What is the ALB file format?
Files with the .alb extension store library and data dictionary elements generated by the Alpha Five (now Alpha Anywhere) development environment.
Alpha Five was a rapid-application development environment with an integrated relational database engine for building desktop and, later, mobile applications. The .alb library file is a companion to an .adb database project and is automatically loaded by Alpha Anywhere when the associated database is opened.
ALB files stored Alpha Five library entries, including settings, images used in a given project, menu and toolbar designs, user-defined functions, import/export definitions, and references to other resources. Alpha Five had a menu option to assign selected .alb files to new projects, making it straightforward to share common UI elements across applications.
In 2013 Alpha Five officially changed its name to Alpha Anywhere after migrating to a subscription-based model focused on mobile computing. Alpha Anywhere continues to actively support the ALB format and remains under development as of 2025.
An .alb file is not a standalone document - it is always tied to an .adb database project and cannot be meaningfully opened in isolation. Some early versions stored the library content in a plain-text format readable in a text editor, but the format is proprietary and undocumented.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWAn .ALB file is a developer library/data-dictionary file with no executable stand-alone code. Opening it in a text editor (for legacy plain-text versions) is safe. Because Alpha Anywhere scripts (Xbasic) embedded in the library could theoretically contain harmful logic if executed inside the IDE, only open .ALB files from trusted project sources. Do not attempt to open an unknown .alb in Alpha Anywhere without verifying its origin.
Format details
in a nutshell- JASC Image Commander Album - JASC Software's now-discontinued Image Commander photo management tool used .alb for photo album/catalog files - the format is obsolete (JASC acquired by Corel in 2004).
- Alphacam Laser VB Macro - Alphacam CAD/CAM software uses .alb for VB macro library files; niche CNC/manufacturing context.
Programs that open ALB files
Windows2 apps
Alpha Anywhere
Paid Open the parent database project (.ADB / .SET) in Alpha Anywhere; the .ALB is loaded automatically. Subscription required.
Any text editor (for legacy plain-text versions only)
Free Some older Alpha Five .ALB files are stored as plain text; open in Notepad or VS Code to inspect - but modern versions may be binary. Technical details
deep spec| Format type | Proprietary developer library and data dictionary file; no public format specification |
| Encoding | Binary (or structured plain text in some early legacy versions) |
| Byte order | Little-endian |
| Companion file | .adb (Alpha Anywhere database project) - the .alb is automatically loaded by Alpha Anywhere when the associated database set is opened |
| Stored contents | Toolbar and menu definitions, user-defined functions and scripts, bitmaps, import/export definitions, and application-level settings |
| MIME type | application/octet-stream (no registered MIME type) |
| Version compatibility | Tied to the Alpha Five / Alpha Anywhere version that created it; major version updates may change the internal structure |
| Typical file size | A few KB to a few MB, scaling with the number of stored library elements such as menus and scripts |
| Platform | Windows only |
| Integrity | No documented checksum or internal signature |
| Standalone use | Cannot be opened or used independently of its associated .adb project; automatically managed by the Alpha Anywhere IDE |
| File identification | No stable magic bytes; identified by extension and by its association with Alpha Anywhere .adb project files |
| Legacy plain-text variant | Some early Alpha Five versions wrote .alb files in a plain-text format readable in a text editor, but this is not reliable across versions |
| Product lineage | Alpha Five was the original desktop RAD product; renamed Alpha Anywhere in 2013 when the platform shifted to mobile and subscription-based development |
| Released | mid-1990s (Alpha Five desktop RAD environment) |
| Latest version | Alpha Anywhere 2025 (actively updated as of 2025) |
| Specification | www.alphasoftware.com |
ALB conversions
Community Q&A
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