# I need help opening a computer file

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-opening-a-computer-file/303597>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 12, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-opening-a-computer-file/303597 "2005-05-12T20:11:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rich\_p\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e495f1/32.png) [@rich\_p\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rich_p_1)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-opening-a-computer-file/303597/1 "2005-05-12T20:11:10Z")

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Hi -

I have a file from about 8 years ago, a .bro extension. It is from a program called Brochure. I have updated versions of the software, but it won’t open the file.

Do any of you have an older version of that program? I would pay you for it, or maybe I could send you the file and you could save it in another format such as Publisher or something…it is actually very important info that I needed back then and I am needing again now.

Any help on this would be appreciated!

Rich P

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**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-opening-a-computer-file/303597/2 "2005-05-12T20:17:40Z")

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> [@rich\_p](#):
>
> Hi -
> 
> I have a file from about 8 years ago, a .bro extension. It is from a program called Brochure. I have updated versions of the software, but it won’t open the file.
> 
> Do any of you have an older version of that program? I would pay you for it, or maybe I could send you the file and you could save it in another format such as Publisher or something…it is actually very important info that I needed back then and I am needing again now.
> 
> Any help on this would be appreciated!
> 
> Rich P

I’m not sure what Brochure is, but one thing to check first is if you can get the data you want by opening it in notepad. If it stores letters as standard ascii code, you should be able to see it (though surrounded by a lot of junk characters.) This might let you see enough of the data to get what you want.

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**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-opening-a-computer-file/303597/3 "2005-05-12T21:36:13Z")

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> [@Sage Rat](#):
>
> I’m not sure what Brochure is, but one thing to check first is if you can get the data you want by opening it in notepad. If it stores letters as standard ascii code, you should be able to see it (though surrounded by a lot of junk characters.) This might let you see enough of the data to get what you want.

One way to do this by making a copy of the file and renaming the copy so that its extension is .txt