Extract text from Lighting and map files (SWG)
To convert SWG Data files to another format, you need DIALux or other Data software.
To convert other file formats to the "CAD and GIS Data" file type, you need software like DIALux or a similar tool.
The .SWG file extension primarily represents two distinct, highly specialized data formats. Most commonly, it is a DIALux Lighting Data file used by DIALux, an industry-standard lighting design software. These files bundle 3D luminaire models, photometric data, and technical specifications into a single package. Internally, modern DIALux .SWG files are structured as ZIP archives containing XML documents and raw 3D geometry. Less frequently, .SWG files function as Geodetic Numerical Map data files used by legacy Polish KORDABPOL SWING software, or as text documents from an early Polish word processor (SWAGOLX.EXE).
The major disadvantage of the .SWG format is its closed, proprietary nature. These files cannot be natively imported into standard CAD tools or web browsers. Relying on an .SWG file means you are locked into using the specific software it was designed for. You cannot directly drop an .SWG file into AutoCAD or Revit without processing it first.
Standard online converters inevitably fail with .SWG files because they lack universal mapping structures. Direct conversion to CAD formats like DWG or DXF is impossible without the native DIALux rendering engine. However, because DIALux files use standard compression, users can often manually rename the extension to ZIP and extract the internal assets.
Because this file format is difficult to open or convert, standard solutions fall short. Just drag and drop your .SWG file into convert.guru to identify the exact format version. While often only the original software can properly read or export the data, our tool can inspect the file, analyze the internal ZIP structure, and show embedded content. If our analysis detects supported underlying geometry or text, viewing or extracting those internal files may still be possible.
Convert.Guru analyzes your SWG file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted SVG and DWG files.
If you want to convert SWG file to , you can use DIALux or similar software from the "Lighting & Map Data Storage" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert files to SWG, try DIALux or another comparable tool in the "Lighting & Map 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 SWG converter.