Task 793: .VSM File Format

.VSM File Format Specifications

After extensive searching across web sources, documentation, manuals, and related sites, the .VSM file extension is primarily associated with two proprietary formats:

• VisSim/Altair Embed Simulation Model: Used by Altair Embed (formerly VisSim) for block diagram simulation models in embedded system development. This is a binary format for storing diagrams, blocks, and simulation data, but no public specifications, internal structure (e.g., headers, fields, byte layout), or decoding details are available. The format is undocumented and proprietary to Altair.
• Ventsim Model File: Used by Ventsim DESIGN for mine ventilation simulation models. This is a highly compressed binary format that cannot be read by external programs. An alternative TAB-separated text export exists, requiring a specific header line (to identify as Ventsim-compatible) and a footer line ("END"). However, no detailed column definitions, field types, or full structure are publicly documented in manuals or tutorials.

No public, detailed file format specifications (e.g., binary layout, headers, data types, or encoding) were found for any .VSM variant. Both main uses are proprietary, and attempts to extract structure from user guides, PDFs, and related resources yielded no technical details beyond basic saving/loading descriptions.

List of properties intrinsic to this file format:
Due to the proprietary nature, no intrinsic properties (e.g., headers, fields, data structures) specific to the .VSM format's internal structure are publicly available. Common file system-level properties (applicable to any file, not unique to .VSM) include:

• File extension: .vsm
• MIME type: Unknown/application-specific (not standardized)
• Size: Variable, depending on model complexity (binary versions are compressed)
• Creation/modification dates: Standard file system timestamps
• Permissions: Standard read/write/execute based on OS
• For Ventsim text export variant: TAB-separated values with mandatory header and "END" footer; reloadable into Ventsim if structure unchanged.

Two direct download links for .VSM files:
No public direct download links to sample .VSM files were found across searches, tutorials, or documentation sites. Samples are typically bundled with the proprietary software (e.g., Altair Embed examples in installation folders like SQPSK_Modulator.vsm, or Ventsim tutorial models). Users must download the full software from official sites like altair.com or ventsim.com to access included examples. No standalone .VSM files are publicly hosted.

3-7. Code for parsing .VSM files:
Without public specifications, it is impossible to write accurate code for decoding, reading, writing, or printing properties of .VSM files. Any attempt would be speculative and likely incorrect. For the Ventsim text variant, basic TAB-parsing could be done (e.g., reading as CSV with tabs), but without column details, it's not meaningful. If public specs become available in the future, code could be developed; currently, this cannot be completed truthfully.