CDB File

What are CDB files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a CDB 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 CDB files.

What is a CDB file?

CDB files have multiple uses, and CardScan Contacts Database is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

CardScan Contacts Database File

The .cdb (CardScan DataBase) file extension is commonly used with files that constitute a particular business database used as a reference by the CardScan contact management system (cms) solutions. CDB is a file extension for a database file used by Cardscan.

Today, Cardscan is known as DYMO. The Cardscan program is specialized in gathering contact information from business cards. The process is done through OCR (optical character recognition) technology. By scanning business cards, either paper cards or electronic cards like vCards that are used by outlook, Cardscan search for all possible contact info and then saves it in their database information gathered are formatted in .cdb format.

A .cdb file can be integrated with a CMS or most Personal Information Management (PIM) software. The .cdb file extension is also associated with TCU Turbo C Utilities Main database files, conceptual model backup files (PowerDesigner), and Clipboard files databases.

How to open CDB files

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

Programs that open CardScan Contacts Database files

Last updated: August 31, 2026

All known file formats using extension .CDB

While CardScan Contacts Database File is a popular type of CDB-file, we know of 6 different uses of the .CDB file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

CodeSuite Database File

The CodeSuite Database File format stores analysis data produced by SAFE Corporation's CodeSuite program. It records results of comparing, classifying, and otherwise examining source code files. The file is used within the CodeSuite toolchain to preserve structured information (for example summaries, comparison metrics, file/folder line counts, timestamps) after a job has completed in order to generate reports, review results, or feed into other analysis steps.

This file is written by CodeSuite after running tools such as CodeMatch, CodeDiff, BitMatch, FileCount, FileIsolate, or SourceDetective. It is typically read by those same tools (or by CodeSuite's reporting components) to extract computed statistics, correlation or similarity results between source code sets. Users or examiners of source‐code plagiarism or software similarity can view or export data from these files in XML form.

Technically, the file is in XML format. Its top‐level element is CDB, containing several child sections such as Application_Header, Post_Application_Transform_List, Data_Comparison_Hierarchy, and a Trailer. The Trailer holds summary elements such as total bytes processed (Bytes1, Bytes2), execution time (ExTime), folder/file counts (Folder1Files, Folder2Files), and line counts (Folder1Lines, etc.). The summary portion is encoded in XML tags.

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

Mactive AdBase Data File

We know that one CDB format is Mactive AdBase Data File. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

Pocket Access Database File

Pocket Access Database File format stores structured data created by Microsoft Pocket Access, a lightweight database system built into Windows CE (also known as Pocket PC) devices. It provides a way for handheld devices to maintain relational data in tables and fields, much like a desktop database, enabling the storage of contacts, custom user data, or application-specific records directly on the device. The format supports databases composed of multiple tables and relational indexing, so that developers on such devices could access, update or query data locally without needing full desktop database software.

Pocket Access databases are produced and used by Pocket PC or Windows CE. Desktop database files in standard Access (.MDB) format could be converted to this mobile format. Copying an .MDB file into a Pocket CE device via ActiveSync causes it to be transformed into the Pocket Access format so the handheld can use it within its database volumes. Developers can write or synchronize data locally, and use API-level applications to open, edit, or mount these database volumes in the handheld's file system.

Technical identifiers include a signature of a zero byte at the very start of the file (offset 0), followed by a string "EKIM" (ASCII) beginning at byte offset 2. Internally the file contains tables of fields such as FIELDID, FIELDNAME, INDEXNAME, TABLENAME and various Microsoft namespace strings like "MICROSOFT", "SYSTEM", "MSYSFIELDS", "MSYSTABLES" etc. These keywords are embedded and useful for recognizing Pocket Access database files.

Sangduck Database File

We know that one CDB format is Sangduck Database File. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

Search'n'Destroy Configuration Data Base

We know that one CDB format is Search'n'Destroy Configuration Data Base. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

Various apps that use files with this extension

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

Help us help others

File.org helps thousands of users every day, and we would love to hear from you if you have additional information about CDB file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.