Extract text from Canvas images (CVI)
To convert CVI images to another format, you need Canvas X or other Raster Image software.
To convert other file formats to the "Proprietary Image File" file type, you need software like Canvas X or a similar tool.
The .CVI file is a proprietary image format used primarily as a Canvas Image File for technical illustrations, or as a CassiniVision Map Image for historical cartography. Files created by Canvas X (developed by ACD Systems) store complex combinations of vector and raster graphics used by engineers and designers. Meanwhile, the CassiniVision format was created by Frédéric Mathiot to display massive historical maps, such as those from the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
The main disadvantage of .CVI files is their severely restricted accessibility. They are entirely proprietary. Opening a Canvas .CVI requires a costly, specialized software license, while CassiniVision is completely discontinued, making its files effectively inaccessible on modern operating systems. Standard web browsers and default image viewers like Windows Photos or Apple Preview cannot read the format natively, which creates a frustrating bottleneck when you need to share designs or maps with colleagues.
To restore access to your data, converting .CVI to standard, universal formats is essential. The best conversion targets are JPG or PNG for web and image-viewer compatibility, or PDF for preserving document layouts and sharing. Be aware that converting a Canvas file to a raster format will flatten its editable vector drawing layers into a single static image.
Because the .CVI format relies on closed-source encoding logic, standard online converters usually fail to process it. Only the original software can natively render the complex vector logic or proprietary map tiling. Our analyzer inspects the binary structure of the file to locate any embedded standard images or previews, extracting the content so you can access your data without needing the original software.
Convert.Guru analyzes your CVI file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
If you want to convert CVI file to SHP, KML, KMZ, GPX, GEOJSON, TOPOJSON, TIF, TIFF, ECW, SID, IMG or DEM, you can use Canvas X or similar software from the "Proprietary Image Storage" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert LAZ, KMZ, DTM, CSV, DEM, PRJ, LAS, GPX, DSM, SHP, DBF or KML files to CVI, try Canvas X or another comparable tool in the "Proprietary Image 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 CVI converter.