plethora of filetypes
K. Berry
TWG-TDS@SHSU.edu
Thu, 30 May 1996 13:52:19 -0400
I don't know how much effort we should expend on making a tds 1.0
document, but anyway, here's a filetype glossary courtesy of Rocky
Bernstein that we could maybe adapt. I wanted to get it into the light
of day before I forgot, anyway.
K
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%\IndexMarkStop
\begin{ttlist}{{\tt list38pp}}
\item[afm]
Input by {\tt afm2tfm} to be convert to a {\TeX} font
metric (\tfm); output by the Adobe Type 1 Font Manager or
whatever program was used to create the Adobe font.
An \.{A}dobe \.{f}ont \.{m}etric.
\item[aux]
Input and output by {\LaTeX}.
An ``\.{aux}iliary'' text file for {\LaTeX}'s for cross
references. The \LTEXCMDINDE{cite}, \LTEXCMDINDE{ref}, and
\LTEXCMDINDE{pageref} commands refer to entries defined in this file.
these. Sectioning commands like \LTEXCMDINDE{chapter},
\LTEXCMDINDE{section}, or \LTEXCMDINDE{label},
write to this file. {\BibTeX} also inputs
this file to extract the entries written by the
\LTEXCMDINDE{cite}, \LTEXCMDINDE{nocite}, and
\LTEXCMDIND{bibliographystyle} {\tt \BS bib\-lio\-graphy\-style}
commands.
For more information, see Section~C.10.1 of the {\lrm}.
\item[bbl]
Output by {\BibTeX} and input by some flavor of
{\LaTeX} or {\eplain}. A text file containing a
{\BibTeX}-formated \.bi\.b\-li\-og\-ra\-phy
\.list of citations. This is derived from the
information in the {\tt aux} file. It is input via
the {\LaTeX}/{\eplain} \LTEXCMDINDE{bibliography}
command. For more information, see section C.10.1 of the \lrm.
\item[bib]
Input by {\BibTeX}; written by authors. A text file containing
a \.{bib}\-li\-og\-ra\-phic database of reference
materials such as manuals, books, articles, proceedings.
\item[blg]
Output by {\BibTeX} and read by humans when
{\BibTeX} fails. {\BibTeX}'s
\.{\vphantom{g}b}ibliograpic \.{\vphantom{g}l}o\.{g} file. See
also the entries for ``{\tt log}'' and ``{\tt ilg}.''
\item[bst]
Input by {\BibTeX}; read and written by bibliographic
style-designers. A \.bibliographic \.{st}yle format
dictating to {\BibTeX} how to format the entries in the
{\tt bib} file. See Section \refon{sec:bst} for a
list of bibliographic styles.
\item[cp]
Output by {\TeX} in its {\texinfo} flavor and input by {\texindex}. This text file
contains the entries of a {\texinfo} \.{\vphantom{p}c}once\.pt index.
See Section 15.4 of the {\texinfo} reference manual \cite{man:texinfo}.
\item[cps]
Input by {\TeX} in its {\texinfo} flavor and output by {\texindex}. This text
file contains the index entries sorted and prepared
for {\TeX} input. The output of a {\texindex} file
has an `s' appended to the name of the input file.
\item[doc]
Input by {\tt docstrip}; read and written by
{\LaTeX} style designers (and other users when the
need arises). If the filetype is renamed to
{\tt sty}, it could also be input by {\LaTeX},
albeit more slowly than if the comments were removed
by {\tt docstrip}. This text file is
commented, \.{doc}umented or
``readable'' {\LaTeX} document style or document-style option.
\item[dvi]
Input by {\dvi} conversion programs (e.g. {\dvips}) or
{\dvi}-to-{\dvi} converters (like {\dvicopy}),
{\dvi} previewers (like {\xdvi}), and
miscellaneous, utility routines (like
\CMDINDE{dvitype}). It is usually first output by
{\TeX}, but other packages can produce this too;
notable cases include \CMDINDE{gftodvi} and \CMDINDE{grodvi},
the latter is part of the \INDE{Free Software Foundation}'s
\CMDINDE{groff} package. A {\dvi} file
contains \.de\.vice
\.independent page-description commands. In
this respect it is similar to a {\tt ps} file containing
{\Ps} commands, or a {\tt list3820} containing AFPDS commands.
The output is in a form that is
independent of any particular output device, even
more so that a {\Ps} file.
\item[fn]
Text file containining index entries of a {\texinfo}
function index. See {\tt cp}.
\item[fns]
Text file containining function index entries of a {\texinfo} file
sorted and ready for inclusion into the index. See {\tt cp}.
\item[font3812]
Input by the 3812-compatible (PMP) printers.
Output by {\mf} conversion programs on VM/CMS.
Contains the rasters of a font for these printers.
\item[font3820]
Input by the 3820-compatible or AFPDS printers.
Written by {\mf} conversion programs on VM/CMS.
Contains the rasters of a font for these printers.
\item[gf]
Output by {\mf}; input by some of the {\dvi}-previewers (like
\CMDINDE{xdvi}, some of the {\dvi}-converters (like
{\dvips}) when a {\tt pk} font file is not available),
and utility programs (like \CMDINDE{gftopk}).
Contains a ``{\.{g}eneric \.{\vphantom{g}f}ont.''
See Appendix~G of {\sl The \mf book} \cite{book:mfbook}}.
\item[glo]
Input and output by {\LaTeX}.
A text file containing ``\.{glo}ssary'' commands.
The \LTEXCMDIND{glossary}{\tt \BS gloss\-ary} commands add
\LTEXCMDINDE{glossaryentry} lines to this file and
the \LTEXCMDIND{makeglossary}{\tt \BS make\-glossary} command causes this
file to be read in.
For more information, see Section~C.10.1 of the \lrm.
\item[idx]
Output by {\LaTeX} and input by {\MakeIndex}. A text file containing
\.{i}n\.{d}e\.{x}ing
commands. The \LTEXCMDINDE{index} command causes entries
to this file to be output.
\item[ilg] Output by {\MakeIndex} and read by authors when
{\MakeIndex} fails. {\MakeIndex}'s
\.{\vphantom{g}i}ndex \.{\vphantom{g}l}o\.{g} file.
See Section 3 of The
{\MakeIndex} manual \cite{man:MakeIndex}.
\item[ind] Output by {\MakeIndex} and input by {\LaTeX}.
A text file containing the sorted and processed
entries \.{ind}ex entries. See Section 3 of The
{\MakeIndex} manual \cite{man:MakeIndex}.
\item[ky] Output by {\texinfo} and input by {\texindex}.
A text file containining index entries of a {\texinfo}
\.{\vphantom{y}k}e\.y index. See {\tt cp}.
\item[kys] Output by {\texindex} and input by {\texinfo}.
A text file containing
\.{\vphantom{y}k}e\.y index entries which have
been \.{\vphantom{y}s}orted and are
and ready for inclusion into the
index by {\texinfo}. See {\tt cp}.
\item[latex] A {\LaTeX} source file.
\item[ltx] A {\LaTeX} source file. The three-letter file
extension facilitates portability between DOS and
OS/2 filesystems (that don't use the newer HPFS).
\item[mf] A {\mf} source file. Read by {\mf} and
{\mf}-converters.
\item[lab] List of label references for use by the {\tt lablst} programs.
\item[list3820]
Written by {\dvilist} and read by one of the print
commands such as {\tt out} or {\tt prt}.
A file which is ready to be sent to a printer
understanding this kind of AFPDS format.
The filename inventors who created this
name (as well as {\tt font3820}, and {\tt font3812})
did not have much forethought. Even though these name
have vestiges of specific IBM printers, these file formats are for a
{\em generic\/} class of printers. To make things worse, some of
the older IBM 3820 printers do {\em not\/} understand the full AFPDS
(or {\tt LIST3820} command language.
\item[lof]
Input and output by {\LaTeX}. A text file containing
a ``\.list \.of \.figures.''
For more information, see Section~C.10.1 of the \lrm.
\item[log]
Output by {\TeX} and read by humans\footnote{perhaps
first pre-processed in a text-editor macro as in the case of {\tt
auc-tex}'s {\tt TeX-next-error} macro} when something goes wrong.
On VM/CMS the filetype {\tt texlog} is used instead.
A text file where error messages and
warnings from the {\TeX} run are \.{log}ged.
\item[lot]
Input and output by {\LaTeX}. A text file containing
a ``\.{l}ist \.{o}f \.{t}ables.''
For more information, see Section~C.10.1 of the \lrm.
\item[pg]
Text file containining index entries of a {\texinfo}
\.{\vphantom{g}p}ro\.{\vphantom{p}g}ram index. See {\tt cp}.
\item[pgs]
Text file containining program index entries of a {\texinfo} file
sorted and ready for inclusion into the index. See {\tt cp}.
\item[pk] Input by {\dvi}-conversion programs such as {\dvips}.
Output by {\tt gftopk} and some graphics programs.
A {\mf}-created font in a \.pac\.{\vphantom{p}k}ed format
invented by \NAMEINDE{Tomas}{Rokicki}. For a complete
description of this format, see~\cite{tug:pk}.
\item[pl] Output by \CMDINDE{tftopl} and input by \CMDINDE{pltotf}
and read by font hackers.
A human-readible format of a {\tfm} file
(\.property \.{\vphantom{p}l}ist).
It may be edited to create or modify {\tfm} files.
\item[pfb] Input but {\Ps} devices. Output by the Adobe Type Manager.
{\Ps} Type 1 font program.
\item[pxl] An obsolete compressed form of {\tt pk}. See the entry
{\tt pk} entry. For a complete description of this format,
see~\cite{tug:pxl}.
\item[sty] Input by {\LaTeX}; output by \CMDINDE{docstrip}, {\LaTeX}
style designers, or style-option designers. (Also read by the
style designers and others on occasion when
no {\tt doc} version is around.)
A document or document \.{sty}le
option which dictates to {\LaTeX} how to do the layout
of the document.
\item[tex] Input by {\TeX}; output by {\tt weave}, something-to-{\TeX}
converters, (like \CMDINDE{tr2tex}) and authors.
A {\TeX} text file of some sort.
It is frequently used in places that
{\tt latex}, {\tt slitex}, {\tt sty}, or {\tt doc},
filetypes might be more appropriate. That is either, a {\LaTeX},
{\FoilTeX}, {\AmSLaTeX}, ... source file that is to be
fed into one of the flavors of {\TeX}.
The main reason this filetype seems to be in widespread
misuse (for example this file has extension {\tt tex}), is
because when {\TeX} asks for input, the \verb|tex| extension is
automatically appended when none is given. Furthermore,
if another extension is given {\LaTeX} may add its
extension in addition rather than instead of yours when
writing its files. On the DOS and non-HPSF OS/2 files
systems (these only allow 3-character file extensions),
the extension is truncated at 3 characters which can
be disasterous! In particular, your file my be overwritten by
{\LaTeX} in writing any one of its auxilliary files.
However we recommend that in cases where it is possible to
be more precise about the type of file used, you do so.
Also it is helpful to clearly mark at the top of
the file what format is used and how to process the file.
\item[texlog] VM/CMS only. See {\tt log}.
\item[texi] A {\tt \.{texi}nfo} source file.
\item[tfm] \FIND{tfm}{\tfm} Input by {\TeX}, {\em any}
{\dvi}-processor; output by {\mf},
and font-con\-version utilities like and \CMDINDE{pltotf} or
\CMDINDE{afm2tfm}. A ``
{\.T\kern -.1667em\lower .5ex\hbox {E}\kern -.125emX}
\.Font \.Metric'' file containing
information about the font such as its bounding box,
character encoding, or how pairs of glyphs kern and form ligatures.
\item[toc] Input and output by {\LaTeX}.
A text file containing a \.table \.of \.contents.
For more information, see Section~C.10.1 of the \lrm.
\item[vf] Input by the newer {\dvi} converters such as {\dvips} and
some utility programs like \CMDINDE{vftovp};
output by \CMDINDE{vptovf}. A ``\.virtual \.font'' metric
file. For a complete description, see~\cite{tug:vf}.
\item[vp] Output by \CMDINDE{vftovp} and input by \CMDINDE{vptovf}.
A human-readible format of a \.{\vphantom{p}v}irtual-font
\.property list. For a complete description, see~\cite{tug:vf}.
It may be edited to create or modify virtual fonts.
\item[vr] Text file containining index entries of a {\texinfo}
\.va\.riable index. See {\tt cp}.
\item[vrs] Text file containining variable index entries of a {\texinfo} file
sorted and ready for inclusion into the index. See {\tt cp}.
\item[web] A ``literate'' source file of many of the {\TeX} system
programs.
\end{ttlist}