.ASC File Extension
ASCII Text File
| Developer | American National Standards Institute |
| Popularity |
3.7 | 23 Votes |
An ASC file may also be a plain text file encoded in the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) standard. Various applications may create ASC files for different reasons, such as a word processor exporting the plain text of a document without formatting or a GIS application exporting the coordinates of a location. You can open an ASC file with most text editors and word processors.
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The ASCII standard dates back to the 1960s and derives from telegraph code. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has revised the standard several times, and many applications have adopted it over the years.
Because of its widespread adoption, many applications support exporting information in the ASCII standard and creating ASC files. For example, a GIS application may allow you to export data recorded by the application as an ASC file you can import into a spreadsheet application to view the data.
How to open an ASC file
You can open an ASC file with any text editor or word processor. Possible options include:
In some programs, such as Microsoft Notepad, you may have to select from the Open window before you can open your ASC file.
How to convert an ASC file
Many applications, including Microsoft WordPad, Apple TextEdit, and OpenOffice Writer, can convert ASC files to other formats. For example, TextEdit can convert ASC files to the following formats:
Programs that open ASC files
LTspice Circuit Schematic File
| Developer | Linear Technology |
| Popularity |
3.6 | 18 Votes |
An ASC file may also be a CAD file created by Linear Technology LTspice, a Spice III circuit simulation application. It contains information about a circuit schematic in plain text, including the circuit layout, symbols (components stored in .ASY files), and connections. LTspice users often design circuit schematics, save them as ASC files, then test them in the software.
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LTspice is a free Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis (SPICE) for Windows and macOS. It includes tools for creating and simulating analog circuit schematics.
When saving a circuit schematic with LTspice, the software creates an ASC file to store the contents of the circuit schematic. After saving the file, you can close the circuit schematic, then re-open it to edit it further. To create an ASC file, select or .
How to open an ASC file
You can only open an ASC file with Linear Technology LTspice in Windows and macOS. To open an ASC file, select .
Opening an ASC file with a text editor
Since ASC files contain information in plain text, you can also open them with a text editor, such as Microsoft Notepad (Windows) or Apple TextEdit (Mac), or a source code editor. You may need to rename the .asc file extension to .txt for the text editor to recognize it.
When opened in a text editor or source code editor, you can modify the properties of the ASC file. However, if you incorrectly edit the file, you may inadvertently corrupt the model.
How to convert an ASC file
Linear Technology LTspice can convert an ASC file to SPICE Netlist NET files and Waveform Data RAW files. To convert an ASC file, right-click the schematic, select , and choose the format you want to convert the ASC file.