.prc File Extension
.prc file is a Palm application, Mobipocket ebook, or Product Representation Compact 3D model, and how to open it safely. File extension details for .prc
Storage Only| File type | Palm resource, Mobipocket ebook, or Product Representation Compact 3D model |
|---|---|
| MIME type | |
| Encoding | Binary; the structures are unrelated despite sharing the .prc suffix |
| Operating systems | Windows, macOS, Linux, Palm OS |
| Opens with | Adobe Acrobat Pro (3D PRC), calibre (Mobipocket PRC), Palm OS tools (Palm PRC) |
| Poly support | Yes. Poly safely stores, syncs, shares, and versions .prc files. |
| Indexed by Poly | Filename only. Poly does not infer a format from this ambiguous suffix. |
| Preview in Poly | No. Download the file and open it with a format-specific application. |
| Poly agent | No. The agent cannot inspect the contents of a stored .prc file. |
What kind of file is a .prc?
A .prc file can contain several unrelated binary formats. Do not choose an application from the suffix alone:
- Palm OS resource database: a Palm application or resource container, closely related to the
.pdbdatabase structure. A PRC can include executable code resources, so treat an unknown Palm file as software rather than as a document.1 - Mobipocket ebook: early Mobipocket books used
.prcbefore.mobibecame common. This variant normally uses the de factoapplication/x-mobipocket-ebookMIME type.2 - Product Representation Compact model: an ISO-standardized CAD exchange format registered as
model/prc. It stores 3D geometry, product structure, and manufacturing metadata, and can also be embedded in PDF.34
Check the contents before opening or converting. A 3D PRC starts with ASCII PRC, or hexadecimal 50 52 43. A Mobipocket PRC has BOOKMOBI or TEXTREAD beginning at byte offset 60. The three-byte 3D signature is not unique, so a parser should still validate the rest of the file.24
.prc file to .mobi, .pdf, or another extension does not convert it. Palm PRC files may contain executable code, while complex 3D files can exhaust viewer resources. Open untrusted files only with current, sandboxed software.How do I open a .prc on my computer?
Identify the variant first, then use a matching tool:
- Open an unprotected Mobipocket PRC with calibre on Windows, macOS, or Linux. calibre accepts only PRC ebooks with
TEXTREADorMOBIBookheaders and can convert them to EPUB or PDF.5 - Use Adobe Acrobat Pro to place a 3D PRC model into a PDF. Adobe lists PRC as a supported 3D format, although 3D features are disabled by default in current Acrobat settings.6
- Inspect a Palm application with a Palm OS emulator or specialist preservation tool. Do not run it merely to discover what it contains.
Browsers do not provide a general-purpose .prc viewer. If one program rejects the file, verify its signature instead of trying random importers.
Poly support for .prc
Poly stores, syncs, shares, versions, and finds .prc files by name. Because the suffix can mean an executable Palm resource, an ebook, or a CAD model, Poly does not infer one format from the filename and does not preview or content-index .prc files.
A verified Mobipocket book supplied with the accurate application/x-mobipocket-ebook type may receive Poly's document processing. The .prc suffix alone does not trigger it. Standalone model/prc and Palm application files remain available for download and filename search.
History of .prc
Palm used PRC resource databases for standalone applications by the early PDA era. Mobipocket reused the Palm container for its XDOC PRC ebook format in 2000, then moved toward the .mobi suffix.12
The 3D meaning has a separate origin. TTF developed Product Representation Compact in 2003; Adobe acquired the company in 2006. PRC became ISO 14739-1 in December 2014, and IANA registered model/prc in March 2022.34
Working with .prc and alternatives
| If the file contains | Practical destination | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mobipocket ebook | EPUB | Open, reflowable, and broadly supported |
| Product Representation Compact | PDF with embedded PRC, STEP, or another CAD exchange format | Preserves the workflow your recipient supports |
| Palm application | Original PRC plus documented emulator setup | Avoids pretending executable resources are ordinary data |
Conversion can lose ebook navigation, CAD precision, product metadata, or Palm behavior. Keep the original, record how you identified it, and verify the converted result in the intended reader or engineering application.
Footnotes
- Palm, Inc. Palm File Format Specification: PDB and PRC Database Formats. The PRC form can contain code resources as well as data. ↩ ↩2
- Library of Congress. Mobipocket File Format. Documents the Palm-based container,
.prchistory, and Mobipocket signatures. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 - International Organization for Standardization. ISO 14739-1:2014. Defines PRC 10001 for 3D visualization and exchange. ↩ ↩2
- Internet Assigned Numbers Authority. model/prc Media Type Registration. Records the binary encoding,
PRCsignature, extension, security considerations, and PDF use. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 - calibre. Frequently Asked Questions: Supported Conversion Formats. Explains that PRC is generic and limits ebook support to recognized headers. ↩
- Adobe. Supported File Formats in Acrobat. Lists PRC among Acrobat's supported 3D formats. ↩