File Format Tips

Learn about the software that we have installed for all Pikes Peak Makerspace (PPM) members.

Use of software installed on PPM computers does not require any additional required training (Level 1).





Contact Us if you cannot find your answer here on our Wiki or if you notice any information that is outdated.

 

File format tips

Links to related PPM Wiki pages:

G-code File Format Tips — "Geometry code"

control automated machine tools, as well as for 3D-printer slicers

JSON File Format Tips — JavaScript Object Notation

a human-readable document format for storing and exchanging data

STL File Format Tips — stereolithography

a method to approximate the surface geometry of a 3D model

SVG File Format Tips — Scalable Vector Graphics

a document format to reproduce 2D graphics

USDZ File Format Tips — Universal Scene Description

an "ecosystem" for 3D objects and 3D worlds

Other file formats

Links to Wikipedia:

3D printing file formats

3MF — XML-based data format designed specifically for additive manufacturing

obj — simple, open file format for 3D geometry

ply — Polygon File Format for storing three-dimensional data from 3D scanners

Graphic design file formats (from Adobe)

PostScript vs PDF (vs EPS) — from Adobe, captured on Wayback Machine

EPS — Encapsulated PostScript, holds text, raster and/or PostScript images, and optional bitmap preview (but not multimedia)

PDF — Portable Document Format, for publishing documents with text, graphics, and multimedia

PostScript — page description language, and corresponding language interpreter

Graphic design file formats (general)

ASCII art — "computer art form using text characters"

BMP — bitmap graphics, especially for Windows operating systems

DXF — Drawing Exchange Format, a CAD data file format, developed by Autodesk

GIF — Graphics Interchange Format, bitmap format that is also used for animation

JPEG — for photographic images

plist — Property list files are often used to store a user's settings

PNG — Portable Network Graphics, raster format for images with or without transparency

Web development file formats

CSS — Cascading Style Sheet for formatting documents to display in a web browser

HTML — HyperText Markup Language for documents to display in a web browser

WebP — a replacement for other raster formats (faster), developed by Google

XML — Extensible Markup Language, simple format for storing and transmitting data

YAML — human readable language commonly used for configuration files

Hand-Curated Links

Links to related PPM Wiki pages:

Software Tips

GitHub Tips

Additional Help

Use the PPM Slack channel #computing

List of all PPM Slack channels

Note that we have a Slack channel (#job-board) for members to post, discuss, or accept job opportunities either within PPM or from the community.

Search the PPM Wiki — include Content pages as well as Multimedia.

Contact Us if you cannot find your answer here on our Wiki or if you notice any information that is outdated.