Tips to open RLF file

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

RLF file extension

File Name ArcGIS Report Layout Format
File Developer ESRI
File Category Layout Files

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

Operating systems
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is RLF file?

The file with the extension RLF is the Layout Files file type. The author of this format is ESRI. Additionally, the Layout Files category contains 137 of other files. ArcGIS Report Layout Format is most often found on 1 operating systems. Although it can be found with greater or lesser success on any operating system, it will only be useful on Windows. The ArcGIS Desktop application is recommended to open the file. It was released by Esri.

How to open RLF file?

The most common problem when using ArcGIS Report Layout Format is that a specific RLF is not associated with the program. This causes the file RLF to open by system applications not designed for this purpose, or to display a message that there is no associated program. This problem can be easily remedied.

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the RLF 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 ArcGIS Desktop

The first step is to check if the computer has the ArcGIS Desktop program installed. To do this, enter the name ArcGIS Desktop 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 RLF.

Programs to open RLF file

Remember to download programs supporting RLF files only from verified and safe sources. We suggest using the websites of software developers.

ArcGIS Desktop
ArcGIS Desktop
Step 2. Create association of ArcGIS Desktop with RLF files

If the application is or has been freshly installed, but the RLF file still does not use the ArcGIS Desktop program, it means no association. The association can be created using the drop-down list available by right-clicking on the file and selecting Properties. Information about the file and the program that the file is associated with are available here. 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. Checking the "Always use the selected program ..." box will permanently associate the RLF file with the ArcGIS Desktop program.

Step 3. Update ArcGIS Desktop to the latest version

The fault may also lie with the ArcGIS Desktop program, it is possible that ArcGIS Report Layout Format requires a newer version of the program. In this case, use the Esri website or update the program from the application.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the RLF 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:

Very often, the file may be size 0 or incomplete. This is most often caused by a problem while downloading the RLF file. The file should be downloaded again, making sure that the process has finished correctly.
The computer may have fallen victim to a computer virus or hacker. A virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should fix the problem. Some antivirus vendors also provide free online scanners. For the best results, we will scan the entire operating system, not just our RLF file. As a result of the scan, sometimes it is not possible to recover RLF files, which are deleted if there is a backup of this file, then after restoring it, it must also be scanned.
Older version of RLF 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 the failure. Repairing is very dependent on the file type. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular RLF file corruption. You can restore the file from a backup or use ESRI help.
The program can also signal the fact of encryption. The encrypted file RLF 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 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. It is best to move RLF to a different directory.
This problem usually affects more complex files. Some file types can only be opened in one program at a time. Just close unnecessary programs. Sometimes you have to wait for the session to the file RLF to close. Some anti-virus or backup software may occupy the RLF file for a certain period of time. If this does not work either, restart the device.