MFILE is a proprietary PCI file format that you can use with CATALYST Professional algorithms (and some CATALYST Professional programs). That is, many algorithms feature an MFILE parameter, in which you can specify the value as the name of a file, a folder, or a text file that contains the data to process.
If necessary, you can use a wildcard—the asterisk (*)—in the string.
You specify the value of the parameter by using any of the following:
- A file; for example, "irvine.pix" or "C:\data\irvine.pix".
- A file-name pattern or all of the files in a folder; for example, "C:\data\*.pix" or "C:\data".
- An existing text file that contains references to multiple files with, optionally, different parameter settings per file; for example, "C:\list.txt". The paths in the file can be absolute or relative to the folder location of the text file. With the text file, each line must have the following format:
- File;<parameter_1>;<parameter_n>
With a text file, the following general rules apply:
- The file containing multiple files and different parameter values must have a .txt file name extension.
- List each set of parameters on its own line in the same order as occurs in the algorithm.
- Specify string parameters in quotation marks.
- Do not specify numeric parameters in quotation marks.
- A quotation mark preceded by a backslash (\) is read as part of the string. For example, ab\"c is used as: ab"c.
- Precede comments in the file with an exclamation mark (!).
- Use a semicolon (;) to delimit the parameters.
- When you do not want to specify a value, leave the position between the semicolons empty (";;"). Alternatively, if there are no remaining parameters to specify at the end of a line, you can leave it blank.
- Parameters in a text file may or may not be specified in the algorithm; that is:
- If a parameter is specified in the algorithm and in the text file, the value in the text file is used.
- If a parameter is not specified in the text file, you can specify the parameter in the algorithm.