How to Import and Export Files

How to Import and Export Files?

To Add Filename Extensions
Filename extensions indicate to QuickSilver the type of file format you are converting. Use the following procedure to add a filename extension.

To add the extension using the File Properties dialog box:

• Select the file you want to convert and choose File Properties from the File menu.
  The File Properties dialog box appears.
• Click the Class option menu to view the list of file formats you can use.
• Choose the file class from the menu.
• Click OK.
  The icon changes to display the current file type.

To Filter Using Drag and Drop
You can import files automatically into an open document by using drag and drop. You can also use the Copy and Paste commands or the Import command. When you import a file automatically, you convert the file using the default settings of the filter.
Before you import a file automatically, make sure the filename has the appropriate file extension.

To import a file automatically using drag and drop:

• Open a QuickSilver document.
• On the desktop, select the file icon you want to convert.
• Drag the icon to the component bar of the open document and release the mouse button.
  OR... You can also drag and paste the information into the text area, but a message box warns you that some component information may be lost.
  QuickSilver imports the file into your document.

To import a file automatically using copy and paste:

• Open a QuickSilver document.
• Select the icon for the file you want to convert.
• Choose Copy from the Edit menu.
• In the open document, place the pointer in the component bar and choose Paste from the Edit menu.
  When you release the mouse button, QuickSilver imports the file.

To import a file automatically using the Import command on the File menu:

• Open a QuickSilver document.
• Choose Import from the document File menu.
  The File Import dialog box appears.
• (Windows) In the File Name box, select the file you want to import.
  OR... (UNIX) In the Files box, select the file you want to import.
• (Windows) Click OK.
  OR... (UNIX) Click Import.
  QuickSilver imports the file into the document.

To Convert a File Using Import and Export
You can use the Import/Export dialog box to import or export a file, and to modify the way the file converts. You can also use the dialog box to convert many files of the same type.

To import files using the Import/Export dialog box:

• Select the document you want to convert.
• Choose Import/Export from the desktop File menu.
  The Import/Export dialog box appears.
• Verify that the Input and Output boxes contain the correct filenames and destinations.
• Verify that the Configuration box contains the correct setting.
  By default, the Configuration box displays < None >, indicating that you will use the default options displayed in the Convert From box.
• Verify that the Convert From box displays the correct input and output formats.
  If the description in this box does not describe what you want to do, scroll through the selections to choose the conversion format.
• In the Options area, specify any options you want to use.
• Click Convert.
  The Import/Export Messages window appears.
  The filter creates a document, image, or external-file icon and places it in the directory specified in the Output box.
• With the Import/Export dialog box displayed, select another file you want to convert and click Convert.
• Repeat step 8 on all the files you want to convert, then close the Import/Export dialog box.

The Filter Command Syntax
Although each filter has a unique set of options and produces unique results, all filters follow the same basic set of conventions. The standard form or command syntax for running a filter from the command interpreter is as follows:
filtername [-options] inputfile [outputfile]

The Syntax
The brackets [ ] in the command syntax indicate optional parts of the command; do not type them.

• The filtername is the actual name of the filter you are running - for example, hpglfilt for HPGL files. The filtername is required.
• The import options are preceded by a hyphen (-). They may be in quotation marks if the option has special characters or embedded spaces. Import options are separated from other elements in the command line by white space. You add import options to the command line to modify how the filter converts a file.
• The inputfile is the name or pathname of the file to be converted. Include the filename extension in the inputfile name, if one exists. Pathnames can be absolute or relative.
  The inputfile field is required for all filters.
• The outputfile is the name or pathname you can specify for the converted file.
  If you do not specify an outputfile filename or pathname, the filter uses the name of the input file and puts the output file in the current directory or container. Most filters add the appropriate extension to outputfile if you do not specify one.

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