CHR File

What are CHR files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a CHR 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 CHR files.

What is a CHR file?

CHR files have multiple uses, and 3DS Max 3D Character is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

3DS Max 3D Character File

The .chr file extension is most commonly used by the 3D Studio Max software. The CHR files contain three-dimensional character models created with the 3D Studio Max program.

How to open CHR files

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

Programs that open 3DS Max 3D Character files

Last updated: August 31, 2026

All known file formats using extension .CHR

While 3DS Max 3D Character File is a popular type of CHR-file, we know of 9 different uses of the .CHR file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

Apricot Character Set

We know that one CHR format is Apricot Character Set. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

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

Borland Graphics Interface Font File

Borland Graphics Interface stroked font files are vector-based font files used by the BGI graphics library in Borland's Turbo Pascal, Turbo C, and related environments from the late 1980s. These fonts define each character as a series of line strokes (move and draw commands), allowing arbitrary scaling without becoming pixelated, which is why such a file is needed when selecting a stroked font in graphics mode.

Charset creation for these font files is done by Borland or third-party font tools: the font .CHR file is loaded by the BGI at runtime (via settextstyle when a stroked font is requested), or it can be converted into an object file and linked into the executable using the BGIOBJ utility. The font is then used for rendering graphical text output by functions like outtext and outtextxy.

Each font file contains a header followed by tables and stroke data. The header begins at offset 0 with a four-byte magic sequence (bytes 0x50 0x4B 0x08 0x08 ASCII "PK..BGI"), then a free-form ASCII comment terminated by the DOS end-of-file marker (0x1A), followed by a signature block giving the header size, internal font name (one of Borland's ten shipped fonts), file size, version numbers, and minimal compatible BGI version. After padding (in standard Borland fonts this happens so that a 16-byte font header finally begins at offset 0x80), the file declares number of characters (nchars), the index of undefined character, first character code, an offset to stroke table, flags, baseline and descender metrics, then per-character offset and width tables, and finally the stroke commands for each glyph.

Byte signature: The file must begin with the ASCII sequence "PK_byte08_byte08" at offset zero.

Byline Charset Definition

We know that one CHR format is Byline Charset Definition. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

Digital Reality Software Font

We know that one CHR format is Digital Reality Software Font. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

Graphic Master Character Set

We know that one CHR format is Graphic Master Character Set. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

Infinity Engine Player Character File

The Infinity Engine Player Character File stores the full data for a player's character that can be exported in games built on the Infinity Engine (such as Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Planescape: Torment). It captures everything from the character's name and stats to known and memorized spells, inventory, active effects, and more. These files are used when a player exports or saves an individual party member for use in other parts of the game, typically through the game's built-in "export party member" function.

Player character files are created by the Infinity Engine itself and include, embedded inside, a CRE file (Creature file) that holds the core creature data - attributes, skills, level, race, class, etc. Outside of the CRE portion, the file stores details specific to the player-character's current state, including what quick weapons or spells are assigned, which spells are memorized or available, any magical effects on the character, and what items the character is carrying.

Technical details: files begin with the ASCII signature "CHR " followed immediately by a version marker such as "V1.0", "V1.2", "V2.0", "V2.2", or "V9.0" depending on game version. In version 1.2, for example, at offset 0x0008 there is a 32-character string for the player's name, at 0x0028 a dword giving the offset to the CRE data, at 0x002c a dword for the length of the CRE structure, then fields for quick-weapon and quick-spell slots, indices into slot tables (0xFFFF used to indicate "none"), and resource references ("resref") for quick spells.

PaintShow Font File

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

SRI PeakSimple Chromatogram

The SRI PeakSimple Chromatogram format is the data file format produced by the PeakSimple chromatography software from SRI Instruments. It is used to store the raw, binary output from gas chromatograph (GC) or liquid chromatography analyses, including the recorded detector signal over time and the associated metadata about the run method.

This format is created when a chromatography run is completed under the PeakSimple system. The raw signal (which appears as peaks in a chromatogram) is stored in binary form. Associated metadata stored with the signal include method parameters (column type, carrier gas, temperature programming, etc.), sample and lab information (sample weight, standard weight, operator, lab name), and detection settings. Common uses include loading the file back into PeakSimple to view, reanalyze, overlay runs, or print the chromatogram.

PeakSimple software describes its own file types: ".CHR = chromatogram or data file. The chromatogram is the graphic depiction of raw analytical data in binary format." It supports additional formats such as ".ASC" for ASCII-export, ".TEM" for temperature programming data, etc.

Technically, files of this format begin with the ASCII signature .TYPE.=CHROM (hex 3C545950453E3D4348524F4D at offset 0) and contain textual field names such as "SAMP WEIGHT", "COLLECTION DATE", "COLUMN", "METHOD", "COMPONENTS", etc., which label the metadata sections.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of CHR files. Remember, different programs may use CHR 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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