Tips to open ROU file
Can't open the ROU file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open ROU files as well as a list of programs that support ROU files.
ROU file extension
| File Name |
Gerber Route Format |
| File Category |
Data Files |
The ROU file is supported on 1 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the ROU files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the ROU file on each system platform.
What is ROU file?
The file in the ROU format belongs to the Data Files category. Additionally, the Data Files category contains 1326 of other files. Gerber Route Format appears on 1 operating systems as a functional file. The file will work on Windows systems, unfortunately not on others. The Altium Designer application is recommended to open the file. It was released by Altium Limited..
How to open ROU file?
The main problem with Gerber Route Format is that the ROU file is incorrectly associated with programs. Thus, when you open ROU, 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 ROU 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 Altium Designer
An often overlooked issue is to make sure that Altium Designer is installed on the computer. The easiest method is to use the system search engine by entering the program name Altium Designer in it. In the absence of an appropriate program, its installation in the vast majority of cases will fix the problem. Below is a list of programs that support the file ROU.
Programs to open ROU file
Remember to download programs supporting ROU files only from verified and safe sources. We suggest using the websites of software developers.
Step 2. Create association of Altium Designer with ROU files
However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the ROU file to open in the Altium Designer application, but you can set it manually. It is most convenient to call the context menu with the right mouse button and select Properties. The displayed window will contain information about the program that supports this type of file. Using the "Change" button we can select the desired program. 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. Checking the "Always use the selected program ..." box will permanently associate the ROU file with the Altium Designer program.
Step 3. Update Altium Designer to the latest version
If, despite the association of the Altium Designer program with the Gerber Route Format file, the file still does not open, check the program version and possibly update it to the newest version. This can be done using the application (if it provides such options) or from the Altium Limited. website and install the latest version.
Step 4. Check for the following problems with the ROU file
If the above steps do not help, you can assume that the file itself is not correct. The most common file problems are:
The ROU file may be unusually small compared to the original file. Usually this applies to ROU files downloaded from the Internet in case the download did not finish properly. The only repair option is to download the file again.
The most common cause here is computer viruses. A virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should fix the problem. Some antivirus vendors also provide free online scanners. The scan should cover the entire computer, not only the ROU file that we want to open. However, remember that not every infected ROU file can be recovered, so it is important to take care of regular backups.
Older version of ROU 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.
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 ROU files. The easiest way is to restore the file from a backup, if there is one, or contact N/A
When reading, a message appears that the file was encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted ROU 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. These directories are write-protected to them and it's very hard to fix this problem. It is best to move ROU to a different directory.
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 ROU file again. Antivirus programs or a backup being made may lock the file for a while without the user's knowledge. If the problem persists, restart the machine.
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