File extension MSD
| File type | Map Service Definition Format |
| Developer | ESRI |
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What is a MSD file?
Files with the .MSD extension contain published maps based on the MXD map document format which have been placed on an ArcGIS Server, which in turn makes the map available for real-time online viewing. MSD files are created by the ArcGIS Desktop software version 9.3.1 and above, part of ArcGIS software, which is meant for creating maps and processing various type of geo-spatial data.
TIP: You can change extension of your MSD file from .MSD to .ZIP and extract by some archiving software (e.x WinZip). You will see component .XML files what can help you with incorrect data paths debugging.
Program(s) that can open the .MSD file
How to open MSD files
If you cannot open the MSD file on your computer - there may be several reasons. The first and most important reason (the most common) is the lack of a suitable software that supports MSD among those that are installed on your device.
A very simple way to solve this problem is to find and download the appropriate application. The first part of the task has already been done – the software supporting the MSD file can be found in the table. Now just download and install the appropriate application.
Possible problems with the MSD format files
The inability to open and operate the MSD file does not necessarily mean that you do not have an appropriate software installed on your computer. There may be other problems that also block our ability to operate the Map Service Definition Format file. Below is a list of possible problems.
- Corruption of a MSD file which is being opened
- Incorrect links to the MSD file in registry entries.
- Accidental deletion of the description of the MSD from the Windows registry
- Incomplete installation of an application that supports the MSD format
- The MSD file which is being opened is infected with an undesirable malware.
- The computer does not have enough hardware resources to cope with the opening of the MSD file.
- Drivers of equipment used by the computer to open a MSD file are out of date.
If you are sure that all of these reasons do not exist in your case (or have already been eliminated), the MSD file should operate with your programs without any problem. If the problem with the MSD file has not been solved, it may be due to the fact that in this case there is also another rare problem with the MSD file. In this case, the only you can do is to ask for assistance of a professional staff.
How to associate the file with an installed software?
If you want to associate a file with a new program (e.g. my-file.MSD) you have two ways to do it. The first and the easiest one is to right-click on the selected MSD file. From the drop-down menu select "Choose default program", then click "Browse" and find the desired program. The whole operation must be confirmed by clicking OK. The second and more difficult to do is associate the MSD file extension to the corresponding software in the Windows Registry.
Is there one way to open unknown files?
Many files contain only simple text data. It is possible that while opening unknown files (e.g. MSD) with a simple text editor like Windows Notepad will allow us to see some of the data encoded in the file. This method allows you to preview the contents of many files, but probably not in such a structure as a program dedicated to support them.