DATATYPE File

What are DATATYPE files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a DATATYPE 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 DATATYPE files.

What is a DATATYPE file?

A .DATATYPE file is an Amiga Datatype file.

Amiga Datatype files define how AmigaOS supports various data formats (such as pictures, sounds, text, animations) by describing what code and rules the system should use to read, write or display them. They are not ordinary data files like images or sounds, but descriptors used by the DataTypes subsystem of AmigaOS so applications can transparently load many different formats without needing custom loaders.

Such descriptor files are created by datatype class developers or OS components. These files register a new or alternative format with AmigaOS's datatypes.library. When present in the appropriate system directories, the OS can detect them at startup or when explicitly loaded (e.g. using the ADDDATATYPES command), and thereafter treat files matching the described format via the provided code class.

When a file's format must be identified, functions such as ObtainDataTypeA inspect its contents or name to select a matching DataType descriptor. Descriptors include fields such as a file name pattern (possibly with wildcards), a mask for matching initial bytes of the file, a group ID indicating whether it is text, picture, sound etc., and routines for converting or processing the data.

A technical signature typically appears in the descriptor showing strings such as INTUITION.LIBRARY, GRAPHICS.LIBRARY, DATATYPES.LIBRARY, abbreviated internal names, and identifiers like .DATATYPE or patterns like $_NU. These appear at fixed offsets within the file.

How to open DATATYPE files

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

We have not yet verified any programs for Windows that work with this specific file format. If you know one, please use the 'Suggest a program' link below. Thanks!

Last updated: October 22, 2026

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