What is the OCD file format?
An .ocd file is the native map file of OCAD, the Swiss-made cartography application that has been the de facto standard for orienteering and outdoor event mapping since 1988. It stores a complete digital map: geographic feature objects (points, lines, and areas) assigned to a symbol set, CMYK color definitions, and optional background raster image references.
Coordinate data uses a map-relative integer system where 1 unit equals 0.01 mm at the map's print scale, giving sub-millimetre precision without floating-point complexity. Symbol sets follow official International Orienteering Federation (IOF) specifications - ISOM 2017-2 for forest terrain, ISSprOM 2019-2 for sprint courses, and ISSkiOM 2019 for ski orienteering.
The binary file begins with the two-byte value 0x0CAD (little-endian), which encodes the application name in hexadecimal. A version byte immediately follows, indicating the format revision (v6 through v12). OCAD 2024 saves as version 12.
Alongside the commercial OCAD software (Windows; macOS support added in OCAD 2022), OpenOrienteering Mapper is the primary free open-source alternative, supporting .ocd versions 6-12 and exporting to KML and SHP for use in broader GIS toolchains.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWBinary vector map data with no scripting. No known security risks.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open OCD files
Windows2 apps
OCAD
Paid File → Open → select .ocd file. OCAD is the native application; all versions of OCD files open directly. 
OpenOrienteering Mapper
Open-source File → Open → select .ocd file (supports format versions 6-12). Free alternative to OCAD. 
macOS2 apps
Linux1 app
Technical details
deep spec| File signature | `0x0CAD` as little-endian 16-bit integer at byte offset 0 |
| Format version byte | Stored at offset 2; values 6-12 correspond to OCAD 6 through OCAD 2024 |
| Byte order | Little-endian |
| Coordinate unit | 1 unit = 0.01 mm at map print scale; integer arithmetic throughout |
| IOF symbol standards | ISOM 2017-2 (forest), ISSprOM 2019-2 (sprint), ISSkiOM 2019 (ski orienteering) |
| Feature object types | Point, line, area, text, and rectangle map features |
| Color model | CMYK per symbol for print-accurate color reproduction |
| Background raster support | Georeferenced image templates embeddable as layer references |
| Open-source support | OpenOrienteering Mapper reads and writes OCD versions 6-12 |
| Typical file size | 100 KB - 50 MB depending on map detail and object count |
| Compression / encryption | None in the native format |
| macOS availability | OCAD 2022 added native macOS support; earlier versions were Windows-only |
| Export targets | PDF, EPS, TIFF, SVG, KML, SHP, DXF via OCAD software |
| Primary use | Orienteering, rogaining, mountain bike, and ski event mapping |
| Released | 1988 (OCAD 1.0) |
| Latest version | OCAD 2024 / file format version 12 |
| Specification | ocad.com |
OCD conversions
Community Q&A
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