Main topics:

Export File Formats

OCCURRENCE
DESCRIPTION
NOTES
EXAMPLES
WARNINGS
BUGS

OCCURRENCE

ARB_NT/File/Export/Export to external format

DESCRIPTION

The export format description file (*.eft) describes the format. It contains different sections:

SECTIONS

SUFFIX          suffix          ;The suggested file suffix
#               headerinfo      ;Header information
BEGIN ...                       ;the main section

The main section is part of a 'SRT' (see ´Search and Replace Tool (SRT)´) conversion (in fact the main section S is replaced by "*=S" and the SRT is started on an empty string). That means:

All simple 'text' is written to the output file.
All references '*([ref][:|#modifier])' are replaced by the [modified] value of the reference
All lines containing the word '$$DELETE_LINE$$' are deleted.
Lines ending with a \ are joined with the next line.

SPECIAL SECTIONS

PRE_FORMAT xxx.eft

[ DESCRIPTION "text describing generated export format" ]+

SYSTEM "command"

First a output is created using xxx.eft. Then command is used to convert the result into the wanted result.

In command use

$< as input-filename

$> as output-filename

INTERNAL type

used for formats hardcoded in ARB_NT.

Supported types:

'xml_write' Writes all none-hidden fields to XML.

NOTES

The best ways to design new formats are:

Copy an existing format and modify it step by step.
Design a simple format and modify it step by step.

For a list of common database entries see ´SPECIES INFORMATION´.

EXAMPLES

Edit the files in '$ARBHOME/lib/export'

WARNINGS

Don't change an '*.eft' file, if you don't understand how it works. Be careful when using ':' or '"' symbols. Escape them if those symbols don't have a meaning.