Exporting a file into another format is the opposite of importing a file. When a file is exported, the source program generates the foreign format. The target program, i.e. the program used for reading the file later, is presented with a file that no longer has to be imported, but only read instead.

What difference, if any, does it actually make? Which program performs the translation is absolutely irrelevant, isn’t it?

There are numerous differences. It is important, for example, which of the two programs is actually capable of performing the translation. For example, Arbortext IsoDraw has no difficulties importing or exporting an Illustrator file. Illustrator however, is unable to handle Arbortext IsoDraw files. Arbortext IsoDraw would have to be used for both importing and exporting files.

However, this is not the case when e.g. a file is to be exchanged between two programs and both programs can import and export files from the other program. In this case, you can choose which program is to perform the conversion. If you do have a choice, you can carry out a test to see which of the two programs converts best.

A further category is the availability of specific programs on a particular hardware platform. Arbortext IsoDraw, for example, can generate an Interleaf ASCII file directly. This file can then be transferred to the workstation using either a floppy disk or a network. and then only has to be opened in Interleaf. Since Interleaf cannot perform a corresponding conversion, this method had the advantage that the Interleaf user requires no further software or hardware in order to use an illustration.