Tips to open A2L file

Can't open the A2L file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open A2L files as well as a list of programs that support A2L files.

A2L file extension

File Name ASAP2 ECU Description Format
File Developer ASAM MCD-2MC
File Category CAD Files

The A2L file is supported on 1 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the A2L files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the A2L file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 4
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is A2L file?

The A2L file has been categorized as CAD Files. It was designed by ASAM MCD-2MC. CAD Files consists of 158 similar files. ASAP2 ECU Description Format appears on 1 operating systems as a functional file. Although it can be found with greater or lesser success on any operating system, it will only be useful on Windows. Alternatively, you can use 3 other programs. You can use ASAP2 Editor, HEXplorer, ECU Measurement and Calibration Toolkit in case AVL CRETA Calibration Data Management cannot be used.

How to open A2L file?

The main problem with ASAP2 ECU Description Format is that the A2L file is incorrectly associated with programs. Thus, when you open A2L, the program selection wizard or some other program starts. This can be quickly resolved by following the instructions below.

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the A2L file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install AVL CRETA Calibration Data Management

The first step is to check if the computer has the AVL CRETA Calibration Data Management program installed. The easiest method is to use the system search engine by entering the program name AVL CRETA Calibration Data Management in it. If it is not, installation may solve the problem, as most applications create file associations during installation. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open A2L files.

Step 2. Create association of AVL CRETA Calibration Data Management with A2L files

If, despite the installed application, the A2L file does not start in the AVL CRETA Calibration Data Management application, you must create a file association. The association can be created using the drop-down list available by right-clicking on the file and selecting Properties. The displayed window will contain information about the program that supports this type of file. Using the "Change" button we can set the program to handle this type. The program should be visible in the window, otherwise it should be selected manually using the "Browse" button and the program installation directory should be indicated. The "always use the selected program ..." field will set the AVL CRETA Calibration Data Management application as the default for handling the A2L file.

Step 3. Update AVL CRETA Calibration Data Management to the latest version

If, despite the association of the AVL CRETA Calibration Data Management program with the ASAP2 ECU Description Format file, the file still does not open, check the program version and possibly update it to the newest version.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the A2L file

If the above steps do not help, you can assume that the file itself is not correct. The most common file problems are:

Very often, the file may be size 0 or incomplete. This suggests truncating the A2L file contents when downloading or copying. The only repair option is to download the file again.
The operating system may be infected with a computer virus. Perform a virus scan using available and up-to-date anti-virus software. Some antivirus vendors also provide free online scanners. For the best results, we will scan the entire operating system, not just our A2L file. Sometimes virus-infected A2L files cannot be recovered, so make a backup in advance.
This can happen especially when the program is dynamically developed and the structure of the A2L files changes over time. On their websites, developers usually offer free solutions to such problems, e.g. in the form of a conversion program or an older version of the program.
The file may be corrupted in a number of ways. Repairing is very dependent on the file type. Some programs offer the option of recovering data from damaged A2L files.
The program can also signal the fact of encryption. The encrypted file A2L except for the special designation, works normally, but only on the device where it was encrypted, before transferring it to another machine, decryption is required.
Some operating systems do not allow file operations in certain locations, eg in system directories or directly on the system drive. These directories are write-protected to them and it's very hard to fix this problem. Copying the A2L file to another location will fix the problem.
This can happen on a file that does not support multiple access. Some file types can only be opened in one program at a time. Just close unnecessary programs. Sometimes it is necessary to wait a while before referencing the A2L file again. Antivirus programs or a backup being made may lock the file for a while without the user's knowledge. If this does not work either, restart the device.