.TEC File

File extension tec is sometimes used for Tecplot ASCII Data files. Tecplot, a a family of visualization software tools developed by Tecplot, Inc.

The more common and default file extension is dat, but some programs export Tecplot compatible data files with tec file extension instead. Tecplot can probably work with them if the file extension is renamed back to dat.

These files can be converted to standard binary PLT format used by TecPlot with preplot.exe program located in the /bin folder inside the program folder. They can also be loaded directly to Tecplot and exported to another format.

Tecplot tec files have the following characteristic:

• ASCII (although TECPLOT can create and use binary data files)
• Color is not associated with the data, but can be added during postprocessing by the TECPLOT program, or by associating variables "R", "G" and "B" with data, for instance;
• 2D or 3D data, and can have time dependence;
• No compression (except for the binary data format option);
• Geometric data is stored, but the user can also store associated quantities such as pressure, temperature, or velocity.
• Data is grouped into zones whose meaning is determined by the user. Animation is achieved by starting with each zone being a "time snapshot", and displaying one zone at a time.

Files with tec extension can mainly be found as ASCII Data files used by Tecplot software like Tecplot 360.

How to open:

Rename the extension from TEC to DAT and you will probably be able to load it directly to Tecplot.

How to convert:

Rename the extension from TEC to DAT and use preplot.exe bundled together with Tecplot to convert it to a binary .plt file usable in Tecplot.