CID to TXT Converter

CID to TXT Conversion Explained

Converting a .CID (Configured IED Description) file to a .TXT (Plain Text) file changes a structured XML document used in electrical substation automation into an unstructured text document. People convert .CID to .TXT to quickly read, search, or share configuration parameters without requiring specialized engineering software.

By converting, you gain universal readability across all operating systems and devices. However, you lose XML schema validation, hierarchical data structure, and machine readability. This conversion is a bad idea if you intend to load the configuration back into an Intelligent Electronic Device (IED) or a SCADA system. Stripping the XML structure permanently breaks the file's ability to function within an IEC 61850 network.

Typical Tasks and Users

This conversion is primarily used by professionals in the power generation and distribution sectors:

• Protection and Control (P&C) Engineers: Extracting specific relay settings or logical node parameters to include in plain text documentation or reports.
• SCADA Technicians: Reviewing IED configurations in the field on mobile devices or laptops that lack dedicated IEC 61850 engineering software.
• System Integrators: Sharing configuration snippets via email or ticketing systems where strict IT security filters block XML or .CID attachments.

Software & Tool Support

Because .CID files are based on the Substation Configuration Language (SCL) which is an XML derivative, they are inherently text-based. You can open, edit, and convert these files using various tools:

• Text Editors: Free tools like Notepad++, Visual Studio Code, and Vim can open .CID files directly. You can use them to manually strip XML tags and save the result as .TXT.
• Engineering Software: Vendor-specific tools like Siemens DIGSI, ABB PCM600, or universal tools like Omicron IEDScout handle .CID natively. Users often copy data from these interfaces and paste it into a .TXT file.
• Command-Line Tools: Linux utilities like grep and awk, or custom Python scripts using the xml.etree.ElementTree library, are commonly used to parse the XML tree and extract specific text values.

Pros and Cons of the Conversion

Pros:

• Universal Compatibility: .TXT files open instantly on any device, operating system, or web browser.
• Zero Software Cost: No need for expensive, licensed substation engineering software just to read parameter values.
• Easy Sharing: Plain text files bypass aggressive email attachment filters that often quarantine unfamiliar extensions like .CID.

Cons:

• Loss of Structure: The hierarchical relationship between Logical Devices, Logical Nodes, Data Objects, and Data Attributes is flattened and often lost.
• No Validation: .TXT files cannot be validated against the IEC 61850 SCL schema.
• One-Way Process: Once converted to plain text, the data cannot be reliably converted back into a functional .CID file for device deployment.

Conversion Difficulties & Why Convert.Guru

Simply renaming a .CID extension to .TXT leaves the file cluttered with complex XML tags and namespaces (such as xmlns:scl), making it difficult for humans to read. A true conversion requires parsing the XML tree, filtering out the markup, and extracting only the relevant key-value pairs into a clean, flat layout. Handling nested datasets and maintaining the context of specific parameters without the XML hierarchy is technically difficult.

Convert.Guru handles this exact problem. It safely parses the IEC 61850 XML schema, strips unnecessary markup, and formats the underlying configuration data into clean, readable text. It prevents UTF-8 encoding errors and saves engineers from writing custom parsing scripts or manually deleting XML tags line by line.

CID vs. TXT: What is the better choice?

Which format should you choose?

Choose .CID when you are configuring, testing, or deploying Intelligent Electronic Devices within a substation network. The structured XML is mandatory for the devices to communicate and function correctly.

Choose .TXT when you need to document settings, share readable parameters with non-engineers, or perform quick text-based searches. Avoid converting to .TXT if the file must be uploaded back to a relay, as the required machine-readable structure will be destroyed.

Conclusion

Converting .CID to .TXT makes sense for documentation, troubleshooting, and quick data sharing, but the complete loss of XML structure makes the resulting file useless for actual device configuration. The biggest limitation to watch for is losing the hierarchical context of your data when the XML tags are removed. Convert.Guru provides a reliable way to extract this data cleanly, ensuring you get readable text without wrestling with complex SCL namespaces or writing custom parsing scripts.