What is the TST file format?
A .tst file is a project file format associated with the TestPoint software application, originally developed by Capital Equipment Corporation (CEC) and later transferred to Measurement Computing Corporation (MCC). .tst files store test cases along with their settings - specifically the instructions, instrument configuration and measurement parameters that drive a TestPoint data-acquisition or test-automation session. TestPoint is used to test software applications or external devices against defined test scenarios, with a focus on scientific, laboratory and industrial measurement tasks such as capturing voltage, current, pressure and speed.
Testing with TestPoint supports two main approaches:
- Blackbox testing - the tested program or device is treated as a blackbox. The tester has no information about its internal design and validates functionality by passing known input data and observing the output.
- Whitebox testing - the target's specification is documented and well-known, and test cases are designed according to that knowledge, focusing on the internal structure of the program or device.
The .tst application file holds the compiled instructions and object code that the TestPoint runtime executes. Because the format is proprietary and binary, files can only be reliably opened by the TestPoint application. The .tst extension is also reused by several unrelated programs. Template files use the companion .tpl extension.
Security & safety
RISK: MEDIUMA TestPoint .tst carries executable application instructions (it's effectively a saved program for the TestPoint runtime), so only open .tst files from trusted sources within TestPoint - a malicious or tampered test file could perform unintended instrument actions or operations. The file format itself isn't a common malware vector, but because the extension is shared with many other programs, be sure you know which application a given .tst belongs to before running it. Inspecting it first in a text/hex editor is harmless.
Format details
in a nutshell- QuickBooks backup/data file - Intuit QuickBooks has historically written .tst files as a data/test file; unrelated to TestPoint.
- Generic test/temporary file - Many programs emit a throwaway '.tst' as a self-test or temporary output, with no fixed format.
- ChessBase / game test set - Some chess and other niche apps use .tst for test/position sets; unrelated to TestPoint.
Programs that open TST files
Windows2 apps
TestPoint
Paid Open the .tst in the TestPoint application (Measurement Computing). It is the only program that runs a TestPoint test file.
Any text/hex editor (to identify)
Open-source Open in Notepad++ or a hex viewer to check readable strings and confirm whether the .tst is really a TestPoint file or came from another program. Technical details
deep spec| Developer | Originally Capital Equipment Corporation (CEC); now maintained under Measurement Computing Corporation (MCC) |
| Platform | Windows only |
| Format type | Proprietary binary application/instruction file |
| Encoding | Binary (proprietary); may embed TestPoint script or source text |
| Byte order | Little-endian (Windows application convention) |
| MIME type | application/octet-stream |
| Compression | None documented |
| Encryption | None documented |
| Typical file size | A few KB to a few hundred KB |
| Magic bytes | No publicly documented file signature; identified by association with the TestPoint runtime |
| Internal version | Tied to the TestPoint application version that created the file |
| Primary use | Storing instrument settings, test logic and measurement parameters for data-acquisition and test-automation sessions |
| Target domains | Scientific, laboratory and industrial test-and-measurement environments |
| Related extensions | .tpl (TestPoint template), .tap |
| Released | 1990s (TestPoint data-acquisition/test-automation software for Windows) |
| Latest version | Tied to the TestPoint application version that created it |
| Specification | www.mccdaq.com |
TST conversions
Community Q&A
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