ELAB File Types

A PC executable module that can be executed after downloading by typing the name of the file. (This would typically be done in a DOS session.) This file type will not work with non PC-compatible computers.

A Dbase database file. Most professional database applications have converters for Dbase files.

A document stored in Microsoft Word format. Microsoft Word files can be viewed through Microsoft Word, or through programs that convert from Word format. Although the Word files on NELAC are mostly generated from Windows machines, they should be viewable from MacIntosh systems. If you have trouble viewing a Word document from NELAC, it may be because the document was generated in a later version of Word than the one on your machine. If you do not have Word, you can download a Word viewer from the web.

A Graphics Interchange Format image. This file should work with any system capable of viewing graphics from the web, using viewers such as Netscape.

An HTML file that may be viewed within a Web browser such as Netscape.

An Adobe Acrobat file requires the use of an Acrobat reader. The latest reader is available from Adobe, free of charge. NELAC has files created for Acrobat Reader version 3.0 and version 4.0. Although many of the older PDF files are still readable with Acrobat Reader 2.1, newer PDFs can only be read with version 3.0 or version 4.0. If you have problems reading some of the newer PDF files, check and make sure you are using the latest Acrobat viewer. Viewers are available for UNIX, Windows, MacIntosh and DOS.

A Microsoft PowerPoint file. Can only be used by systems capable of viewing Microsoft PowerPoint files. If you do not have PowerPoint, you can download a viewer from the web. There are viewers for both IBM-compatible and MacIntosh PCs.

A Lotus Freelance Graphics file. Can only be used by systems capable of viewing Lotus Freelance Graphics files. If you do not have Freelance, you can download a viewer from the web. There are viewers for both IBM-compatible and MacIntosh PCs.

ASCII text files that can be read on the screen or downloaded and processed with a word processor or text editor. These files are should be viewable from virtually any system.

A Corel WordPerfect file. The files downloadable from NELAC are usually in either 6.2 format (usually) or 5.1 format (occasionally). These formats are supported by a number of versions of WordPerfect, which is available for UNIX, Windows, MacIntosh and DOS. Additionally, many word processors other than WordPerfect can read WordPerfect files (although they may not convert the formatting properly).

Can only be used by systems capable of viewing Microsoft Excel files. If you do not have Excel, you can download a viewer from the web. There are viewers for both IBM-compatible and MacIntosh PCs.

PKZip compressed files. "PKUNZIP.EXE" is a dearchiver program used to dearchive compressed (ZIP) files that are downloaded from the NELACWeb. There are no versions of PKZip for MacIntosh or Unix. Windows programs, such as WinZip can also be used.