Extract text from VC++ project item files (VCXITEMS)
To convert VCXITEMS item files to another format, you need Visual Studio or other Developer software.
To convert other file formats to the "Project Configuration File" file type, you need software like Visual Studio or a similar tool.
The .vcxitems format is an XML-based VC++ Project Items File utilized primarily by Microsoft Visual Studio. It functions as a shared code registry, holding structural references to C++ source code files (such as cpp and h) so they can be compiled across multiple target platforms like Windows, Android, or iOS. You can open and manage these files natively using Microsoft Visual Studio or inspect the raw XML structure with lightweight editors like Notepad++.
The main disadvantage of .vcxitems files is their strict dependency on a massive Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Visual Studio often requires gigabytes of disk space and relies heavily on the MSBuild engine. Furthermore, a .vcxitems file does not contain the actual C++ program code; it only stores directory paths, compiler switches, and build configurations. If you share this file without the referenced source directories, it is entirely useless to the recipient.
If you need to share the project structure with someone who lacks a full IDE, converting the .vcxitems file to standard XML, JSON, or plain TXT is the most practical workaround. This extracts the hierarchy and makes it readable on any operating system without developer tools.
Because this is a highly specific, MSBuild-dependent format, standard online file converters often fail to process it properly or treat it as a generic, unreadable blob.
Convert.Guru analyzes your VCXITEMS file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
If you want to convert VCXITEMS file to JS, TS, PY, JAVA, CPP, C, CS, PHP, RB, GO, RS or SWIFT, you can use Visual Studio or similar software from the "C++ Shared Project Configuration" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert SH, PY, KT, PS1, SWIFT, LUA, PL, JAVA, SCALA, JS, VBS or TS files to VCXITEMS, try Visual Studio or another comparable tool in the "C++ Shared Project Configuration" 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 VCXITEMS converter.