FreeForm ND programs use the following search sequence to find a
format file (format or variable description file) for the data file
datafile.ext when the format file name is not explicitly specified on
the command line. In summary, FreeForm ND searches the directory
specified by the GeoVu keyword format_dir (defined in a equivalence
table or in the environment), the current or working directory, and
the data file's home directory. The rules are applied in the order
given below until a format file is found or all rules have been
exhausted. If the relevant format file does not follow FreeForm ND
conventions for name or location, it should be explicitly specified on
the command line.
NOTE: GeoVu is a FreeForm ND-based application for data access and
visualization. FreeForm ND applications other than GeoVu use GeoVu keywords.
For information about equivalence tables, see the GeoVu Tools Reference Guide, available from the NGDC.