Opening a CHI File

The CHI file type is primarily associated with ChiWriter.

CHI	File extension: CHI
	File type:	data file

What is a CHI file?

CHI files mostly belong to ChiWriter. CHI files are not a single standard format but a file extension used in different fields.
For example, ChiWriter documents store text and layout data from an old word processor.

This version holds formatted text data.

Some CHI files hold a compiled help index in a compressed HTML format. These are used by programs like Microsoft HTML Help Workshop. You can learn more on the Microsoft website.
Other CHI files contain scientific data. In these cases they record measurements such as Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction, X-ray diffraction, or X-ray scattering. Such files are created by systems like Igor Pro, MAR345, Fit2D or Bruker AXS Diffrac.EVA and may store numeric data for analysis.

This scientific data is typically used for material science experiments.

There is also a variant that holds cache layer information for ChemDraw images as used by Andromedia Express!, and another format that comprises source code for communicating processes in the CHI programming language used in Haskell projects.

This programming variant is used among developers working with concurrent systems.

FilExt.com note: The content and functionality of a CHI file depend on its origin and the application that created it. To open and view a CHI file, use the appropriate software for its variant.

How to open CHI files

You need a suitable software like ChiWriter to open a CHI file. Without proper software you will receive a Windows message "How do you want to open this file?" or "Windows cannot open this file" or a similar Mac/iPhone/Android alert. If you cannot open your CHI file correctly, try to right-click or long-press the file. Then click "Open with" and choose an application. You can also display a CHI file directly in the browser:. Just drag the file onto this browser window and drop it.

Online CHI File Viewer

Choose your .chi file to view

or drag and drop it here

Online File Viewer

✈

Read our privacy guarantee in Filext’s terms and privacy policy

Please allow ads on our site

This helps us keep our servers running. Then re-upload your file to view it.

Click here to see how to disable the ad blocker for filext.com

How to extract texts from CHI files or capture a screenshot to PDF, JPG, DOCX, TXT, ...

If you want to extract texts from CHI file or capture a screenshot, you can use our free Online CHI File Viewer:

To do this, click the button "Choose your .chi file to view" on this page.
Your CHI file will then be displayed in the browser.
Now click on "Save as..." at the top of the page.
Then choose the file format (e.g. JPG, PDF, DOCX, TXT, ...) you want.
Your file will be converted and downloaded.

Programs that open and convert CHI files:

ChiWriter
See the previous paragraphs to learn more about the main application. CHI files are often referred to as ChiWriter miscs because this type of file is primarily created or used by this software.
ChiWriter
ChiWriter is a scientific multifont word processor. It was developed and, until 1995, commercially distributed by Horstmann Software Development Corporation, USA. It was designed to work in an MS-DOS environment, though it can also be launched from an icon under Windows 3.xx or Windows 95. It creates its own graphic screen, and some of the resolutions offer mouse support. However, the lack of true Windows support probably led to the downfall of ChiWriter. Since 1995 Horstmann is out of business, and all support for ChiWriter has stopped. The identifying characters used for this association are - Version 3.x file..., Hex: 5C 31 63 77 20 33 2E, ASCII: \1cw.3, Version 4.x file..., Hex: 28 43 48 49 57 52 49 54 45 52 20 34 2E, ASCII: (CHIWRITER.4.
Help File (Index) by Microsoft Corporation
Typically used when the Help file will stay on a CD-ROM; .CHI speeds access to the info. The identifying characters used for this association are - Hex: 49 54 53 46 03 00 00 00 60 00 00 00 01 00 00 00, ASCII: ITSF.
TOMBO (Encrypted File) by Tomohisa Hirami and TOMBO Maintainers
TOMBO is yet another NotesTaker that works on Windows/Windows CE. TOMBO uses 128bit the Blowfish Encryption Algorithm based on GnuPG.

CHI file format:

If you know the file format, you can also find out how to open or edit the file. The first characters in a file identify the file format, for example, HTML files start with the bytes <html>. File extension, signature and file format must match; otherwise errors will occur when the file is opened. When there is a problem with a file, the first step to solving it is to determine the file format. Our evaluation of the CHI files looks like this:

The file type with the extension 'CHI' is used by different programs with different formats. The two most popular formats are as follows:

40% of all CHI files belong to ChiWriter document. If you open these files in a text editor, you can view and read the content yourself. CHI files are between 2 KB and 52 KB in size. The file type is very old and rarely used today. The keywords \U1STANDARD, BOLD, \pTF 1, \pTM 0, SMALL, \pPI 0 and \U8LINEDRAW are typical for these files. Files like these are about pred.
15% of all CHI files belong to Windows HELP Index. They consist of illegible, cryptic characters. The average file size is 32 KB with most files being between 12 KB and 200 KB in size. The following keywords are characteristic: ITSF and ITSP. Some examples of file names are KinectSDK.chi.

All other CHI files (45%) have different formats, frequently e.g. home. The category is adfbc, download, mfchi, modul, scrnshot, fengzx or sample. Drag & drop your file here to see the file format and a preview of your CHI file!

Technical Data for CHI File Extension

File classification:

Misc

Identifier:

Version 3.x file..., Hex: 5C 31 63 77 20 33 2E, ASCII: \1cw.3, Version 4.x file..., Hex: 28 43 48 49 57 52 49 54 45 52 20 34 2E, ASCII: (CHIWRITER.4 (provided by TrID database)

Related files:

chm, xrd, cdx, hs, chls, cih, chl, doc, zip, fit, exe, pdf, jpg, eft, aux, sft, txt, dat

The following listing is compiled from the database produced by the 'Associate This!' program, selected data from the main FILExt database and file extension information submitted by users.

ProgramID: Chcken.Document
EXEFile: E:\ADV\CHICKEN\CHICKEN.EXE

ProgramID: ConfidFile
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\confidence\click.exe

a chi data file is a special file format and should only be edited and saved with the appropriate software.

How to solve problems with CHI files

Associate the CHI file extension with the correct application.
Update your software that should actually open data files. Because only the current version supports the latest CHI file format. Search, therefore, e.g. on the manufacturer website after an available ChiWriter update.
To make sure that your CHI file is not corrupted or virus-infected, get the file again and scan it with Google's virustotal.com.
Click here to open your .CHI file online - secure, fast, and no downloads needed.