Extract text from Artboard documents (ARTB)
To convert ARTB documents to another format, you need Mapdiva Artboard or other Vector Image software.
To convert other file formats to the "Vector Illustration Document" file type, you need software like Mapdiva Artboard or a similar tool.
An .ARTB file is a specialized vector drawing format originally created by Mapdiva Artboard, a vector graphics design application exclusively for macOS. These files are typically used for storing logos, illustrations, technical diagrams, and posters.
The major disadvantage of the .ARTB format is that it is entirely proprietary and the software that created it is now discontinued. Furthermore, an .ARTB file is not actually a standard single file; it is a macOS 'package' - essentially a disguised folder. While macOS treats it as a single document, users attempting to transfer these files to a Windows PC or Linux machine will find that they behave like normal folders containing disorganized assets, such as a DRAWING file and XML-based PLIST files. This structural quirk, combined with the lack of active software support, makes .ARTB extremely frustrating to use today.
If you have old .ARTB files, your best option is to convert them to universal formats like SVG (for scalable vector graphics), PDF (for document sharing), or PNG (for basic raster viewing). Be aware that converting a proprietary format into standard ones often results in the loss of advanced styling layers, proprietary effects, and stacked styles.
Because of its obscure structure, this file format is notoriously difficult to open or convert with standard online tools, as most converters fail to parse macOS packages. Emphasize that often only the original Mapdiva Artboard software can properly read or export the data. If our analysis detects a supported underlying or embedded format - such as internal XML data or embedded graphics - viewing or conversion may still be possible.
Convert.Guru analyzes your ARTB file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
If you want to convert ARTB file to , you can use Mapdiva Artboard or similar software from the "Vector Graphics Storage" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert files to ARTB, try Mapdiva Artboard or another comparable tool in the "Vector Graphics Storage" 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 ARTB converter.