Can't open or convert PDP files

[kirtskiVMW]

We have OLD files that are PDP but we can't open them.  These files were written in the early 1990's!  I don't think "PDP" then means what "PDP" means in the more modern era?  Does anyone out there (old grey-hairs like me) know of any old utilities that open or convert the OLD PDP format from way back then?  I'm trying to get to a long-standing product manager within Adobe if you can hook me up.  There might be some legacy utilities available from back in the day.  We've tried all the modern era converters that we could get our hands on.  Photoshop too, on Mac and Windows.  Any ideas?

[Jeff Arola]

Do you know what program/application produced the files?

Mac or windows?

There are several programs at least that use that file format like Print Shop Deluxe, Business Plan Pro and sometimes pdf files use the pdp file extension.

You tried photoshop elements and adobe acrobat reader or acrobat reader dc?

You might be able to open the file into Text Edit (mac) or Notepad (windows) and usually near the top of files there might be the application name that wrote the file.

[kirtskiVMW]

We don't know what program wrote the files but we heard that a program called PaperGate could open them, but we lost the ability to find that program around ten years ago (our client had it and lost it).

Good tip on using a clear text editor.  I opened a 33K file and I don't see anything discernible, it's all gibberish.  Perhaps looking at it with something other than ascii?

Correct, Elements, Reader, and Reader DC get "not supported file type" error when trying to open.  Other converters we've tried have various ways to say they don't like the format.