<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>
  <entry align="left">MIME type</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>
  <entry>application/x-gnumeric</entry>
</row>
<row>
  <entry><link linkend="file-format-applix">Applix</link></entry>
  <entry><literal>.as</literal></entry> 
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry></entry>
  <entry>application/x-applix-spreadsheet</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>
  <entry>text/plain</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>
  <entry></entry>
</row>
<row>
  <entry><link linkend="file-format-oleo">GNU Oleo</link></entry>
  <entry><literal>.oleo</literal></entry> 
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry></entry>
  <entry>application/x-oleo</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>
  <entry>text/html</entry>
</row>
<row>
  <entry><link linkend="file-format-latex">LaTeX</link></entry>
  <entry><literal>.tex</literal></entry> 
  <entry></entry>
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry>text/x-tex</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>
  <entry>application/x-mps</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>
  <entry>application/vnd.lotus-1-2-3, application/x-123</entry>
</row>
<row>
  <entry><link linkend="file-format-excel-binary-old">Microsoft Excel Old Binary Format
  (versions 2 - 5)</link></entry>
  <entry><literal>.xls</literal> / <literal>.xlt</literal> / <literal>.xlw</literal></entry> 
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry></entry>
  <entry>application/vnd.ms-excel</entry>
</row>
<row>
  <entry><link linkend="file-format-excel-binary-new">Microsoft Excel Binary Format
  (Excel 95 - 2003)</link></entry>
  <entry><literal>.xls</literal> / <literal>.xlt</literal> / <literal>.xlw</literal></entry> 
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry>application/vnd.ms-excel</entry>
</row>
<row>
  <entry><link linkend="file-format-excel-oldxml">Microsoft Excel 2003 SpreadsheetML</link></entry>
  <entry><literal>.xlsx</literal></entry> 
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry>YES (incomplete)</entry>
  <entry>application/vnd.ms-excel</entry>
</row>
<row>
  <entry><link linkend="file-format-excel-moox">Microsoft Office Open SpreadsheetML (MOOX/ECMA376/ISO29500)</link></entry>
  <entry><literal>.xlsx</literal></entry> 
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry>YES (incomplete)</entry>
  <entry>application/vnd.ms-excel</entry>
</row>
<row>
  <entry><link linkend="file-format-sxc">OpenOffice.Org / StarOffice
  Old Format</link></entry>
  <entry><literal>.sxc</literal> / <literal>.stc</literal></entry> 
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry>YES (incomplete)</entry>
  <entry>application/vnd.sun.xml.calc</entry>
</row>
<row>
  <entry><link linkend="file-format-odf">OpenOffice.Org / StarOffice (OASIS ODF/IS26300)</link></entry>
  <entry><literal>.ods</literal> / <literal>.odt</literal> / <literal>.sxc</literal> / <literal>.stc</literal></entry> 
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry>YES (incomplete)</entry>
  <entry>application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.spreadsheet</entry>
</row>
<row>
  <entry><!--<link linkend="file-format-paradox">-->Paradox Database<!--</link>--></entry>
  <entry><literal>.px</literal> / <literal>.db</literal></entry> 
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry></entry>
</row>
<row>
  <entry><link linkend="file-format-planperfect">Plan Perfect</link></entry>
  <entry><literal>.pln</literal></entry> 
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry></entry>
  <entry>application/x-planperfect</entry>
</row>
<row>
  <entry><!--<link linkend="file-format-psiconv">-->Psion 5 Sheet Files<!--</link>--></entry>
  <entry><literal>.psisheet</literal></entry> 
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry></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>
  <entry>application/postscript</entry>
</row>
<row>
  <entry><link linkend="file-format-pdf">PDF</link></entry>
  <entry><literal>.pdf</literal></entry> 
  <entry></entry>
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry>application/pdf</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>
  <entry>application/x-quattropro, application/x-quattro-pro</entry>
</row>
<row>
  <entry><link linkend="file-format-sc">SC/XSpread</link></entry>
  <entry>none / .<literal>sc</literal></entry> 
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry></entry>
  <entry>application/x-sc</entry>
</row>
<row>
  <entry><link linkend="file-format-sylk">Multiplan (SYLK)</link></entry>
  <entry> <literal>.sylk</literal> / <literal>.slk</literal></entry> 
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry>application/x-sylk</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>
  <entry>text/plain</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>
  <entry>text/plain</entry>
</row>
<row>
  <entry><link linkend="file-format-troff">TROFF</link></entry>
  <entry><literal>.me</literal></entry> 
  <entry></entry>
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry>application/x-troff</entry>
</row>
<row>
  <entry><link linkend="file-format-xbase">Xbase</link></entry>
  <entry><literal>.dbf</literal></entry> 
  <entry>YES</entry>
  <entry></entry>
  <entry>application/dbase, application/dbf, application/x-dbase,
  application/x-dbf, application/x-xbase, zz-application/zz-winassoc-dbf</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>
  <entry>application/xhtml+xml</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>

          <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/download/gnumeric-xml.pdf">
	    http://www.jfree.org/jworkbook/download/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 an XML Schema
	    Definition (XSD) .  These are available via the Internet
            at <uri>http://git.gnome.org/cgit/gnumeric/plain/gnumeric.xsd</uri>.
          </para>

	  <para>
	    The Java<trademark/>&nbsp;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-binary-new">Excel</link>&nbsp;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
      &lt;table&gt; structure and must be inserted into an HTML
      file. &gnum; can also open files which consist only of simple,
      well formed HTML &lt;table&gt; 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 &lt;table&gt; 
	           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 &amp; 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 2&#949; 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 &amp; 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-binary-old">
    <title>Microsoft Excel Old Binary File Format</title>

    <para>
      The Microsoft Excel<trademark/>&nbsp;Old Binary file format is a binary file
      format used by the <application>Excel</application> program in
      the <application>Office</application> suite between versions 2
      and 5. 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>
      <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-excel-binary-new">
    <title>Microsoft Excel New Binary File Format</title>

    <para>
      The Microsoft Excel<trademark/>&nbsp;New Binary file format is a binary file
      format used by the <application>Excel</application> program in
      the <application>Office</application> suite between versions 95
      and 2003. 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>
      <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-excel-oldxml">
    <title>Microsoft Excel 2003 XML File Format</title>

    <para>
      Microsoft Excel<trademark/> 2003 shipped with a file format
      called SpreadsheetML.  This file is XML.  It is not very common,
      but its core features are supported.
    </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>.xlsx</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>
      <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 zip files containing SpreadsheetML files and
	    binary files.
	  </para>
	</listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
        <term>
	  <emphasis role="bold">Further Processing</emphasis>
	</term>
	<listitem>
	  <para>
	    This file format is not very widespread and therefore
	    support by 3rd-party applications is limited.
	  </para>
	</listitem>
      </varlistentry>

    </variablelist>


  </sect2>
  <sect2 id="file-format-excel-moox">
    <title>Microsoft Excel Office Open XML SpreadsheetML</title>

    <para>
      Microsoft Office<trademark/> 2007 shipped with a new set of file
      formats, namely the Microsoft Office Open XML SpreadsheetML
      format.  This format is a semi-open standard based around a
      zipped XML file.  Microsoft Office Open XML SpreadsheetML is
      mostly standardized in ECMA 376 and ISO 29500.  This
      implementation is covered under the Open Specification Promise
      and therefore does not infringe upon Microsoft patents.
    </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>

	</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 zip files containing SpreadsheetML files and
	    binary files.
	  </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-excel-xml">
    <title>Microsoft Excel XML</title>

    <para>
      The Microsoft Excel<trademark/>&nbsp;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/>&nbsp;versions prior to Excel<trademark/> 2.0.
	    </para>
	  </warning>

          <para>
            &gnum; can open files from most of the Microsoft
            Excel<trademark/>&nbsp;file formats and all of the recent file
            formats. The formats supported are:      
            <itemizedlist>
	      <listitem>
	        <para> MS Excel<trademark/>&nbsp;5.0/95.
		</para>
	      </listitem>
	      <listitem>
	        <para> MS Excel<trademark/>&nbsp;97/2000/XP.
		</para>
	      </listitem>
	      <listitem>
	        <para> MS Excel<trademark/>&nbsp;97/2000/XP &amp; 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-sylk">
    <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>


  <sect2 id="file-format-odf">
    <title>OpenOffice.org XML File Format (aka ODF or OASIS)</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>ODF, OASIS XML, OpenOffice.org XML, StarOffice</entry>
	  </row>
	  <row>
	    <entry>
	      <emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
	    </entry>
	    <entry>.ods</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>
	  <para>
	    Other software
            supports ODF, e.g. KOffice, although some portions of the
	    specification have yet to be standardized and/or ratified
	    and can therefore lead to incompatibilities.
	  </para>
	</listitem>
      </varlistentry>

    </variablelist>


  </sect2>

  <sect2 id="file-format-sxc">
    <title>OpenOffice.org Old File Format</title>

    <para>
      OpenOffice.org originally shipped with a file format that has
      served as a basis for the new OASIS-standardized file format.
      This file format is deprecated.
    </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>OpenOffice.org/StarOffice file format</entry>
	  </row>
	  <row>
	    <entry>
	      <emphasis role="bold">Extensions:</emphasis>
	    </entry>
	    <entry>.sxw</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">Further Processing</emphasis>
	</term>
	<listitem>
	  <para>
	    This file format is deprecated and is not widely used.
	  </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 Quattro<trademark/>&nbsp;Pro 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 &amp; 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.clicketyclick.dk/databases/xbase/format">
            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
      &lt;table&gt; 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 &amp; 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>

       
