Click the "Select File" button above, and choose your PDA file.
You’ll see a preview, if available.
Click the "Convert file to..." button to extract text information.
Convert PDA to another file type
To convert PDA Data files to another format, you need SoftMax Pro or other Data software.
Convert a file to PDA
To convert other file formats to the "Scientific Data File" file type, you need software like SoftMax Pro or a similar tool.
About PDA files
The .PDA file extension is most commonly associated with Microplate Reader Data Files generated by software like SoftMax Pro. These files store highly specialized assay data, optical density readings, and plate layouts used in scientific research. Because it is a proprietary format, a major disadvantage is that users without an active, expensive software license cannot view the data. Standard spreadsheet programs or text editors will usually display unreadable characters. If you need to share results with colleagues or analyze them in Microsoft Excel, you must convert the .PDA file to universal formats like CSV, XLSX, or TXT. Some versions of .PDA are completely closed binary files, making direct conversion extremely difficult outside of the original software. Other uses for .PDA include geotechnical penetration test data from Pagani Geotechnical Equipment, diagnostic reports from Mercedes-Benz STAR Diagnosis, and CAD enclosure designs from Protocase Designer. If our analysis detects a supported underlying or embedded format, viewing or conversion may still be possible.
Convert.Guru analyzes your PDA file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
If you want to convert PDA file to CFG, CSV, JSON, XML, YAML, YML, TOML, INI, CONF, DAT, DB or SQL, you can use SoftMax Pro or similar software from the "Microplate Reader Assay Data" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert DBF, XML, SQLITE, XLSX, SQL, TSV, ACCDB, YAML, MDB, CSV, ODS or JSON files to PDA, try SoftMax Pro or another comparable tool in the "Microplate Reader Assay Data" category.
The PDA Converter Story
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 PDA converter.