Extract text from Grapher or PCB files (GCX)
To convert GCX files to another format, you need Apple Grapher or other Cad software.
To convert other file formats to the "Mathematical Visualization" file type, you need software like Apple Grapher or a similar tool.
The .GCX extension creates a unique challenge because it serves two distinct, incompatible technical audiences.
Most commonly (approx. 61%), a .GCX file is a Grapher Graph created by Apple Grapher, a utility bundled with macOS (Utilities folder), or its precursor, Graphing Calculator by Pacific Tech. These files store complex 2D/3D mathematical equations, coordinate systems, and visual plot settings.
The Problem: Because Apple Grapher is exclusive to macOS, Windows and Linux users cannot natively open these files. There is no web viewer. Users often receive a .GCX from a colleague or professor and find themselves locked out of the data. To share these graphs effectively, they must be converted to PDF (for vector preservation in academic papers), EPS (for publishing), or JPG/PNG (for quick web viewing).
The Secondary Case: A significant minority (approx. 13%) of .GCX files are PCB Layouts generated by GraphiCode software (specifically the legacy GCXpress or GC-Prevue). These act as containers for Printed Circuit Board manufacturing data.
The Problem: These are industrial manufacturing files. Sending a raw .GCX to a fabrication house is risky if they don't use GraphiCode products. The industry standard workflow requires converting these layouts to RS-274X Gerber files or DXF for broader CAD compatibility.
Convert.Guru analyzes your GCX file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted GPX, G3M, IFM and XML files.
If you want to convert GCX file to SHP, KML, KMZ, GPX, GEOJSON, TOPOJSON, TIF, TIFF, ECW, SID, IMG or DEM, you can use Apple Grapher or similar software from the "Mathematical Graphs & PCB Layouts" 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 GCX, try Apple Grapher or another comparable tool in the "Mathematical Graphs & PCB Layouts" 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 GCX converter.