File/extension names

File names  in MIDAS can be any legal filename in their respective host system. They usually consist of a proper name and an extension. For easy migration between Unix and VMS systems we suggest to use mainly lowercase characters. Furthermore, to avoid possible traps in some Midas commands we suggest that filenames do not begin with a digit or special character.

 

Table: General file-extension names used in MIDAS

Extension	Comment	Usage
.for	C	FORTRAN-77 source code with ESO extensions
.f	C	FORTRAN-77 source code
.inc	C	Include files for FORTRAN code
.c	/* */	source code for C programs
.h	/* */	Header files for C-code
.hlq	%	MIDAS help file for individual command
.hlc	%	MIDAS help summary for command
.prg	!	MIDAS procedure file
.ctx	!	Context files
.com	$!	VAX/VMS command files
.sh	#	UNIX Bourne shell scripts
.csh	#	UNIX C-shell scripts
.tex	%	Documentation in TEX/LATEX format indexfile!extensions
.a		UNIX object libraries
.olb		VAX/VMS object libraries
.exe		Executable files
.bdf		MIDAS Bulk Data Frames or Image files
.tbl		MIDAS table files
.fit		MIDAS fit files
.cat		MIDAS catalogue files
.mt		Data files in IHAP or FITS format

   

The file type is indicated by an extension. The different extensions used are given in Table  where also the comment character for the file type is indicated. The comment character must be placed in the first column of a line except for C-code file where the characters enclose the comment.