name), STRS (string data). These identify the catalog version, which language it supports, and the actual string entries.

While we have not verified the apps ourselves yet, our users have suggested two different CATALOG openers which you will find listed below.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of CATALOG files. Remember, different programs may use CATALOG files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

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