ITU Electronic Document Database Formats

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You should, of course, make sure you have the capability to read a specific format before retrieving it. For example, almost all computing environments can read simple ASCII text files. However, if you wish to retrieve a document posted in Microsoft's Word for Windows format, you will require access to a corresponding version of this program or an appropriate filter into your word processing program. Likewise, if you wish to retrieve a document formatted as Postscript printer output, you will require access to either a Postscript printer or a Postscript file viewer.

Listed below are the formats you may find on the ITU electronic document database in alphabetical order. Following the format name in parentheses is a shorthand notation that may be used sometimes to refer to that format(s).

ASCII

Often the only format that different word processors have in common is a line-oriented format using ASCII (7-bit) characters. ASCII is used for documents that require very simple formatting or for simple lists. If the ASCII version of a document is not the original format, it is very like that it does not faithfully represent the original document. For example, conversion from a word processing package to ASCII results in loss of text and/or formatting. ASCII can only be used for English texts. ASCII files typically have the extension .txt

C Source Code (CSOURCE)

C language source code is in ASCII (7-bit) characters. C files are ASCII format and typically have the extension .c

Designer (DESIGNER3.1, DESIGNER 4.0)

Designer is a vector graphics program running in the MS-Windows environment. It is manufactured by Micrographx Inc. in Richardson, Texas. Designer is a standard drawing package used at the ITU. Designer graphic files are binary format and typically have the file extension .drw or .dr4

DOS Executable (DOSPROGRAM)

A DOS executable is an executable program for the MS-DOS environment. Some programs available on the ITU Document Store are "self-unpacking". This means that executing the program will automatically unpack several related files. DOS executables are binary format and have the file extension .exe

Excel 4.0 Spreadsheet (EXCEL4.0)

These are Excel 4.0 spreadsheet files generated by Excel running in the MS-Windows environment. Excel is manufactured by Microsoft Corporation in Redmond, Washington. Excel spreadsheet files are binary format and have the file extension .xls

GIF

GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) is a popular graphics format. It is the main inline graphics format used with World Wide Web. Most WWW browser can open GIF files directly.

HTML

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is a variation of SGML.

JPEG

JPEG is a graphics format. Some WWW browser can view inline JPEG images.

KODAK Photo CD Bitmap

Koday Photo CD Bitmap is a raster graphics format.

Macintosh Executable

A program for the Macintosh computer.

ODA/ODIF (ODIFQ112, ODIFFOD26, ODIFFOD36)

Open Document Architecture (ODA) and Open Document Interchange Format (ODIF) are ITU-T (formerly CCITT) Recommendations (T.410 series) also adopted by International Organization for Standardization (ISO 8613). ODA is a modern, object-oriented document architecture for the description of both the logical and layout structures of a document. Examples of logical objects are abstracts, titles, sections, paragraphs, figures, tables, etc. Examples of layout objects are pages, columns, frames, etc. ODA provides for the representation of documents in processable form, which allows revision by a recipient, and formatted form, which allows the precise specification of the document layout. ODA also supports the transfer of documents in formatted processable form. ODIF defines the data stream of the actual interchange format. With ODA/ODIF, compliance with the standard is defined by document application profiles (DAPs). ODIF files accessed through ITUDOC correspond to the International Standard Profile ISP 11181 (also known as FOD26). They have been converted to ODIF FOD26 from Rich Text Format (RTF) by the Bull ODA Product Set (BOPS). ODIF files are binary format and typically have the file extension .odf. More information on ODA is available from the Open Document Architecture Consortium (ODAC) at:

ODAC
Avenue Marcel Thiry 204
1200 Brussels
Belgium
Tel. +32 2 774 9623
Fax. +32 2 774 9690

PageMaker 5.0

PageMaker is a document layout program.

Postscript

Postscript is a final form document - in other words, it typically cannot be edited or revised. It can only be printed or viewed on-screen. However, the Postscript form of a document is typically identical to the ITU printed page form. Postscript files are 7-bit ASCII and so can be transported between various electronic mail systems (however, they are typically very large). After you receive a Postscript file, you can copy it to your Postscript laser printer for a printed version of the document. Note that ITU documents are paginated for A4 paper size and so all text may not fit on North American Letter size paper. If this causes difficulty you may wish to obtain a public-domain Postscript file viewer called Ghostscript. Ghostscript is available at many computer sites around the world. Postscript files have the file extension .ps

PowerPoint files (POWERPOINT3.0)

PowerPoint is a MS-Windows presentation graphics package from Microsoft Corporation in Redmond, Washington. PowerPoint files are binary format and have the file extension .ppt

Rich Text Format (RTF)

Microsoft Rich Text Format (RTF) is a standard form of encoding for text and graphics interchange that can be used with different microcomputers and operating systems. RTF can represent all objects contained in ITU documents (e.g. multilingual text, footnotes, headers, footers, symbol sets, tables, mathematical formulas, geometric and raster graphics, font information, layout, structure elements). A standard RTF file typically consists of only 7-bit ASCII characters so it can be transported more easily between various mail systems. RTF is currently one of the best methods to exchange compound documents between different computing environments (e.g., DOS/Windows, Macintosh, UNIX). RTF files are ASCII format and have the file extension .rtf

Sound Wave Files (SOUNDWAVE)

Sound Wave files are in the format used by the Microsoft Windows 3.1 environment. Sound Wave files are binary format and have the file extension .wav

Tagged Image File Format (TIFF)

TIFF is a raster graphics format and typically has the file extension .tif

UNIX Compressed TAR (ZTAR)

A common compression and archiving format for UNIX systems.

Windows Bitmap (BMP)

Windows Bitmap files are in the format created by the Microsoft Windows 3.1 PaintBrush desktop accessory. MS-Windows Bitmap files are binary format and have the file extension .bmp

Windows Write (WRITE)

Windows Write files are in the format created by the Microsoft Windows 3.1 Write desktop accessory. Write files are binary format and have the file extension .wri

Word for Windows (WINWORD1.0, WINWORD 2.0, WINWORD 6.0)

Word for Windows is the ITU's standard document processing tool and therefore documents posted in this format represent the ITU's full content and formatting. The version being used as of October 1993 is Word for Windows Version 2.0. Word for Windows files are BINARY format and typically have the extension .doc

Word for Windows Templates (WINWORD1.0DOT, WINWORD2.0DOT, WINWORD6.0DOT)

Word for Windows templates are used to provide standard formatting, layout or macro programs for preparation of ITU documents. The version being used as of October 1993 is Word for Windows Version 2.0. Word for Windows template files are BINARY format and typically have the extension .dot

WordPerfect (WORDPERFECT5.1)

WordPerfect is a popular word processor available for several computing platforms. WordPerfect files are BINARY format and typically have the extension .doc

ZIP Format (ZIP)

PKZIP files are in the format created by the PKZIP file compression and archiving program. This format is used to combine a set of files into a single compressed binary file. A PKUNZIP program is required to de-archive and uncompress files. PKZIP and PKUNZIP are widely available on international computer networks or from:

PKWARE, Inc.
9025 N. Deerwood Dr.
Brown Deer, WI 53223-2437 (Company)
USA
414-354-8699 Voice
414-354-8559 FAX
414-354-8670 BBS

The PKWARE set of utility programs are also available in the ITU Document Store group /TIES/UTIL. ZIP files are binary format and have the file extension .zip

Updated Wednesday, 8 March 1995 13:16:20 GMT