WoW:WDB file

WDB files, Warcraft Data Base files or .wdb, are created by World of Warcraft to cache data retrieved from its game servers.

WDB files regroup data downloaded in chunks. The data inside is ordered from first to last downloaded.

Header

The header is of 16 bytes for pre-1.6 files, and 20 bytes for post-BC files:

• Signature : 4-bytes char signature
• Build: 4 bytes int identifying the build
• Locale: 4 bytes char identifying the locale, inversed (i.e.: SUne)
• Unknown: Unknown 4 bytes int, added in 1.6 (maybe first compatible client build for this db version. to be veryfied)
• Unknown: Unknown 4 bytes int, added in 1.6 (region code, to be veryfied)
• Unknown: Unknown 4 bytes, added in 3.0.8.9464, always null

Signatures

Signatures, just like locales, are reversed in the header.

Signature	File	Stands for
BDIW	Itemcache.wdb	Warcraft Item Database
BDNW	Itemnamecache.wdb	Warcraft Item Name Database
BOGW	Gameobjectcache.wdb	Warcraft Game Object Database
BOMW	Creaturecache.wdb	Warcraft MOB Database
CPNW	Npccache.wdb	Warcraft NPC Database
NDRW	Wowcache.wdb	Warden Cache
TSQW	Questcache.wdb	Warcraft Quest Database
XTIW	Itemtextcache.wdb	Warcraft Item Text Database
XTPW	Pagetextcache.wdb	Warcraft Page Text Database

EntryLength

The EntryLength is the length in bytes of the cached row. It is always found in the second column and helps the game determinate corrupted cache entries as well as optimizing the reading process. Rows with an incorrect EntryLength are cleared on log in.

EOF

All WDB files end with 8 times \x00.

See also

• DBC file
• DB2 file