How to access data in MediCollector files (without exporting)

This post is for advanced users who want to access data in MediCollector datafiles directly.  

Normally, to access the data in a MediCollector datafile, you would use the MediCollector software to export the data it into a standard file format like a tab-delimited CSV file or an EDF file. This is done from within MediCollector by choosing FILE>EXPORT from the menu.  The resulting file can then be imported into other applications like Excel, Matlab, SAS, R, etc.  

But with a little programming effort, you can actually skip the export step and access the data directly in the .medi datafile.

Before continuing, I highly suggest you read through our FAQ, because it contains a lot of useful information about datafiles etc.  Below, I will provide more details for our advanced users:

WARNING!  
Please be aware that this is for advanced users only.  For the majority of users, we recommend simply choosing FILE>EXPORT to get your data into 3rd party application.  But if you are a good programmer, please continue reading. 

What is the .medi file format?
MediCollector stores data in files that have a ".medi" file extension.  These files are stored using a compressed binary format called TDMS. This format is an open standard maintained by National Instruments.

How do I directly access data in .medi files?
If desired, you can use third-party tools and programming languages to access data in .medi files directly.  And you can even install plugins into programs like Excel to load .medi files directly.  Below are various resources to help you get started with this.

• How to open files directly from Excel
• How to  access data from other 3rd Party Applications

Do you have any Matlab examples?
Yes!  Please download our example Matlab code for loading and plotting data directly from .medi files.  This zip file contains instructions, an example Matlab script, and some required 3rd party components to make it all work.  This code is provided without technical support.  So you are on your own!  If you aren't a skilled a Matlab programmer, we suggest you just EXPORT your data into a TXT or EDF file and then import it into Matlab.