All about MSW Files

The MSW file type is primarily associated with FieldWorks.

MSW	File extension: MSW
	File type:	data file

What is an MSW file?

MSW files mostly belong to FieldWorks. MSW files are data files used by different applications for various specialized purposes.
They can serve several roles, for example:

• Multi-lingual Scholarly Workstation: These files store language and scholarly project data. More details are available at FieldWorks.
• Microsoft Word Document Template: Some MSW files hold template information using the Microsoft Compound format. See related info at Microsoft Create.
• MIDAS Civil Model: In engineering, the files may hold civil model data used by software from Microstran. More details can be found at MIDAS Civil.
• Varian UV-Vis-NIR Data: Certain files are used in spectroscopy to store measurement readings. Information is available at Agilent.
• Mixed Signal Waveform: Other files carry waveform measurement data from signal analysis tools.
• LED Message Sign Data: Some MSW files are designed for LED displays and may include instructions similar to Microsoft Agent character files.
• ROPstat Data: These files may include statistical or operational data, akin to SPSS data files.
• Microsoft Works Document: A few instances use this extension for documents related to Microsoft Works, sometimes seen in spreadsheet form.

Purpose & Function: Each version of an MSW file is built for its own application. The internal structure differs with each use, so opening and editing the file requires using the program that originally created it.
FilExt.com tip: Identify the source software of your MSW file to view or convert it properly.

How to open an MSW file

You need a suitable software like FieldWorks to open an MSW 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 MSW file correctly, try to right-click or long-press the file. Then click "Open with" and choose an application. You can also display a MSW file directly in the browser:. Just drag the file onto this browser window and drop it.

Online MSW Text Viewer

Choose your .msw file to analyze

or drag and drop it here

Online File Viewer

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MSW file format details:

If you know the file format, you can also find out how to open or edit the file. Often, the file format can be deduced from the file extension or the initial bytes (called the signature). However, different programs can use the same file extension, and file extensions can be assigned incorrectly. So you need a detailed analysis of a file to find out the format and the associated program. Below you will find our evaluation of the MSW files:

MSW is not that commonly used as a file extension. This file type includes many different file formats. The two most popular formats are as follows:

• 20% of all MSW files have the same signature FE 37 00. They consist of illegible, cryptic characters. The files are often between 6 KB and 130 KB in size. The file type was used 20 years ago but is still in use today. The file name Proto-Bantu.Guthrie1967b.msw or Proto-Bantu.Meeussen1967.msw is typical for these files. Files like these have the following tags: bantu, proto, meeussen and guthrie.
• 10% of all MSW files are based on the Microsoft Compound File format, which is also known by the name OLE2 Compound Document Format or Composite Document File Format. Compound document files work similarly to real file systems. They contain a number of independent data streams (like files in a file system) which are organized in a hierarchy of containers (like sub-directories in a file system). The file signature of compound files is defined as D0 CF 11 E0 A1 B1 1A E1, so the first character of a file looks like "DOCFILE". MSW files contain an app name Microsoft Office Word or Microsoft Word. There is also a globally unique identifier 00020906-0000-0000-c000-000000000046. The file contains sections that are named something like SummaryInformation, CompObj, DocumentSummaryInformation, WordDocument, 1Table and Data. A typical file size is 110 KB. Such files are related to supplement and nihms.

The remaining 70% of all MSW files are files with no common format, such as XML, HEAD, Varian, msw, ROPstat and TPF. The category is message, index, custom, etask or scan. You can get all the details of your MSW file by dragging it onto this page or by clicking the button "Choose your .msw file to analyze" above.