Tips to open MDL file

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

MDL file extension

File Name Flight Simulator 95/98 3D Model Format
File Developer Microsoft
File Category Data Files

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

Operating systems
  • 3
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is MDL file?

The .MDL file is a three-dimensional graphics file. In this case, it is a 3D airplane model used by Microsoft Flight Simulator. Although this is a fairly well-known graphic format, its implementation varies from game to game. The game belongs to flight simulators. Its main assumption is "as real as possible", which makes it a very heavy title and quite spectacular. The last part was released in 2006, and the next ones were released under a renamed free to play version.

How to open MDL file?

An often recurring problem with Flight Simulator 95/98 3D Model Format is that MDL is not associated with the correct program file. Thus, when you open MDL, the program selection wizard or some other program starts. How to solve such a problem?

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the MDL 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 MDL2DXF

An often overlooked issue is to make sure that MDL2DXF is installed on the computer. To do this, enter the name MDL2DXF into the system search engine. If it is not, installation may solve the problem, as most applications create file associations during installation. Below is a list of programs that support the file MDL.

Step 2. Create association of MDL2DXF with MDL files

However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the MDL file to open in the MDL2DXF application, but you can set it manually. The association can be created using the drop-down list available by right-clicking on the file and selecting Properties. The window will show, among other things, the type of the file and the information by which the program is used to launch the file. Changes can be made using the "Change" button. It may happen that in the next window there will be no appropriate program - however, this can be corrected with the "Browse" option where you should manually indicate the program location. The "always use the selected program ..." field will set the MDL2DXF application as the default for handling the MDL file.

Step 3. Update MDL2DXF to the latest version

The fault may also lie with the MDL2DXF program, it is possible that Flight Simulator 95/98 3D Model Format requires a newer version of the program. In this case, use the Henry Väppling website or update the program from the application.

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

Of course, it may happen that despite the above steps, the file still does not work. This could be due to the file itself, the cleanest issues are:

The MDL file may be unusually small compared to the original file. This is most often caused by a problem while downloading the MDL file. 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. Alternatively, you can use the scanners available online. For the best results, we will scan the entire operating system, not just our MDL file. However, remember that not every infected MDL file can be recovered, so it is important to take care of regular backups.
Older version of MDL file may not always be supported by the latest software version. 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.
There can be many reasons for this. Repairing is very dependent on the file type. Some programs offer the option of recovering data from damaged MDL files. You can restore the file from a backup or use Microsoft help.
The program indicates that the file is encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted MDL files can be used by the device on which they were encrypted, on any other device it is required to have the appropriate cryptographic key and decrypt the file before its recovery.
Some of the system directories are excluded from modification. While there is usually no problem reading such a file, it may not be possible to save it. If possible, you can try to move the MDL file to another location.
This problem only occurs with more complex files. In this case, the MDL file is blocked by the first application to open it. Closing other programs should help. If the error persists after closing other programs, wait for a while. Antivirus programs or a backup being made may lock the file for a while without the user's knowledge. If nothing helps, please reset the device.