CMP File

What are CMP files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a CMP 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 CMP files.

What is a CMP file?

CMP files have multiple uses, and AUKTOOLS 2000 Compressed Archive is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

AUKTOOLS 2000 Compressed Archive File

We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

How to open CMP files

Important: Different programs may use files with the CMP file extension for different purposes, so unless you are sure which format your CMP 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 CMP openers which you will find listed below.

Last updated: August 31, 2026

All known file formats using extension .CMP

While AUKTOOLS 2000 Compressed Archive File is a popular type of CMP-file, we know of 12 different uses of the .CMP file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

Colorado Memory System Compressed Package

We know that one CMP format is Colorado Memory System Compressed Package. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

Digital Combat Simulator Campaign Script

Digital Combat Simulator Campaign Script files define the structure and logic of a campaign that players use in DCS World. They are saved by the game's Campaign Builder tool and describe a staged campaign that uses individual missions created in the Mission Editor. A campaign consists of user-created missions grouped into one or more stages, with branching and fallback depending on mission results. For each stage, multiple missions can be assigned, each with a value range; at the end of a mission the accumulated score (from triggers, objectives, etc.) determines whether the next stage advances, stays the same, or retreats to a previous stage. Campaigns also include metadata like campaign name, description, thumbnail images, and the stage at which the campaign begins.

Campaign Script files are written in plain text using Lua-style table syntax. The game reads them to decide which mission file (.miz) to load next, based on the player's current stage and mission-range values. The user creates and edits the mission files separately in the Mission Editor; the Campaign Script ties them together, handling mission selection and progression. When packaging a campaign, the .cmp file must accompany all referenced .miz mission files and image assets for description, success, failure, and thumbnail pictures.

The file begins with a key named "campaign" and includes fields like "name", "description", "picture", "startStage", and a table "stages" that contains one or more stages. Each stage has its own "missions" list, each mission entry giving at least the mission "file", mission "name", and score ranges. Other optional fields may include "pictureSuccess" or "pictureFailed" for imagery depending on mission results. Internal identification signs include the ASCII signature "campaign=" at offset 0, and the presence of keywords like STARTSTAGE, STAGES, MISSIONS, FULLPATH, DESCRIPTION, PICTURE, and references to .MIZ filenames indicating mission files.

HotDocs Component

HotDocs Component files (extension .CMP) store the automation "components" that define how HotDocs templates gather input from users and assemble documents. These components include variables (data inputs), dialogs (grouping of questions), computations (expressions or logic), and other reusable pieces. They do not contain the visible template content itself - that lives in the template file (.DOCX, .TTX, .HFT, etc.).

When you create a new template in HotDocs, a .CMP file is automatically generated alongside the template. HotDocs uses that component file whenever it prompts for answers (via an "interview") and assembles the final document. Templates and component files must be used together; copying or sharing templates requires you to include their .CMP file. Separate templates can share the same .CMP file if needed.

This file begins with a specific signature: at offset 0 it holds the ASCII string "HotDocsComponentFile" (followed by many null bytes), and at offset 53 it contains "CMP".

CMP opener for Windows

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

KiCad Footprint Info File

The KiCad Footprint Info File is a text-based file used by KiCad PCB design software to record and transfer which footprints have been assigned to components in a schematic. It is created by the board layout tool (Pcbnew) or the component-footprint assignment tool (CvPcb), and imported by the schematic editor (Eeschema). Its main purpose is to enable backannotation: if a footprint is changed in the board design, that change can be carried over into the schematic via this file so that the schematic remains in sync.

The file is generated through KiCad's File → Export → Footprint Association (CMP) from Pcbnew, or by CvPcb when doing component-to-footprint matching. After export, Eeschema can import it using File → Import → Footprint Assignments. When the footprint for a component is altered in Pcbnew, the CMP file serves to update the reference symbol in the schematic without manually changing each component entry.

The internal structure of this file is human-readable ASCII text containing one record per component. Each record begins with a signature header (such as Cmp-Mod V01) and includes fields like TimeStamp, Reference, ValeurCmp (value), IdModule (footprint identifier), among others. Each component block starts with BeginCmp and ends with EndCmp. The overall file may contain section markers like BEGINCMP, ENDLISTE etc., as well as keywords such as REFERENCE, TIMESTAMP, VALEURCMP, IDMODULE.

LEADTools CMP Image Compressed Bitmap File

LEADTools CMP Image Compressed Bitmap File is a proprietary image file format developed by LEAD Technologies. It stores full-color or grayscale images using a compression method designed to reduce file size while outperforming JPEG in both quality and efficiency. This format is often used in applications built with the LEADTOOLS toolkit for document imaging, medical imaging, and other image-processing tasks.

Files in this format are created and read by LEADTOOLS imaging software and its associated APIs. Developers can choose this format when saving bitmap images if they need a balance of high visual fidelity and compact storage. The format supports both 8-bit grayscale images and 24-bit color images, allowing grayscale images to remain compatible with low-color displays (such as 8-bit VGA) and color devices without duplicating image data. The compression level can be adjusted to match quality or storage needs. Among LEADTOOLS formats, CMP is distinct from its wavelet-based counterpart CMW, which additionally handles higher grayscale depths (12 and 16 bits). This format is not suitable for 1-bit or 4-bit images where other compression methods perform better.

Internally, files are identified by being marked as "Cmp" in LEADTOOLS RasterImageFormat enumerations and require the LEADTOOLS Codecs.Cmp framework or module to encode or decode. GRAY8 (8 bits per pixel) and RGB24 (24 bits per pixel) are the supported pixel formats. The header stores the full dimensions of the image at the start so that programs can read and display the correct size before decompressing. Developers control image orientation via a ViewPerspective flag in the LEAD bitmap handle.

NEW-DOS COMPRESS Compressed Data

We know that one CMP format is NEW-DOS COMPRESS Compressed Data. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

Nintendo Zlib Compressed Data

Nintendo Zlib Compressed Data files store data compressed using Nintendo's variant of the zlib (DEFLATE-based) algorithm. They are used within Nintendo game files, such as assets or archives, to reduce size while allowing the system or tools to decompress the content at runtime or for editing.

These files are produced during the game authoring process or by Nintendo's content pipelines; game engines, tools, or system loaders read them and decompress the data for use. The compressed data might include graphics, dialogue, binary blobs, or other resources needed by the game, enabling smaller storage or faster distribution.

Internally, files begin with the ASCII signature "ZCMP" at offset zero, followed by a two-byte marker 0x3412 at offset six. These signatures help identify the format before standard zlib stream content follows. The compressed portion is zlib-wrapped DEFLATE data matching RFC 1950 rules.

Photofinish Calibration Map

We know that one CMP format is Photofinish Calibration Map. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

SolidEdge Wire Harness Design File

The .cmp file extension is most commonly associated with the Siemens Solid Edge Wire Harness Design application. This software is an eCAD application that allows designers to create the wire routing and cable harness designs used for organizing the wires in a 3D assembly file.

Programs that open these CMP files

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

THEOS Compressed Archive File

THEOS Compressed Archive Files are archives produced by the THEOS operating system using its Compress command. They act as "compression library" files that hold one or multiple files (binary or text), compressed together into a single container. The primary purpose is to save space, to bundle related files, or to prepare backups.

These archives are generated when a user issues a Compress command under THEOS or its Corona version. The Compress command can take individual files or sets of files (via wildcards or file lists), compress them, and store them inside a library, replacing older versions if they already exist in that library. Files inside may be optionally removed or preserved in their original form based on command options. To extract content, the THEOS Expand command is used, which can list contents or restore files from the compressed library to a specified destination.

The compression library libraries of this format are of the filetype CMP in THEOS. When the Compress command creates such a file, if the output library is unnamed or given without a filetype, it defaults to CMP.

TSComp Compressed Data

TSComp Compressed Data files hold data created by the TSComp archiver. They store one or more files together in a single package, compressed to save space and grouped so that related files can be managed as a single archive. The format supports both single-file archives and multi-file archives using wildcards so that a pattern of filenames can be compressed at once.

TSComp creates these archives from ordinary files specified either exactly or by wildcard. Once created, the archives can be opened by programs that understand the TSComp format, listing member filenames, modification timestamps, and the compressed size of each member. In multi-file mode with wildcards, the archive preserves the original filenames so that each file can be decompressed to its original name. For archives made without wildcards, file names may not be preserved; such archives require external naming when extracted. Archive entries include a DOS-style date/time field, a compressed size, and for multi-file archives offsets pointing to subsequent member data segments.

Files in this format begin with a fixed signature of eight bytes: the hexadecimal sequence 65 5D 13 8C 08 01 03 00. At offset 8 there is a byte indicating filename style - 1 for no wildcard (single-file) mode, 2 for wildcard (multi-file).

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of CMP files. Remember, different programs may use CMP 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 CMP file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.