CLB File

What are CLB files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a CLB 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 CLB files.

What is a CLB file?

CLB files have multiple uses, and Windows COM+ Catalog is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

Windows COM+ Catalog File

The Microsoft COM+ service uses files that contain the .clb file extension. Microsoft COM+ is used by the Windows operating system to facilitate communication between different components.

The CLB files that are used by the COM+ service contain the COM+ application and the computer-level attributes and class information.

How to open CLB files

Important: Different programs may use files with the CLB file extension for different purposes, so unless you are sure which format your CLB file is, you may need to try a few different programs.

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

Last updated: August 31, 2026

All known file formats using extension .CLB

While Windows COM+ Catalog File is a popular type of CLB-file, we know of 3 different uses of the .CLB file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

CardSoft PCMCIA Card Library File

CardSoft PCMCIA Card Library files hold definitions for individual PC Card (PCMCIA) types that SystemSoft's CardSoft or CardView utilities use to recognize and configure PC Cards when they are inserted into a DOS or Windows 3.x system. These files are written by SystemSoft as part of the CardSoft software suite's card library and contain the settings needed by the system's card-identification component to match a physical card with its proper driver and resource needs.

Each library file is created by CardSoft; when a card is inserted, the CARDID.EXE program reads the appropriate library files to determine how to configure ports, memory ranges, IRQs, and other hardware parameters. These files are placed in the same directory as the CARDID.INI configuration file. The CARDID.INI file includes lines in its [Libraries] section of the form CardLib=xxxx.clb to specify which libraries should be loaded. Thus out-of-the-box card support is extended by providing additional CLB libraries and registering them in CARDID.INI.

This format begins with a distinctive binary signature so that CARDID.EXE or similar tools can verify a library is valid. For example the file starts with the bytes E5 00 24 00 DD 88 at byte offset 0, with further identifying bytes 0x2F at offset 25 and 28.

CONTEC Logger Binary Log File

CONTEC Logger Binary Log File is the format used by CONTEC's C-LOGGER application to record data collected by its analog input/data logger devices. It stores signal readings over time in raw binary form. These files are intended primarily for use within the C-LOGGER environment, which can plot, inspect, or analyze the data after acquisition.

C-LOGGER writes these files when saving acquired measurement sessions using the "CONTEC Logger Binary Data (.clb)" option from the Save Logging Data dialog. Data stored in this format is not compatible with typical spreadsheet or database software without conversion but offers storage size about one-third that of equivalent CSV output and faster save/load operations. C-LOGGER later reads these binary files (the same .clb files) through its Open or Load functions so that measurements can be plotted or processed.

The header of a CONTEC Logger Binary Log File begins with a fixed ASCII signature at byte offset 0: "CONTECDATALOGGER" (hex 43 4F 4E 54 45 43 44 41 54 41 4C 4F 47 47 45 52).

Various apps that use files with this extension

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

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