home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Freelog 65
/
Freelog065.iso
/
BAS
/
Bureautique
/
Gnumeric
/
gnumeric-1.3.92-rc1.exe
/
files-formats.xml
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
2004-11-01
|
80KB
|
3,188 lines
<sect1 id="sect-file-formats">
<title>File Formats</title>
<para>
&gnum; supports numerous file formats in addition to its own XML
based format. The table below lists the formats currently
supported. In the table below, the name of the format is a link
which can be used to jump to the section which discusses the
format.
</para>
<!-- TABLE TABLE TABLE TABLE TABLE TABLE -->
<table frame='all'><title>The file formats supported by &gnum;</title>
<tgroup cols='4' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<thead>
<row>
<entry align="left">Format</entry>
<entry align="left">Extension</entry>
<entry align="left">Open</entry>
<entry align="left">Save</entry>
</row>
</thead>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-gnumeric">Gnumeric</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.gnumeric</literal> / <literal>.gnm</literal></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-applix">Applix</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.as</literal></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
<entry></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-csv">Comma Separated Values</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.csv</literal></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-dif">Data Interchange Format</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.dif</literal></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-oleo">GNU Oleo</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.oleo</literal></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
<entry></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-html">HTML</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.html</literal> / <literal>.htm</literal></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-latex">LaTeX</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.tex</literal></entry>
<entry></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-mps">Linear and Integer Program</link></entry>
<entry>none / <literal>.mps</literal></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
<entry></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-lotus">Lotus 1-2-3</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.wk1</literal> / <literal>.wks</literal></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
<entry></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-excel">Microsoft Excel</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.xls</literal></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-multiplan">Multiplan SYLK</link></entry>
<entry><literal>none / .slk</literal></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
<entry></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-ooo">OpenOffice.Org / StarOffice</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.sxc</literal></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-planperfect">Plan Perfect</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.pln</literal></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
<entry></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-ps">Postscript</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.ps</literal> / <literal>.eps</literal></entry>
<entry></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-pdf">PDF</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.pdf</literal></entry>
<entry></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-qpro">Quattro Pro</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.wb1</literal> / <literal>.wb2</literal> / <literal>.wb3</literal></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
<entry></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-sc">SC/XSpread</link></entry>
<entry>none / .<literal>sc</literal></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
<entry></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-tab">Tab Separated Values</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.tsv</literal> / <literal>.tab</literal></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-text">Text Formats</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.txt</literal> / <literal>.text</literal></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-troff">TROFF</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.me</literal></entry>
<entry></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-xbase">Xbase</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.dbf</literal></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
<entry></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry><link linkend="file-format-xhtml">XHTML</link></entry>
<entry><literal>.xhtml</literal> / <literal>.html</literal></entry>
<entry></entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</table>
<!-- TABLE TABLE TABLE TABLE TABLE TABLE -->
<sect2 id="file-format-gnumeric">
<title>&gnum; XML File Format</title>
<para>
The &gnum; file format is based on the eXtensible Markup
Language (XML) and is used as the default file format.
</para>
<note>
<para>
&gnum; is currently using two different systems to process
XML.
</para>
<para>
The newer system is based on the SAX processing method for XML
and is substantially faster than the older method. This code
is based in a plugin module. The exporter is currently used
by default but the importer is still incomplete.
</para>
<para>
The older system is part of the core &gnum; program and is
still used to open files in the &gnum; format.
</para>
</note>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>The Gnumeric file format</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry><literal>.gnumeric</literal></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>&gnum;</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Both</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
This is the default file format and therefore has the best
support of all the formats available. Every feature that
can be created in the spreadsheet should be savable using
this format.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The &gnum; file format is handled using two different code
bases. The older version is part of the application
itself. The newer version is in a plugin called
"EXPERIMENTAL SAX based XML" because the parser is based
on SAX.
<!-- TODO: explain SAX differences and advantages. -->
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The &gnum; file format stores the file contents in the
eXtensible Markup Language (XML) and compresses the file
using the GNU project's <application>gzip</application>
compression library.
</para>
<para>
The &gnum; file format is designed to be flexible and
powerful. The format is easily processed by computers. The
format can readily be improved as gnumeric develops
without breaking compatibility with older versions. The
format is designed to be easily translated into text so
that it can be read by humans.
</para>
<para>
&gnum; automatically recognizes the version of the file
format of any file saved since this format is contained in
the file header. The table below is for information
purposes only.
<!-- TABLE TABLE TABLE TABLE TABLE TABLE -->
<table frame='all'>
<title>Gnumeric XML format versions</title>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<thead>
<row>
<entry align="center">XML File Format Version</entry>
<entry align="center">Gnumeric Version</entry>
</row>
</thead>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>1</entry>
<entry></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>2</entry>
<entry></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>3</entry>
<entry>Since 0.52</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>4</entry>
<entry>Since 0.57</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>5</entry>
<entry>Since 0.58</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>6</entry>
<entry>Since 0.62</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>7</entry>
<entry>Since 0.66</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>8</entry>
<entry>Since 0.71</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>9</entry>
<entry>Since 0.73</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>10</entry>
<entry>Since 1.03</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</table>
</para>
<para>
An outdated PDF document discussing the &gnum; file format
which should provide a useful starting point was developed
by the JWorkbook project. The file can be downloaded from
<literal><ulink type="http"
url="http://www.jfree.org/jworkbook/gnumeric-xml.pdf">
http://www.jfree.org/jworkbook/gnumeric-xml.pdf</ulink></literal>.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Further Processing</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Direct manipulation of &gnum; files is possible by
transforming the files to text files and then using
standard text file tools like document editors. In order
to read the contents a &gnum; file must first be
decompressed and can then be opened. In GNU systems, the
&gnum; default file "Book1.gnumeric" can be uncompressed
as follows:
<screen>
zcat Book1.gnumeric > Book1.text
</screen>
alternatively, the file can be renamed and then
uncompressed with the following pair of commands:
<screen>
cp Book1.gnumeric Book1.text.gz
gunzip Book1.text.gz
</screen>
both possibilities yield the file "Book1.text" which is
an ASCII text file. This file can be opened in any editor,
like <application>Vim</application> or
<application>Emacs</application>,
or pager, like <application>Less</application>.
</para>
<para></para>
<!-- TODO Ask Shaun: why is this needed to get a par break? -->
<!-- TODO: add uses of XML manipulation of .gnumeric files. -->
<para>
XML manipulation tools can be used to transform &gnum;
files and access the data they contain, since the file
format is XML. The file can be validated by a Document
Type Definition document. Each &gnum; file format version
has its own DTD.
<!-- TODO: get link to gnumeric DTD
These are available via the Internet
at <uri>http://www.gnome.org/projects/gnumeric/v10.dtd</uri>.
-->
</para>
<para>
The Java<trademark/> Language can be used to create,
access, or manipulate &gnum; format files using the
<application>JWorkbook</application> project library. See
the project's <ulink type="http"
url="http://http://www.jfree.org/jworkbook/index.html">
website</ulink> for details.
</para>
<para>
The C# language, through the
<application>mono</application> implementation can also be
used to manipulate &gnum; format files.
<!-- TODO: get link to C# version of JWorkbook
See the project's
<ulink type="http" linkend="" > website</ulink> for
details.
-->
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-applix">
<title>Applix File Format</title>
<para>
The Applix file format is used by the
<application>Applixware</application> group of applications which
include a spreadsheet component. The
<application>Applixware</application> spreadsheet is made by
<ulink type="http"
url="http://www.vistasource.com">Vistasource</ulink> and
claims to be a 'real-time', event driven software system.
</para>
<para>
&gnum; can read some files produced by the
<application>Applixware</application> spreadsheet.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>The Applix File Format</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>.as</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>The <application>Applixware</application> Spreadsheet</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Open only</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Saving <application>Applixware</application> files has
recently been disabled due to lack of developer
interest. Instead of directly saving a file in the
<application>Applix</application> format, files can be
exported to to <application>Applixware</application> can
be performed using the <link
linkend="file-format-excel">Excel</link> file format.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the Applix plugin.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-csv">
<title>Comma Separated Value (CSV) File Format</title>
<!-- TODO: explain locale prob- CSV file comma vs. decimal separator -->
<para>
The Comma Separated Value (CSV) file format is a common
structuring strategy for text format files. In CSV flies, each
line in the file represents a row of data and, within each line
of the file, the different data fields are separated from one
another using a comma. &gnum; handles CSV files through the text
importer and exporter but this format is given its own
definition in this document because it is such a common format.
</para>
<para>
&gnum; will automatically open CSV format files separating each
row into columns based on the presence of comma characters in
the file. If the automatic import leads to any errors, these can
generally be corrected by using the "Text Import (configurable)"
file format instead. Selecting that file format will launch the
<interface>Text Import</interface> druid which allows the user
to import CSV format files while specifying in greater detail
the settings of the import configuration parameters. See the
section on <link linkend="sect-file-textImport">importing text
files</link> or the section on <link
linkend="sect-file-textExport">exporting text files</link> for
an explanation of how to open or save CSV files through the
<interface>Text Import</interface> druid.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Comma Separated Value, CSV</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>.csv, .txt</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Many</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Both</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The CSV file format is only useful for the exchange of
cell data and cannot be used for sheet objects like
graphical plots. This file format cannot save the
formatting of cell contents, backgrounds or borders.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the core &gnum; program.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
CSV files are simple text files where each row of the text
file represents one row in the spreadsheet and where the
cells within a row are separated from each other by a
comma.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Further Processing</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
CSV files can be processed using any tool which operates
on text files. The CSV format is also common as a format
which can be opened by applications.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
<para>
<emphasis role="italic">See the section on </emphasis>
<link linkend="file-format-text">Text Formats</link>
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-dif">
<title>Data Interchange Format (DIF) File Format</title>
<para>
The Data Interchange Format (DIF) file format is a text based
format encoded in ASCII with a header, for integrity
checking, and a body. The format was originally developed by
Software Arts in order to transfer data from
<application>VisiCalc</application>, the first spreadsheet.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Data Interchange Format</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>.dif</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Various</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Both</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Since the DIF format only supports a single worksheet,
&gnum; only exports the top worksheet in the view used to
save the workbook.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the <quote>Data Interchange Format
(DIF) module</quote> plug-in.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The format is a text file, encoded in ASCII, with a header
and body.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Further Processing</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The file can be processed as a text file or imported to
any program that recognizes the DIF format.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-oleo">
<title>GNU Oleo File Format</title>
<para>
The GNU Oleo file format is the format used by the GNU Oleo
spreadsheet, one of the early free software spreadsheets. The
GNU Oleo project has stagnated so this format is only supported
to enable the import of old files.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>GNU Oleo</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Unknown</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry><application>GNU oleo</application></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Open Only</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the 'GNU Oleo' plugin.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<!-- TODO: html format edit limitations, encodings. -->
<!-- TODO: html format edit fragment handling (cut and paste) -->
<sect2 id="file-format-html">
<title>The HTML File Format</title>
<para>
The Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file format is a text file
format with markup in the Hypertext Markup Language. These files
are designed to be viewed in a web browser.
</para>
<para>
&gnum; can save the cell contents in a worksheet to a text file
which consists either of entire, well formed HTML files of
version 3.2 or 4.0, or of a file fragment which contains only a
<table> structure and must be inserted into an HTML
file. &gnum; can also open files which consist only of simple,
well formed HTML <table> structures.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Names:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>.html, .htm</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Any Web Browser, any text editor</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Save Only, but also can import HTML <table>
structures</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Only the cell contents of a worksheet are saved with sheet
object elements, such as graphical plots, ignored.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the 'HTML & TeX' plugin.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<!-- TODO remove or improve HTML examples
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The following figures illustrate the output of the
different HTML file formats.
</para>
<figure id="fig-file-format-html32-ex1">
<title>An HTML 3.2 format file</title>
<screenshot>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata fileref="figures/files-html32-example.png"
format="PNG" />
</imageobject>
<textobject>
<phrase>An image of the rendered output of an HTML 3.2
format file generated by Gnumeric.</phrase>
</textobject>
</mediaobject>
</screenshot>
</figure>
<figure id="file-format-html40-ex1">
<title>An HTML 4.0 format file</title>
<screenshot>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata fileref="figures/files-html40-example.png"
format="PNG" />
</imageobject>
<textobject>
<phrase>An image of the rendered output of an HTML 4.0
format file generated by Gnumeric.</phrase>
</textobject>
</mediaobject>
</screenshot>
</figure>
<figure id="fig-file-format-html-fragment">
<title>An HTML fragment</title>
<screenshot>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata fileref="figures/files-html-example.png"
format="PNG" />
</imageobject>
<textobject>
<phrase>An image of the rendered output of an HTML fragment
format file generated by Gnumeric, after the
incorporation of this fragment into a valid
HTML file.</phrase>
</textobject>
</mediaobject>
</screenshot>
</figure>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
-->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Further Processing</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
All these files can be opened by any text editor. The HTML
3.2 and 4.0 format files can be opened by any web browser
such as <application>Mozilla</application>.
</para>
<para>
Files which are generated as HTML fragments must be placed
into an HTML file with a valid pre-amble and closing
statements.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
<para>
<emphasis role="italic">See Also:</emphasis>
<link linkend="file-format-xhtml">XHTML Format</link>
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-latex">
<title>LaTeX File Format</title>
<para>
The LaTeX file format is a text file format with markup in the
LaTeX 2ε derivative of the TeX family of languages.
</para>
<para>
&gnum; generates LaTeX files to allow the export of tables of
numeric values for use in the LaTeX document processing
system. LaTeX is a derived format of the TeX system. The files
generated by &gnum; are designed to be used by a LaTeX
processor, such as <application>latex</application> or
<application>pdflatex</application>, to generate files in
viewable formats such as Device Independent (DVI), Postscript
(PS) or Portable Document Format (PDF).
</para>
<para>
The generated files can either be processed directly or can be
included in other LaTeX files.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>LaTeX</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>.tex</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry><application>latex</application>,
<application>pdflatex</application></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Save only</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
&gnum; generates a LaTeX <literal>longtable</literal>
structure which contains only the contents of the cells in
the worksheet displayed in the view at the time the file
was created.
</para>
<para>
Font coloring is supported. Thin cell borders are
translated into single lines and thick cell borders are
translated into double lines. Cell background colors are
ignored.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the 'HTML & TeX' plugin.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The generated file includes extensive documentation in TeX
comment fields, to explain how to use and alter the
file. Lines in the file which are comments begin and end
with double percent symbols (%%). Lines which are designed
as user options begin with a single percent symbol (%)
which can be deleted to make the LaTeX command on that
line take effect.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Further Processing</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The LaTeX files generated by &gnum; can either be
processed directly by a LaTeX processor or can be included
as tables in other files. The files can be included by
reference as explained below or can be pasted into other
files at the appropriate location. The file can also be
altered to change certain parameters. These alterations
are explained as comments within the file itself and are
presented below.
</para>
<para>
The file created by &gnum; can be run directly through a
LaTeX processor without any modifications. For example, if
the file were saved as <filename>Book1.tex</filename>, the
following command
<screen>
pdflatex Book1.tex
</screen>
generates a PDF file named
<filename>Book1.pdf</filename>. The file can be generated
in landscape format and the headers, footers and column
widths of the file can be altered in the manner explained
below.
</para>
<para></para>
<!-- TODO Ask Shaun: why is this needed to get a par break? -->
<para>
The file can also be included within another LaTeX file to
provide a single table. This requires, first, ensuring
that all the packages which will be needed are included, and
second, defining a LaTeX variable which is used as a dummy
tag to exclude the preamble used to process the file on
its own. The LaTeX file generated by &gnum; requires using
the following lines in the preamble
<screen>
\usepackage{ucs}
\usepackage{utf8}{inputenc}
\usepackage{color}
\usepackage{array}
\usepackage{longtable}
\usepackage{calc}
\usepackage{multirow}
\usepackage{hhline}
\usepackage{ifthen}
</screen>
to include each of these packages. Optionally, to include
the table in landscape mode, the preamble also needs the line
<screen>
\usepackage{lscape}
</screen>
to include the <literal>lscape</literal> package. Second,
the following line
<screen>
\def\inputGnumericTable{}
</screen>
must be included to make the LaTeX processor ignore the
preamble section of the file generated by &gnum;. The
generated file can be included either by adding, at the
appropriate location in the other file, the line
<screen>
\input{<replaceable>mygnumericfile.tex</replaceable>}
</screen>
with the text <literal>mygnumericfile</literal> replaced
with the appropriate file name or by pasting the entire
file generated by &gnum; into the other file.
</para>
<para></para>
<!-- TODO Ask Shaun: why is this needed to get a par break? -->
<para>
An option is provided in the file allows the table to be
presented in landscape mode which allows wider tables to
be included. For files which are to be processed
independently, the option can be changed in the document
class definition
<screen>
\documentclass[12pt%
%,landscape%
]{report}
</screen>
by removing the percent symbol (%) in front of
<literal>,landscape</literal>. For files to be included as
tables in other LaTeX files, the preamble must include the
<literal>lscape</literal> package, as was explained above,
and the two commands
<screen>
\def\gnumericTableEnd{\end{landscape}}
\begin{landscape}
</screen>
must have the leading percent sign removed.
</para>
<para></para>
<!-- TODO Ask Shaun: why is this needed to get a par break? -->
<para>
An option is provided to change the widths of the columns
of the file generated by &gnum;. By default, the file
attempts to maintain the proportions between the columns
in the &gnum; worksheet, yet scale the resulting table for
the width of the paper defined in LaTeX. To change the
column widths, look for the section in the
<application>LaTeX</application> file with lines that look
like
<screen>
\def\gnumericColA{107pt*\gnumericScale}
\def\gnumericColB{89pt*\gnumericScale}
\def\gnumericColC{98pt*\gnumericScale}
\def\gnumericColD{89pt*\gnumericScale}
\def\gnumericColE{89pt*\gnumericScale}
</screen>
and that may have as many entries as there were columns in
the worksheet. The TeX 'lengths' defined for each column
can be changed. For example, change the second column
(Column B) to a width of 0.75 inches, we would simply have
to modify this code to:
<screen>
\def\gnumericColA{107pt*\gnumericScale}
\def\gnumericColB{0.75in}
\def\gnumericColC{98pt*\gnumericScale}
\def\gnumericColD{89pt*\gnumericScale}
\def\gnumericColE{89pt*\gnumericScale}
</screen>
and the resulting file would have a second column 0.75
inches wide.
</para>
<para></para>
<!-- TODO Ask Shaun: why is this needed to get a par break? -->
<para>
An option to change the headers and footers of the table
is provided as well. The file itself contains comments on
how to alter these but the choices will require seeing the
documentation of the <literal>longtable</literal> LaTeX
package. See that documentation and the contents of the
file generated by &gnum; for details.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-mps">
<title>Linear and Integer Program Expression (MPS) File Format</title>
<para>
The Linear and Integer Program Expression file format is a text
file format, encoded as ASCII, which uses fixed columns. The
format was developed by International Business Machines
Corporation to express linear and integer programs.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Linear and Integer Program Expression (MPS)</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>none / .mps</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Various linear programming applications</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Open only</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the 'Linear and integer expression (MPS)
format module' plug-in.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The Argonne National Laboratory of the United States has a
simple <ulink type="ftp"
url="http://www-unix.mcs.anl.gov/otc/Guide/faq/linear-programming-faq.html#Q5"
>introduction</ulink>
to the MPS format on their web site.
</para>
<para>
The MIPLIB site has more information including a file
named
<ulink type="ftp"
url="ftp://softlib.cs.rice.edu/pub/miplib/mps_format"
>mps_format</ulink> which is a brief introduction to the
format and includes the following section:
<screen>
The following template is a guide for the use of MPS format:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Field: 1 2 3 4 5 6
Columns: 2-3 5-12 15-22 25-36 40-47 50-61
NAME problem name
ROWS
type name
COLUMNS
column row value row value
name name name
RHS
rhs row value row value
name name name
RANGES
range row value row value
name name name
BOUNDS
type bound column value
name name
ENDATA
---------------------------------------------------------------------
</screen>
and provides further explanations to the components. The
file also suggests as more complete references:
<screen>
"Advanced Linear Programming," by Bruce A. Murtagh
"Computer Solutions of Linear Programs," by J.L. Nazareth
</screen>
which should provide a better explanation.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-lotus">
<title>Lotus 1-2-3 File Format</title>
<para>
The Lotus 1-2-3 file format is the format used by the Lotus
<application>1-2-3</application> spreadsheet, which is now part of
the office suite called <application>SmartSuite</application>.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Lotus 1-2-3</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>.wk1,.wks</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Lotus <application>SmartSuite</application></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Open only.</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the 'Lotus 123' plugin.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Further Processing</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Many spreadsheet programs support this format.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-excel">
<title>Microsoft Excel File Format</title>
<para>
The Microsoft Excel<trademark/> file format is a binary file
format used by the <application>Excel</application> program in
the <application>Office</application> suite. The format is a
common format supported to various extents by most spreadsheets
although it is incompletely documented. The &gnum; project has
reversed engineered all of the core features of the format.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Excel</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>.xls</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Microsoft <application>Excel</application>,
Microsoft <application>Office</application>,
and many other spreadsheets </entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Both</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Most core features of the format are supported.
</para>
<warning>
<para>
&gnum; does not support the very old file formats used by
Excel<trademark/> versions prior to Excel<trademark/> 5.0.
</para>
</warning>
<para>
&gnum; can open files from most of the Microsoft
Excel<trademark/> file formats and all of the recent file
formats. The formats supported are:
<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
<para> MS Excel<trademark/> 5.0/95.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para> MS Excel<trademark/> 97/2000/XP.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para> MS Excel<trademark/> 97/2000/XP & 5.0/95.
</para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the 'MS Excel (tm)' plugin.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
These are binary file formats.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Further Processing</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
A number of other programs are able to process files in
the Microsoft Excel file format.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-multiplan">
<title>Multiplan SYLK File Format</title>
<para>
The Microsoft Multiplan Symbolic Link Interchange (SYLK) file
format is a column based format.
</para>
<para>
&gnum; can read files in this format.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Symbolic Link Interchange (SYLK)</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>none / .slk</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry><application>Multiplan</application></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Open only</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the 'Multiplan (SYLK)' plugin.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<!-- TODO: split or explain the three OOo formats OASIS/sxc/sxw -->
<sect2 id="file-format-ooo">
<title>OpenOffice.org XML File Format</title>
<para>
The OpenOffice.org XML file format is zip archive including
several components all of which are text files, most of these with
markup in the eXtensible Markup Language (XML).
</para>
<para>
&gnum; can both open and save files in this format and plans to
continue to support this format in the future.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>OASIS XML, OpenOffice.org XML, StarOffice</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>.sxc</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry><application>OpenOffice.org Calc</application>,
<application>StarCalc</application></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Both</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the 'OpenCalc/StarCalc' plugin.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The file format is a zip archive containing several text
and XML elements: a <filename>mimetype</filename> file
giving the mime type, a <filename>content.xml</filename>
file with the contents of the spreadsheet cells, and
several other files with meta data, style definitions or
information on the settings. The file contents can be
extracted with the <application>unzip</application>
command line program or with any of a number of graphical
interface programs.
</para>
<para>
The Organization for the Advancement of Structured
Information Standards (OASIS) has accepted this file
format as the standard "OASIS Open Office XML Format".
The published specification for the file format is
available from the <ulink type="http"
url="http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/tc_home.php?wg_abbrev=office">
OASIS Open Office XML Format Technical Committee</ulink>
web page. Other information is available from the <ulink
type="http"
url="http://xml.openoffice.org/">OpenOffice.org XML
File Format</ulink> web page, part of the OpenOffice.org
project.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Further Processing</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Files in this format can be imported and modified by the
<application>OpenOffice.org Calc</application> spreadsheet
or may be modified through XML processing.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-planperfect">
<title>Plan Perfect File Format</title>
<para>
The Plan Perfect file format is a format used by the
<application>PlanPerfect</application> spreadsheet.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Plan Perfect</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Unknown</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry><application>PlanPerfect</application>.</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Open only.</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the 'Plan Perfect' plug-in.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Further Processing</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-ps">
<title>Postscript File Format</title>
<para>
The Postscript file format is a text format which contains the
program code for a postscript interpreter. Postscript is a page
description language designed to enable the creation and
transfer of printer-ready output.
</para>
<note>
<para>
&gnum; supports the creation of Postscript files through the
printing interface, not through the file save mechanism. See
<xref linkend="chapter-printing" />, for details on how to
generate a Postscript file.
</para>
</note>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Postscript</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>.ps</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Many programs can interpret and display Postscript
files including: <application>GGV</application>,
<application>ghostview</application>
(<application>gv</application>), and
<application>ghostscript</application>. </entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Save only.</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The creation of Postscript files is supported internally
by the printing sub-system.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The Postscript language was created by Adobe, Inc. The
Adobe web site has a non-technical <ulink type="http"
url="http://www.adobe.com/products/postscript/main.html">introduction</ulink>,
as well as a technical <ulink type="http"
url="http://www.adobe.com/products/postscript/overview.html">overview</ulink>
and the actual <ulink type="http"
url="http://partners.adobe.com/asn/tech/ps/specifications.jsp">specifications</ulink>.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Further Processing</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Postscript files can imported into other documents by
several programs. For the very advanced, postscript files
can be reprogrammed using a text editor.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-pdf">
<title>Portable Document Format (PDF) File Format</title>
<para>
The Portable Document Format (PDF) file format is a binary
format which contains page description primitives and combines a
subset of the Postscript language with some more recent
features. The Portable Document Format is a page description
language designed to enable the creation and transfer of
printer-ready output.
</para>
<note>
<para>
&gnum; supports the creation of PDF files through the
printing interface, not through the file save mechanism. See
<xref linkend="chapter-printing" />, for details on how to
generate a PDF file.
</para>
</note>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Portable Document Format (PDF)</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>.pdf</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>
PDF is supported by a wide variety of programs including
<application>gPDF</application>,
<application>xPDF</application>,
<application>GGV</application>,
<application>ghostview</application>
(<application>gv</application>), and
<application>ghostscript</application>, </entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Save only</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The creation of PDF files is supported internally
by the printing sub-system.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The Postscript language was created by Adobe, Inc. The
Adobe web site has a non-technical <ulink type="http"
url="http://www.adobe.com/products/postscript/main.html">introduction</ulink>,
as well as a technical <ulink type="http"
url="http://www.adobe.com/products/postscript/overview.html">overview</ulink>
and the actual <ulink type="http"
url="http://partners.adobe.com/asn/tech/ps/specifications.jsp">specifications</ulink>.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Further Processing</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
PDF files can imported into other documents by
several programs.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-qpro">
<title>Quattro Pro File Format</title>
<para>
The Quattro Pro file format is the format used by Corel's
<application>QuattroPro</application> spreadsheet.
</para>
<para>
&gnum; supports opening these files to import their data.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Quattro Pro</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>.wb1 / .wb2 / .wb3</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry><application>Quattro Pro</application></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Open only</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the Quatro Pro(tm) plugin.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-sc">
<title>SC/Xspread File Format</title>
<para>
The SC/Xspread file format is the file format used by the old sc and
Xspread spreadsheets.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>SC file format</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>YES</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry><application>SC</application>,
<application>Xspread</application>,
<application>S</application> spreadsheets.
</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Open only.</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the 'SC/XSpread' plug-in.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-tab">
<title>Tab Separated Value File Format</title>
<para>
The Tab Separated Value file format is a common structuring
strategy for text format files. In tab separated value flies,
each line in the file represents a row of data and, within each
line of the file, the different data fields are separated from
one another using a tab spacing. &gnum; handles tab separated
value files through the text importer and exporter but this
format is given its own definition in this document because it
is such a common format.
</para>
<para>
&gnum; will automatically open Tab Separated Value format files
separating each row into columns based on the presence of tab
characters in the file. If the automatic import leads to any
errors, these can generally be corrected by using the "Text
Import (configurable)" file format instead. Selecting that file
format will launch the <interface>Text Import</interface> druid
which allows the user to import Tab Separated Value format files
while specifying in greater detail the settings of the import
configuration parameters. See the section on <link
linkend="sect-file-textImport">importing text files</link> or
the section on <link linkend="sect-file-textExport">exporting
text files</link> for an explanation of how to open or save Tab
Separated Value format files through the <interface>Text
Import</interface> druid.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Tab Separated Value</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry><literal>.tsv</literal> / <literal>.tab</literal></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Multiple</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Both</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The tab separated value file format is only useful for the
exchange of cell data and cannot be used for sheet objects
like graphical plots. This file format cannot save the
formatting of cell contents, backgrounds or borders.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the core &gnum; program.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Tab separated value files are simple text files where each
row of the text file represents one row in the spreadsheet
and where the cells within a row are separated from each
other by a comma.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Further Processing</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Tab separated value files can be processed using any tool
which operates on text files. The tab separated value
format is also common as a format which can be opened by
applications.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
<para>
<emphasis role="italic">See the section on </emphasis>
<link linkend="file-format-text">Text Formats</link>
</para>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-text">
<title>Text File Formats</title>
<para>
Files in the text file format are files in which the bytes
represent the text characters of a particular character set
using a specific system to relate the binary numbers in the file
to the text characters of the set. Such systems are called
'encodings' and become an issue when the file includes
characters that are not in the standard ASCII set, such as
characters in languages other than English. Character encodings
are explained in greater detail in <xref
linkend="sect-file-textImport-complex-encoding"/>.
</para>
<para>
Choosing the "Text import (configurable)" or "Text export
(configurable)" file formats to open or save files will cause
&gnum; to start the <interface>Text Import</interface> or
<interface>Text Export</interface> druids. These allow the users
to configure in detail the parameters with which existing files
will be read into a workbook or existing workbooks will be
output to a file.
</para>
<para>
The Text file format includes a number of different formatting
strategies for text files in which data fields are structured in
a regular pattern. Most of these formats represent rows of data
on different lines of the file using different strategies to
separated data values within each row. 'Fixed-width' formats
place each data entry in a separate column and therefore limit
the size of the data entries. 'Separated' formats use a special
character or character sequence to separate entries. For
instance, the comma separated value, the tab separated value
formats and the space separated value formats use commas, tabs,
and spaces respectively to separate the data fields.
</para>
<para>
&gnum; can open and save files to a wide variety of text file
formats when the text importer or the text exporter is
configured appropriately. File can be generated with many
different encodings. See the section on <link
linkend="sect-file-textImport">importing text files</link> or
the section on <link linkend="sect-file-textExport">exporting
text files</link> for an explanation of how to open or save
these formatted text files.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Text File Format</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry><literal>.text</literal> / <literal>.txt</literal>
/ none </entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Many programs can read and create formatted text files</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Both</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The exporter can only create text files using a separator
character and cannot create fixed-width structured files.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the core &gnum; program.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Text file format files are simple text files containing
the data for each cell of the worksheet organized in a
systematic fashion.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Further Processing</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Text format files can be processed using any tool which
operates on text files, and many other applications can
read or generate one or more of these formats.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-troff">
<title><command>TROFF</command> File Format</title>
<para>
The <command>TROFF</command> file format is a text file format
with markup in <literal>TROFF</literal>.
</para>
<para>
The <command>TROFF</command> system is a documentation
preparation system that can generate many different output files
from an input file with standard markup. &gnum; produces a file
that can be used as input to the <command>TROFF</command> system
or its GNU project replacement, <command>GROFF</command>.
</para>
<para>
The support for this format is mostly intended to produce simple
tables into a file which can be used in the
<command>TROFF</command> system. Since &gnum; supports full
output to Postscript and PDF file formats, those formats should
be used to generate graphics for plots and drawing elements.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>TROFF</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>.me</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry><application>TROFF</application>,
<application>GROFF</application></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Save only</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the 'HTML & TeX' plugin.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Further Processing</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
<para>
Two examples of the <command>TROFF</command> system will
illustrate how to use this file format. Both examples
start with a simple worksheet which consists of a simple
grid of cells with cell contents, which has been used to
create a file called "myfile.me" in the
<command>TROFF</command> file format.
</para>
<para>
A table in postscript file format can be created starting
from the file generated by &gnum;. The command
<screen>
groff -me -t -Tps <replaceable>myfile.me</replaceable><replaceable>myfile.ps</replaceable>
</screen>
will create a postscript file of the corresponding
table. Note, however, that &gnum; itself can make a
Postscript file of the table directly through the printing
system.
</para>
<para>
A table in postscript file format can be created starting
from the file generated by &gnum;. The command
<screen>
groff -me -t -Tascii <replaceable>myfile.me</replaceable><replaceable>myfile.ascii</replaceable>
</screen>
creates an <keycap>ascii</keycap> (straight text)
file. This file will look like:
<screen>
Sheet 0
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
| | Operating System | | | |
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
| | DOS | Linux | SCO | |
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
| January | $1000.00 | $900.00 | $500.00 | |
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
| February | $900.00 | $2500.00 | $300.00 | |
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
| March | $800.00 | $4100.00 | $100.00 | |
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
| April | $700.00 | $5700.00 | ($100.00) | |
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
| May | $600.00 | $7300.00 | ($300.00) | |
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
| June | $500.00 | $8900.00 | ($500.00) | |
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
| July | $400.00 | $10500.00 | ($700.00) | |
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
| August | $300.00 | $12100.00 | ($900.00) | |
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
|September | $200.00 | $13700.00 | ($1100.00) | |
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
| October | $100.00 | $15300.00 | ($1300.00) | |
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
| November | $0.00 | $16900.00 | ($1500.00) | |
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
| December | ($100.00) | $18500.00 | ($1700.00) | |
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
| | | | | |
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
| Totals: | $5400.00 | $116400.00 | ($7200.00) | |
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
| | | | | |
+----------+------------------+-------------+------------+---+
1
</screen>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="file-format-xbase">
<title>Xbase File Format</title>
<para>
The Xbase file format is a file format that includes a series of
files of which one is a text file containing the data and the
rest are index or other files. The data file consists of a
header and then the records themselves.
</para>
<para>
&gnum; only opens the data file.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>XBase data file format</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>.dbf</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>
<application>dBase</application>,
<application>Clipper</application>,
<application>FoxPro</application>,
<application>Visual dBase</application>,
<application>Visual FoxPro</application>,
and numerous other database applications.
</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Open only</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the 'XBase' plugin.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The xBase file format is a generic name for database files
saved in the format used by Aston-Tate's (then Borland's)
<application>dBase</application> database system. The
system became widely popular and has been used extensively
by other systems.
</para>
<para>
See the <ulink type ="http"
url="http://www.pgts.com.au/download/public/xbase.htm">
Xbase File Format Description</ulink> by Erik Bachmann for
more details on the xBase format.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
</sect2>
<!-- TODO: xhtml format edit fragment handling (cut and paste) -->
<sect2 id="file-format-xhtml">
<title>XHTML File Format</title>
<para>
The XHTML file format is a text file format with markup in the
eXtensible Markup Language (XML) using a definition which mimics
the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). These files are designed
to be viewed in a web browser.
</para>
<para>
<!-- TODO: Explain import of XHTML tables
&gnum; can open well formed xhtml tables placing the data contents of
each entry into a cell of a worksheet.
-->
&gnum; can save the cell contents from a worksheet to a text
file which consists of an XHTML file fragment containing only a
<table> structure, designed to be inserted into another
XHTML file.
</para>
<informaltable frame='all'>
<tgroup cols='2' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
<tbody>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Name:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>XHTML</entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry><literal>.xhtml</literal> / <literal>.html</literal></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Compatible Programs:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Most modern web browsers such as
<application>Mozilla</application> and
<application>Mozilla-Firefox</application ></entry>
</row>
<row>
<entry>
<emphasis role="bold">Open / Save:</emphasis>
</entry>
<entry>Both</entry>
</row>
</tbody>
</tgroup>
</informaltable>
<variablelist>
<!-- <title></title> -->
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Limitations</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Plugin</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
Supported by the 'HTML & TeX' plugin.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Format Details</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
The file is generated, encoded in UTF-8, in the World Wide
Web consortium (W3C) XHTML 1.0 Transitional file format.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term>
<emphasis role="bold">Further Processing</emphasis>
</term>
<listitem>
<para>
These XHTML files can be opened by any text editor and can
be viewed using any web browser such as
<application>Mozilla</application>.
</para>
</listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>
<para>
<emphasis role="italic">See Also:</emphasis>
<link linkend="file-format-html">HTML Format</link>
</para>
</sect2>
</sect1>