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====== Data Format vs File Format ======

Get notes from Michael with matrix of file and data format

Conceptually what is the difference one is physical format of the file vs the order and format within the file.

The import and export tools mainly interact with files external to the model.  Using these files requires some understanding of the type of files and the layout of the data in the files.  The import and export tools conceptualize that by file format and data format respectively.

Here are is an example of each tool using the parameters related to format:
<code>
local myVar[] = import (; dataFormat=coordinate, fileFormat=text, dataFile=myVarTextFile.txt)

export (myVar[]; dataFormat=tab, fileFormat=text, dataFile=myVarOutput.txt)
</code>

===== File Formats =====
These are the supported file formats for each tool
^fileFormat^Description^import^export^
| text| standard | yes | yes |
| dbf | standard | yes | yes |
| shape | produced by arc info | yes | yes |
| mif | produced by map info | yes | yes |
| mid | produced by map info| yes | yes |
| tool | A file written by whatIf?'s tool languages in binary format | yes | yes |

===== Data Formats =====
These are the supported data formats for each tool
^dataFormat^Description^import^export^
| coordinate | The data is in delimited columns where the first columns specify the element names in the respective dimension sets and the data is in the last column| yes | yes |
| tool | A file written by whatIf?'s tool languages in binary format | yes | yes |
| odometer | Data is delimited as each data item is read it fills the object in the order of it's dimensions.  No validation that the data lands in the right cells is done. | yes | yes |
| mapping | | yes | yes |
| record | | yes | yes |
| whatIfGEO (rename) | | yes | yes |
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