All about SDEF Files

The SDEF file type is primarily associated with DCS World.

SDEF	File extension: SDEF
	File type:	definition file

What is an SDEF file?

SDEF files mostly belong to DCS World. Your SDEF file holds internal definitions used in distinct contexts.
Sound Definition (DCS World)
This file acts as a sound definition for Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) World. It provides data for mapping game events to audio parameters and controls sound playback during simulation. For more details, visit Digital Combat Simulator.
AppleScript Dictionary Definition
Some SDEF files, formatted in XML, serve as dictionary definition files for AppleScript. They list available commands and objects so the AppleScript Editor can interpret and execute scripts. More information is available at Apple Support.

Tip: Use a plain text editor for XML-based SDEF files.

Tip: Use the dedicated game or scripting tool for non-XML versions to ensure proper functionality.

Tip: Always back up the file before making any changes.

How to open an SDEF file

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

Online SDEF Text Viewer

Choose your .sdef file to view

or drag and drop it here

Online File Viewer

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

You can extract texts from SDEF file or capture a preview screenshot using our online SDEF file viewer:

To do this, click the button "Choose your .sdef file to view" on this page.
Your SDEF 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 SDEF files:

DCS World
See the previous paragraphs to learn more about the main application. SDEF files are often referred to as DCS World games because this type of file is primarily created or used by this software.
AppleScript Dictionary (Scripting Definition) by Apple Inc.
AppleScript is a scripting language devised by Apple Inc., and built into Mac OS. More generally, "AppleScript" is the word used to designate the Mac OS scripting interface, which is meant to operate in parallel with the graphical user interface. The identifying characters used for this association are - Hex: 3C 3F 78 6D 6C 20 76 65 72 73 69 6F 6E 3D 22 31 2E 30 22 20 65 6E 63 6F 64 69 6E 67 3D 22 55 54 46 2D 38 22 3F 3E 0A 3C 21 44 4F 43 54 59 50 45 20 64 69 63 74 69 6F 6E 61 72 79 20 53 59 53 54 45 4D 20 22 66 69 6C 65 3A 2F 2F 6C 6F 63 61 6C 68 6F 73 74 2F 53 79 73 74 65 6D 2F 4C 69 62 72 61 72 79 2F 44 54 44 73 2F 73 64 65 66 2E 64 74 64 22 3E 0A, ASCII: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!DOCTYPE dictionary SYSTEM "file://localhost/System/Library/DTDs/sdef.dtd"> . This file format is classified as Source Code.

SDEF file extension format:

The file format determines how the data is stored in the file. The file format can be determined based on the file extension and the signature (the first few characters of a file). File extension, signature and file format must match; otherwise errors will occur when the file is opened. So a detailed analysis of a file is vital in order to determine the format and the associated program. Our analysis of the SDEF files produces the following result:

The SDEF file extension is rarely used and covers different formats for different programs. The file formats most commonly found in SDEF files are:

55% of all SDEF files have the same signature wave. These files are text files, so they contain words and text. The files are on average 120 bytes in size and range from 79 bytes to 220 bytes. The file type was developed only in the last few years. Certain words are almost always found in the files, such as wave, Effects, gain, Aircrafts, inner_radius = 10, outer_radius = 100 and position. These files are attributed to engine, plane and high.
20% of all SDEF files are Scripting Definition files, which are based on the XML file format. The Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a simple text-based format for representing structured information: documents, webpages, data, configuration, books, transactions, invoices, and much more. XML defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable. The contents of these files can even be read by a human. Most of these files are 1 KB to 47 KB in size. The keywords <!DOCTYPE dictionary SYSTEM "file://localhost/System/Library/DTDs/sdef.dtd">, <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>, dictionary title, code, Dictionary, Standard Suite, <suite name="Standard, XInclude, http://www.w3.org, include and xmlns are typical for these files. Some examples of file names are iChat.sdef or Messages.sdef. These files are attributed to chat.

All other SDEF files (25%) have different formats, frequently e.g. config. Just click the "Choose your .sdef file to view" button on this page to find out what your SDEF file is.

Technical Data for SDEF File Extension

File classification:

Game

Identifier:

Hex: 3C 3F 78 6D 6C 20 76 65 72 73 69 6F 6E 3D 22 31 2E 30 22 20 65 6E 63 6F 64 69 6E 67 3D 22 55 54 46 2D 38 22 3F 3E 0A 3C 21 44 4F 43 54 59 50 45 20 64 69 63 74 69 6F 6E 61 72 79 20 53 59 53 54 45 4D 20 22 66 69 6C 65 3A 2F 2F 6C 6F 63 61 6C 68 6F 73 74 2F 53 79 73 74 65 6D 2F 4C 69 62 72 61 72 79 2F 44 54 44 73 2F 73 64 65 66 2E 64 74 64 22 3E 0A, ASCII: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!DOCTYPE dictionary SYSTEM "file://localhost/System/Library/DTDs/sdef.dtd"> (provided by TrID database)

Related files:

plist, def, txt, zip, scpt, applescript, aae, xml, cfg, ini

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: Dictionaries.SystemDictionary
EXEFile: %ProgramFiles%\LogoMedia\Dictionaries\LogoMedia Dictionaries.exe %1

an sdef definition file is a special file format and should only be edited and saved with the appropriate software.

How to solve problems with SDEF files

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