AiM file types explained: .xrk, .xrz, .drk and what opens them
An AiM logger and Race Studio can leave a folder full of file types behind, and only a few of them hold your laps. The rest are older formats, backups, GPS side files or video.
Here is what each one is, based on AiM's own file-type reference, and what you can open each one with.
The files that hold your laps
| File | What it is | Comes from |
|---|---|---|
| .xrk | The logged data file a current AiM device writes | Copied from the device by Race Studio 3, or created by it. Devices such as the MXP, MXG, MXL2, EVO5 and MyChron5 write this format. |
| .xrz | A compressed .xrk. One .xrz holds exactly one .xrk. | Copied from the device by Race Studio 3. Devices with enough processing power compress the file to speed up the transfer. |
| .drk | Race Studio 2's data format: the sampled channels for a session | Created by the Race Studio 2 downloader, or by Race Studio 3 when exporting in the older format |
If you have a choice, keep the .xrk or .xrz: it is the format current AiM devices and Race Studio 3 use.
The other files you may see
| File | What it is |
|---|---|
| .rrk | The GPS information for a Race Studio 2 session, created alongside the .drk |
| .dat and .imd | A binary dump of the memory of an older device, such as an EVO3, EVO4, MyChron3, MyChron4 or MXL, made by the Race Studio 2 downloader |
| .bak | Race Studio 2 Analysis's backup copy of the original .drk |
| .gpk | Transformed GPS information written by Race Studio 2 Analysis |
| .mov | Video recorded by an AiM SmartyCam |
| .bmo | Metadata Race Studio 3 takes from a SmartyCam .mov |
None of these is a lap file you would upload on its own. The .rrk, .bak and .gpk files belong to a Race Studio 2 session, and the .dat and .imd files are what Race Studio 2 turns into one.
Opening .xrk and .xrz files
Race Studio 3 is AiM's own software for these files. LapLift also reads .xrk and .xrz files directly, in a browser on any computer or phone: upload the file straight from the logger's memory or SD card and the laps, GPS track and channels come out without an export step. There is no need to decompress an .xrz first.
Turning an .xrk into a CSV
There are two ways. In Race Studio 3, AiM's manual describes exporting a session in the Race Studio 2 .csv format, and its split reports can be saved as comma-separated files.
In LapLift, upload the .xrk, and use Export CSV (Download CSV on a phone). You pick the channels, the laps and the sample rate, and the file is written from the decoded data. Speed in that CSV is always in mph, whatever units the charts are set to.
If you only have a .drk
A .drk written by Race Studio 2 uses an older binary format that LapLift's AiM reader cannot open, and LapLift tells you so when you upload one. Export the session from Race Studio 2 as a CSV and upload that instead. LapLift reads Race Studio CSV exports, which have a header block, a units row and then the data.
Sources
File definitions are from AiM's LearnFast guide to Race Studio file types and the Race Studio 3 Analysis manual.
Questions
What is the difference between .xrk and .xrz?
An .xrz is a compressed .xrk. One .xrz contains one .xrk, and devices that can compress their files do so to shorten the download. LapLift and Race Studio 3 open both.
Can I open an .xrk file without Race Studio?
Yes. LapLift reads .xrk and .xrz files in a browser, with no install, and shows the laps, channels and GPS track.
How do I convert an .xrk to CSV?
Export it from Race Studio 3 in the Race Studio 2 .csv format, or upload it to LapLift and use Export CSV, where you choose the channels, laps and sample rate.
Why won't my .drk file open?
Race Studio 2 .drk files use an older format that LapLift's AiM reader can't decode. Export the session from Race Studio 2 as a CSV and upload that.
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