Extract text from TRIM record references (TR5)
To convert TR5 Record references to another format, you need Micro Focus Content Manager or other Database software.
To convert other file formats to the "Record Reference Link" file type, you need software like Micro Focus Content Manager or a similar tool.
The .TR5 file is primarily a record reference link generated by enterprise content management systems like Micro Focus Content Manager (historically known as TRIM or HP Records Manager). When users share a document from the database, the system often creates a .TR5 shortcut instead of sending the actual file payload. This file contains XML-structured metadata and a specific database URI pointer.
The main disadvantage of the .TR5 format is that it does not contain the actual document (such as a Word file or PDF). It is completely useless outside the corporate network or for users who do not have the client software installed. If you receive a .TR5 file via email without VPN or database access, you cannot open the target document. It requires a paid enterprise license to resolve the internal links.
Converting a .TR5 file directly into a PDF or DOCX document is impossible because the file only holds a reference path, not the content itself. However, because most .TR5 files are essentially XML files, the best targets for conversion or extraction are TXT or XML. This allows you to at least read the metadata, document title, author names, and internal file paths.
This file format is difficult to open or convert because it acts as a proprietary bridge to a secure remote database. Standard online converters fail to process .TR5 files because they lack the specific enterprise hooks to fetch the real document, treating the file as an unreadable error. If our analysis detects a supported underlying or embedded format like XML, viewing or extracting the metadata may still be possible.
Convert.Guru analyzes your TR5 file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted APPREF-MS, REFERENCE, TR4 and PDF files.
If you want to convert TR5 file to PDF, you can use Micro Focus Content Manager or similar software from the "Record Management System Reference" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert files to TR5, try Micro Focus Content Manager or another comparable tool in the "Record Management System Reference" 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 TR5 converter.