EES File Types and Filename Extensions
EES works with a number of different file types, as distinguished by their filename extensions. The list below identifies each filename type and provides a short description of its use.
Extension Purpose
.CHM Compiled HTML help files are used to provide online documentation for many of the EES library files as will as for the EES program. The file you are currently viewing is a .CHM file. This help file format is currently the recommended format for help files in the Windows operating systems.
.CSV Comma separated variable (.CSV) files provide data that can be read by EES with the Open Lookup Table command. The file does not provide any information concerning the column names or data format. The number of values in the first row of the file determines the number of columns in the table. The number of rows in the table is equal to the number of rows of data. Values on each row are separated with the list separator character. Each row ends with a linefeed - carriage return. Note that .CSV files can be directly read or saved with popular spreadsheet programs, so the .CSV format provide an easy way to exchange Lookup file information with other applications. The .CSV format can also be used to write files with the $SAVETABLE directive and to read and write files with the $IMPORT and $EXPORT directives.
.CTX Context (.CTX) files are used with .CHM files to provide an index to a specific function or procedure that is described (along with others) in a .CHM file. The .CTX file format is described in Help for Library files.
.DAT Data exported to a .DAT file with the $Export command are separated with a tab character, rather than with the comma or semicolon list separator.
.DFT The EES.DFT holds identification and default information needed by the 32-bit license EES at startup. This file MUST be located in the EES main folder. EES will not operate unless this file is present.
.DFT64 The EES.DFT64 holds identification and default information needed by the 64-bit license EES at startup. This file MUST be located in the EES main folder. EES will not operate unless this file is present.
.DLF Dynamically linked Function (.DLF) can be written in C, C++, Pascal, and other high level 32-bit languages that support linked lists and dynamic linked library files. These files can provide external functions that can be called by the 32-bit license of EES. Multiple functions can be placed in a .DLL file.
.DLF64 Dynamically linked Function (.DLF) can be written in C, C++, Pascal, and other high level 64-bit languages that support linked lists and dynamic linked library files. These files can provide external functions that can be called by the 64-bit license of EES. Multiple functions can be placed in a .DLL64 file.
.DLL EES can access one or more external 32-bit programs that are compiled in a particular format as dynamic link library (.DLL) files. External programs can also be provided as .FDL, .DLF, and .DLP file formats. The advantage of the .DLL format over the other types is that more than one external procedure can be provided in a .DLL file. Additional information is provided under Multiple External Routines in a Single DLL.
.DLL64 The 64-bit license of EES can access one or more external 64-bit programs that are compiled in a particular format as dynamic link library (.DLL64) files. External programs can also be provided as .FDL64, .DLF64, and .DLP64 file formats. The advantage of the .DLL64 format over the other types is that more than one external procedure can be provided in a .DLL64 file. Additional information is provided under Multiple External Routines in a Single DLL.
.DLP Dynamically linked Procedure (.DLP) can be written as a 32-bit program in C, C++, Pascal, and other high level languages that support linked lists and dynamic linked library files. These files can be provide external procedures that can be called by EES. Multiple procedures can be placed in a .DLL file.
.DLP64 Dynamically linked Procedure (.DLP64) can be written as a 64-bit program in C, C++, Pascal, and other high level languages that support linked lists and dynamic linked library files. These files can be provide external procedures that can be called by the 64-bit version of EES. Multiple procedures can be placed in a .DLL64 file.
.DVI Default Variable Information (.DVI) files are binary files containing default information for the guess value, bounds and format as a function of the first letter of the variable name. The .DVI files are created with the Store button in the Default Variable Information dialog and read when the Load button in that dialog is clicked.
.EMF EES Macro Files (.EMF) store macro commands in an ASCII (text) file that can be replayed. The instructions in the macro file can be executed by opening the file with the Open or Create Macro command and clicking the Play button. This command also allows new macro files to be created or existing macro files to be edited. A macro file can also be played from another program using DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) commands. EES macro files can only be created with the Professional license.
.EPT EES Plot Template (.EPT) files store plot window characteristics. It is convenient to save the characteristics of a plot window in an .EPT file and then apply those characteristics to other plots. This action assures that all plots have the same size, fonts, and other characteristics. See Saving and Applying Plot Templates for more information.
.EES EES saves all problem information including tables, plots, equations, variables and diagrams, in .EES files for the 32-bit license. .EES files are binary and can only be read by EES. If an EES file has somehow become corrupted and it cannot be read by EES, it may be possible to recover the equations that were saved in the file by opening the file with WordPad or a similar application.
.EES64 The 64-bit license saves EES files in a different format than the 32-bit licenses and these files are identified with the .EES64 filename extension. The 64-bit license can read both .EES and .EES64 files, but the 32-bit licenses can only read .EES files.
.EEZ EEZ file is an EES 32-bit file that has been zipped to compress it to a smaller size on disk. All versions of EES after version 7.659 can read .EEZ files and automatically uncompress them. The file can also be opened with a zip file program. The Professional license of EES can write .EEZ files and all versions of EES can read .EEZ files.
.EEZ64 The 64-bit license saves files in a different format than the 32-bit licenses. Compressed EES files are identified with a .EEZ64 filename extension. The 64-bit license can read both .EEZ and .EEZ64 files, but compressed files can only be saved as .EEZ64 files.32-bit
.FDL An .FDL file provides an externally compiled procedure that can be called by the 32-bit licenses. The filename originally was intended for refer to FORTRAN Dynamic library, but the external program can be written and compiled in any language that supports Windows dynamic link library files. .DLP and .DLL files also provide external procedures in dynamic link library format. The .FDL file format differs from the .DLP file in the manner in which the arguments are provided. In particular, the .DLP file format uses linked lists, which are not supported in older FORTRAN compilers. The .DLL format can incorporate more than a single procedure whereas the .FDL file is limited to one callable procedure.
.FDL64 An .FDL64 file provides an externally compiled procedure that can be called by 64-bit license of EES. The filename originally was intended for refer to FORTRAN Dynamic library, but the external program can be written and compiled in any language that supports Windows dynamic link library files. .DLP64 and .DLL64 files also provide external procedures in dynamic link library format. The .FDL64 file format differs from the .DLP64 file in the manner in which the arguments are provided. In particular, the .DLP64 file format uses linked lists, which are not supported in older FORTRAN compilers. The .DLL64 format can incorporate more than a single procedure whereas the .FDL64 file is limited to one callable procedure.
.FLD The NIST REFPROP program uses .FLD files to provide the coefficients in the equations it uses for property data. EES can read .FLD files using the $INCLUDE directive file provides a format specification for reading LOOKUP file . Using an .FMT file EES can read data into a LOOKUP table from a file of any format.
.HTM HTML (.HTM) files are used to provide user information. .HTM files that open a browser program can also be used to provide online help. More information is provided in Help for Library Files.
.HLP Older versions of EES provided online help files in .HLP files. Microsoft terminated support for this file type with the release of Vista. EES currently does not use .HLP files.
.INI EES is configured so that the main EES window occupies the entire screen by default. However, EES will create an EES.ini file in the EES startup directory when EES closes, so that the next time EES is started, the main EES window will be restored to the size and location it had during its last use. If the EES.ini does not exist, EES will start with its default settings. EES stores user specifications made in the Create LaTeX/PDF Report dialog in a small file called EES_TeX.ini. This file, if present, should be in the same directory as the EES application. If the file is deleted, EES will use its own internal defaults.
.LIB Library files (.LIB) can be used to store 32-bit EES internal functions, procedures and modules. When EES starts, it will automatically load all of the functions and procedures in the library files found in the EES USERLIB\ subdirectory. Library files can also be loaded manually using the Load Library command in the File Menu or automatically using the $INCLUDE directive.
.LIB64 Library files (.LIB) can be used to store 64-bit EES internal functions, procedures and modules. When EES starts, it will automatically load all of the functions and procedures in the library files found in the EES USERLIB64\ subdirectory. Library files can also be loaded manually using the Load Library command in the File Menu or automatically using the $INCLUDE directive. Note that the 64-bit license of EES can read and save .LIB and .LIB64 files.
.LKT LOOKUP (.LKT) files are the native form for storing tabular data in a lookup file in the 32-bit licenses. The .LKT file stores the column header information and number format as well as the values in the table. The .LKT file is a binary file that is saved with the Save Table command or $SaveLookup and $SaveTable directives. The .LKT file can only be opened using the Open Lookup Table command or $OpenLookup directive. EES can also read lookup file information in .CSV, .TXT, and .XLSX formats, but the .LKT format is more compact and faster. See Lookup file formats for more information.
.LKT64 LOOKUP (.LKT) files are the native form for storing tabular data in a lookup file in the 64-bit license of EES. The .LKT64 file stores the column header information and number format as well as the values in the table. The .LKT64 file is a binary file that is saved with the Save Table command or $SaveLookup and $SaveTable directives. This file format cannot be read by the 32-bit licenses. The .LKT64 file can only be opened using the Open Lookup Table command or $OpenLookup directive in the 64-bit license. See Lookup file formats for more information.
.MDI Make Distributable Information (.MDI) files store all of the information needed to recreate a distributable program. The .MDI file is created by clicking the button with the disk icon at the lower right of the Make Distributable dialog. The stored information is retrieved using the button with the folder icon, also at the lower right. The .MDI files facilitate making repeated changes to a distributable file. This capability is provided only for the Professional license.
.NWM An EES.NWM file may (or may not) exist in the EES main folder. This file is created by EES when the user selects the 'Do not show this dialog next time' check box. This check box appears in two situations. It will appear if a second EES application is started and the user checks the 'do not show this dialog next time' check box when the warning for multiple copies of EES is presented. The EES.NWM file is a standard text file that can be opened with Notepad or any other file editor. The file contains two characters, each on a separate line. If the first character is N, the dialog to warn for multiple copies will not be displayed. If the second character is N, the dialog that asks if the file should be saved in backward compatible format will not be shown. You can change either of these characters from N to Y to alter behavior. To return to the default behavior, simply delete the EES.NWM file.
.PAR Parametric (.PAR) files are created by the Store Parametric Table command or the StoreParametric macro. A .PAR file stores information for a selected parametric table to a binary disk file. All information related to the parametric table is saved. The file can later be read to recreate the table with the Retrieve Parametric Table command or the RetrieveParametric macro. The original purpose of .PAR files was to get around the EES implementation limit of one Parametric Table in older versions of EES. EES now allows an unlimited number of Parametric Tables which eliminates the need for .PAR files.
.PDF Portable Document Interface (.PDF) files are created by the Create LaTeX/PDF Report command if the Create PDF document option is selected. In the case the PDFLaTeX.exe program is used to compile the .TEX file into a .PDF file which can be viewed with Abode Acrobat. .pdf files can also be used to provide help or documentation for the Diagram window and library files.
.PLT EES Plot (.PLT) files are created with the Store Plot command or the StorePlot macro. These commands write a file that provides all of the information needed to draw a plot window. The plot window can be restored with the Retrieve Plot command or the RetrievePlot macro. .PLT files provide a method of moving a plot window from one EES program to another.
.PRF EES Preference files (.PRF) hold default values of units settings selected in the Unit System dialog, stop criteria and integration tolerances specified in the Tolerances dialog, default variable information, and all of the information in the Preferences dialog. In addition, the .PRF file holds recently accessed file names and default directory information. A .PRF file is created when the Store button in clicked in the Unit System, Tolerances, and Preferences dialogs. EES will automatically load the EES.prf file when it is started if it is found in the same directory as the EES application. An existing .PRF file in any directory can be loaded with the Load button in the Preferences dialog or with a $INCLUDE directive.
.PRF64 The 64-bit .PRF file.
.TAB Data exported to a .TAB file with the $Export directive are separated with a tab character, rather than with the comma or semicolon list separator
.TEX TeX (.TEX) files are created by the Create LaTeX/PDF Report command.
.TOC Table of Contents (.TOC) files are used to provide access to the Application Libraries that appear in the Function Information dialog.
.TXB Textbook (.TXB) files hold information that can be used to create a user menu at the right of the menu bar. Originally, the user menu was used to provide information to coordinate with textbooks that used EES, but any user menu can be created. .TXB files can be loaded manually with the Load Textbook command or automatically, by placing the file in the EES \USERLIB folder. The format of the ASCII .TXB file is described under Textbook Index file.
.TXT Text (.TXT) files are used in several ways by EES. .TXT files that contain equations, perhaps functions, procedures, or modules, can be merged into an EES program using the $INCLUDE directive. Table files having a .TXT extension can be saved using the Save Table command or $SaveTable directive. .TXT files can be opened using the Open Lookup Table command or $OpenLookup directive. See Lookup file formats for more information. The .TXT format can be used to read and write files with the $IMPORT and $EXPORT directives. Text files can also be used to provide help information for internal or external functions and procedures. The LibraryManager.text file is written by the EES Library Manager which controls loading of library files at startup. If a HELLO.TXT file is placed in the EES application directory, that file will be automatically opened into the Equations window when EES is started.
.UNC Uncertainty Information (.UNC) files are used in the Professional license to save and restore the choices made for the calculated and measured variables and their associated relative or absolute uncertainties. The files are accessed from the Uncertainty Propagation or Uncertainty Propagation Table dialogs. Saving the uncertainty information allows one EES file to solve several different uncertainty problems without having to reenter the uncertainty setting. The Save Uncertainty Information files are text files that can be viewed or edited with a text editor such as Notepad.
.UNT Units List (.UNT) files hold unit strings facilitating the entering of units information for EES variables. .UNT files can be created with a text editor or more simply using the Units List dialog.
.VAR Variable (.VAR) files save the name, guess, lower bound, upper bound, and format for all EES variables in the main program or a module. .VAR files can be read and saved in the Variable Information dialog, using the Load/Save buttons in the Diagram window or using the SaveVarInfo macro command. The Professional license is required for using .VAR files. .VAR files are particularly useful with the Diagram window in that user inputs can be saved and later re-loaded. Other application for .VAR files are to provide multiple sets of guesses and to automate setting information for commonly used variable names. See Variable Information Files, Saving and Loading Diagram Inputs and the $SaveVarInfo directive for more information.
.WMF Windows Meta File (.WMF) were used in earlier versions of EES to save figures in child diagram windows. These figures are now saved within the .EES files (or within a distributable program) and are no longer generated by EES.
.XPT Export files (.XPT) can be saved or read by Windows, Macintosh, and DOS versions of EES. The .XPT file includes equations, variable information, the first Parametric table and up to one Lookup table in a text format. Plots and diagrams are not saved and some advanced features, such as string variables and multiple Parametric tables are not supported. The .XPT file is a text file and it can be viewed with any text editor. There original purpose of the .XPT file format was to transfer files between different operating systems. However, there no longer is a Macintosh version and there is no reason to ever use this file format.