Extract text from 2D array files (2DA)
To convert 2DA array files to another format, you need Aurora Toolset or other Game software.
To convert other file formats to the "BioWare Game Data File" file type, you need software like Aurora Toolset or a similar tool.
The .2DA (2D Array) file is a proprietary game data format created by BioWare for the Aurora Engine. It is heavily utilized in classic role-playing games like Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and Dragon Age to define core game mechanics, item statistics, and character attributes in a structured, two-dimensional grid.
While technically a plain-text format, .2DA files are notoriously difficult to manage without specialized modding software like the Aurora Toolset. When opened in standard text editors, the space-padded columns often fail to align correctly, making manual data entry chaotic and error-prone. The format also lacks built-in data validation and remains strictly tethered to the aging engine architecture of specific games.
To effectively modify these game assets, users frequently need to convert .2DA files into standard spreadsheet formats like CSV or XLSX. This allows modders to manipulate hundreds of data rows simultaneously using Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. Converting to JSON or XML is also a highly recommended workaround for routing game data into modern web tools and script managers.
Because .2DA is a closed, proprietary game asset - often extracted from packed archives - standard online converters consistently fail to parse the unique header signatures.
Convert.Guru analyzes your 2DA file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted IMS, PCO and AT2 files.
If you want to convert 2DA file to [% faq_exts_to %], you can use Aurora Toolset or similar software from the "Game Data 2D Array" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert [% faq_exts_from %] files to 2DA, try Aurora Toolset or another comparable tool in the "Game Data 2D Array" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our 2DA converter.