PLT file format
| Extension | .plt |
| Category | images |
| Programs | Embroidermodder |
| Main program | AutoCAD |
| Description | The PLT file format was developed for creating positional images with Hewlett-Packard plotters and was first used in the HP-8972 plotter in 1977. It is a component of the Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language (HPGL) and is designed as a language for controlling printers. A typical PLT file consists of a series of two-letter data points that determine the starting position of the plotter head. Many graphic applications support the PLT format, allowing for adjustments to image size without changing the source code or image quality. PLT files are based on a text file framework similar to ASCII. |
| Technical details | In recent years, PLT files have been created by an innovative visualization software called Tecplot. Unlike the relatively primitive plotters, Tecplot analyzes a series of datasets or multiple frames that represent the input of the software; the output of this computational analysis is documented in PLT format. The PLT files often contain animated simulation results of complex 2D and 3D visualization, which would not be practical or cost-effective to carry out in reality. The resulting PLT output can be either a static image or an animated visualization. |