Extract text from raw surveying data files (RW5)
To convert RW5 raw data files to another format, you need Carlson SurvCE or other GIS software.
To convert other file formats to the "Surveying Raw Data" file type, you need software like Carlson SurvCE or a similar tool.
A .rw5 file is a raw surveying data file generated by land surveying equipment and data collectors. It stores critical field measurements like GNSS vectors, GPS coordinates, elevations, turning angles, and slope distances.
These files are primarily created and managed by field surveying software like Carlson SurvCE or legacy tools from Tripod Data Systems (TDS). Additionally, hardware from CHC Navigation utilizes this extension for raw GNSS survey logs.
The .rw5 format is highly proprietary and specialized. It locks your raw field data into specific vendor ecosystems, requiring expensive, subscription-based software to process. You cannot open it directly in standard text editors, web browsers, or standard CAD drafting programs. Users must convert this raw data into usable, open formats to generate topographic maps, surface models, or boundary lines.
The best conversion targets are CSV or TXT for raw coordinate points, and DXF or DWG for CAD drafting in software like AutoCAD Civil 3D. Converting to FBK (Autodesk Field Book) is also an industry standard for preserving survey network topology. Be aware that exporting to plain text or standard CAD extracts only the final coordinates and visually drops the raw measurement metadata, which is critical for error checking.
This file format is difficult to open or convert because the data structures are closed, proprietary, and heavily tied to the physical surveying hardware. Often, only the original surveying software or specialized civil engineering tools can properly read or export the data. If our analysis detects a supported underlying or embedded format, viewing or conversion may still be possible.
Convert.Guru analyzes your RW5 file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted NCN, RAW, ZIP, EXE, G3D, CR5, PTS, ASO, ASCII and FBK files.
If you want to convert RW5 file to ASCII or FBK, you can use Carlson SurvCE or similar software from the "Surveying Raw Data Storage" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert files to RW5, try Carlson SurvCE or another comparable tool in the "Surveying Raw Data 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 RW5 converter.