Extract text from HostExplorer profiles (HEP)
To convert HEP profiles to another format, you need HostExplorer or other Settings software.
To convert other file formats to the "Connection Profile" file type, you need software like HostExplorer or a similar tool.
A .HEP file is primarily a HostExplorer Profile, a configuration file originally created by Hummingbird (now OpenText) for their mainframe emulation software. These files act as the "keys" to the castle, storing critical session parameters - host IP addresses, port numbers, terminal types (like TN3270 or TN5250), and keyboard mappings - required to connect Windows PCs to legacy IBM mainframes or AS/400 systems.
For most users, the problem with .HEP files is purely logistical: they are proprietary configuration containers that cannot be easily viewed or edited without the paid HostExplorer suite installed. You might find an old .HEP file on a backup drive and need to extract the host address or macro settings without buying a corporate license. While they are technically structured text or binary files, opening them in a standard text editor often yields a mix of readable settings and garbage characters. Converting these profiles to PDF or TXT is the most practical way to archive the configuration data for documentation or migration purposes.
A secondary, distinct use for this extension is in satellite receiver firmware, specifically for devices using ALI Corp chipsets. In this context, the .HEP file is a binary firmware update used to flash set-top boxes. These files are strictly for device communication; converting them to a readable format like DOCX or JPG is technically impossible and functionally useless. Attempting to open a firmware .HEP file in a text editor will simply crash the application or display gibberish.
Convert.Guru analyzes your HEP file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
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If you want to convert HEP file to , you can use HostExplorer or similar software from the "Terminal Emulator Settings" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert files to HEP, try HostExplorer or another comparable tool in the "Terminal Emulator Settings" 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 HEP converter.