Extract text from Grace plotting documents (AGR)
To convert AGR documents to another format, you need Grace or other Data software.
To convert other file formats to the "Scientific Graphing Project" file type, you need software like Grace or a similar tool.
The .AGR file format is primarily used by Grace, a legacy 2D scientific plotting tool originally known as Xmgr. These files store raw numerical data alongside complex layout instructions, including axes definitions, fonts, and colors. They are heavily utilized in academic and scientific research to generate print-ready publication graphs. A secondary, but notable, use for the .AGR extension is as a Groove file in Ableton Live, which stores timing and velocity quantization data for audio production.
The primary disadvantage of the .AGR plotting format is its heavy dependence on outdated or highly specialized environments. Grace relies on the legacy X Window System, making it notoriously difficult to install and use on modern Windows or macOS systems without compatibility layers like Cygwin or third-party forks like QtGrace. Sharing a raw .AGR file with a client or colleague who lacks this software is impractical. Furthermore, because the file uses a proprietary, text-based plotting logic to map data arrays to visual coordinates, standard image converters completely fail to parse and render the graphs.
To make these charts accessible, you must convert them to standard vector or raster formats. The best conversion targets are PDF or SVG because they preserve the infinite scaling of vector lines required for scientific publishing. For quick web sharing, converting to a PNG image is ideal. Be aware that exporting to raster formats like JPG or PNG permanently flattens the image, meaning the underlying raw data points are lost.
This file format is difficult to open or convert online because standard tools lack the specialized scientific rendering engines needed to draw the graph. Often, only the original software can properly read or export the visual data. Just drag and drop your file to see what it is and convert it if supported. Since Grace .AGR files are plain text under the hood, convert.guru can still identify the file format, inspect the text, and show the internal data arrays. If our analysis detects a supported underlying or embedded format - such as a GZIP compressed Ableton Live Groove file - viewing or extraction may still be directly possible.
Use Convert.Guru to open and convert your AGR file.
Users also converted PLAN, PNG, ZIP, MC, TRANS and DLY files.
If you want to convert AGR file to MP3, WAV, AAC, FLAC, OGG, WMA, M4A, AIFF, OPUS, ALAC, APE or WV, you can use Grace or similar software from the "Scientific 2D Plotting Data" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert MIDI, AAC, TTA, AU, WV, DTS, MID, FLAC, RA, MP3, PCM or WAV files to AGR, try Grace or another comparable tool in the "Scientific 2D Plotting Data" 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 AGR converter.