Opening LXFree files in LXFree for Java
Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 4:55 pm
Is there any way to open files made in LXFree (for mac) in LXFree for Java (for PC) or is this something that is still be worked on?
LXFree and LXBeams on Mac OS X save plot files in one of two formats. Until the most recent versions, the default format was a file with an .lxplot extension which is a binary archive which requires OS X to be able to be opened. The other format has an .lxxplot extension and contains all the same data as the binary version. But, the .lxxplot file is XML based and can be opened on many different systems. Both LXFree for Java and LXBeams for iPad exclusively read and write .lxxplot files. The latest versions of LXFree and LXBeams now default to saving the cross-platform XML type of files. The binary files are somewhat smaller than the XML version. However, the file sizes are still small enough that the change was made to emphasize compatibility over file size.
To change a file in .lxplot format to one that is compatible with LXFree for Java, open the file and choose "Export" from the File menu. (Save As on OSX 10.6). In the save sheet, there is a popup menu below the list of files. Choose "XML Plot Document" from the list. This will allow you to save the file with an .lxxplot extension which you should then be able to open in LXFree for Java.