8.6.2 Specifying Format Description Source

FreeForm ND offers a number of command line options for specifying the source of the format descriptions that a program must find in order to process data. The proper option or combination of options to use depends on how you have constructed your format files.

-f format_file

Option flag followed by the name of the format description file describing both input and output data.

-if input_format_file

Option flag followed by the name of the format description file describing the input data. Also use this option for an input variable description file written using earlier versions of FreeForm ND.

-of output_format_file

Option flag followed by the name of the format description file describing the output data. Also use this option for an output variable description file written using earlier versions of FreeForm ND.

-ft "title"

Option flag followed by the title (enclosed in quotes) of the format to be used for both input and output data, in which case there is no reformatting. The title follows format type on the first line of a format description in a format description file.

-ift "title"

Option flag followed by the title (enclosed in quotes) of the desired input format.

-oft "title"

Option flag followed by the title (enclosed in quotes) of the desired output format.

NOTE: Previous versions of FreeForm ND used variable description files

(.afm, .bfm, .dfm). It is recommended that you convert and combine (as appropriate) existing variable description files into format description files.

The various options available for specifying the source of a format description offer you a great deal of flexibility-in naming files, setting up format description files, and on the command line. In using these options, you need to consider the content of your format description files and how FreeForm ND will interpret the arguments on the command line.