Tips to open ODL file

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

ODL file extension

File Name Object Description Language Format
File Developer Microsoft
File Category Developer Files

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

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

What is ODL file?

The file with the extension ODL is the Developer Files file type. It was designed by Microsoft. Developer Files consists of 1205 similar files. Object Description Language Format is supported by 1 operating systems. These systems consist of Windows, although it may occasionally be found on another system, it will be non-functional. The main program that supports this format is Microsoft Visual Studio. This was created by Microsoft Corporation. There are also 3 alternative programs to handle the ODL file. You can use Visual C++, Adobe Creative Suite, Adobe ExtendScript in case Microsoft Visual Studio cannot be used.

How to open ODL file?

The main problem with Object Description Language Format is that the ODL file is incorrectly associated with programs. Thus, when you open ODL, 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 ODL 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 Microsoft Visual Studio

In this case, you should first verify that the Microsoft Visual Studio application is installed on the computer. To do this, enter the name Microsoft Visual Studio into the system search engine. If we do not have this program, it is worth installing it, as it will help you automatically associate the file ODL with Microsoft Visual Studio. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open ODL files.

Step 2. Create association of Microsoft Visual Studio with ODL files

However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the ODL file to open in the Microsoft Visual Studio application, but you can set it manually. This option is available from the level of Properties of a specific file available in the context menu. 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 Microsoft Visual Studio application as the default for handling the ODL file.

Step 3. Update Microsoft Visual Studio to the latest version

If, however, after binding Microsoft Visual Studio with Object Description Language Format there were still problems, you should update the program to the latest version. This can be done using the application (if it provides such options) or from the Microsoft Corporation website and install the latest version.

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

The problem may also be with the file itself if the above steps don't work. This could be due to the file itself, the cleanest issues are:

The ODL file may be unusually small compared to the original file. Usually this applies to ODL files downloaded from the Internet in case the download did not finish properly. The file should be downloaded again, making sure that the process has finished correctly.
The operating system may be infected with a computer virus. A virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should fix the problem. If this is not possible, you can use the online scanner. The scan should cover the entire computer, not only the ODL file that we want to open. Sometimes virus-infected ODL files cannot be recovered, so make a backup in advance.
A typical compatibility error - the program does not support the older version of the ODL file. These problems are known and are often very easy to fix using the software developers's website.
The file may be corrupted in a number of ways. Repairing is very dependent on the file type. Some programs offer the ability to automatically repair ODL file corruption. The easiest way is to restore the file from a backup, if there is one, or contact Microsoft
When reading, a message appears that the file was encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted ODL files cannot be played on other computers than the one on which they were encrypted, they must be decrypted before using on another device.
The operating system protects files in some locations (e.g. the root of the system partition) against unauthorized access. While there is usually no problem reading such a file, it may not be possible to save it. It is best to move ODL to a different directory.
This problem only occurs with more complex files. In this case, the ODL file is blocked by the first application to open it. Running programs (including those in the background) should be verified. Sometimes you have to wait for the session to the file ODL to close. 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.