% @(#)datain.alq	17.1.1.1 (ESO-IPG) 01/25/02 17:43:29 
MIDAS uses the FITS format as the main data import/export format. 
Images, tables and fit files in FITS format can be read into MIDAS via the 
commands INTAPE/FITS or INDISK/FITS.
Use HELP INTAPE/FITS and HELP INDISK/FITS to get the details.

FITS files (images, tables) can be accessed (and modified) directly in MIDAS, 
i.e. you don't need to execute INDISK/FITS on such a file, just use it like 
any MIDAS file. However, FITS images are always mapped fully into
memory. That's no problem if you use commands which just work on one or two 
images, but for e.g. commands like AVERAGE/IMAGE you could end up allocating 
a LOT of memory when working with FITS files directly...
Also extensions of FITS files can be accessed (but not modified) directly in
MIDAS. For the relevant syntax, see he help of the topic [Filenames].
 
Images stored as ASCII data files can be read into MIDAS via the INDISK/ASCII
command or CREATE/IMAGE with the ASCII_file option.
For ASCII tables use the command CREATE/TABLE.
Use HELP INDISK/ASCII, HELP CREATE/IMAGE and HELP CREATE/TABLE to get 
the details.
 	        
Finally, images in TIFF format can be converted to Midas frames via the
command: @c intiff.
Use `HELP/CONTRIB intiff' to get the details.
That means, that you can convert any image format to MIDAS by using one of 
the many public domain programs to convert the file first to TIFF and then get
that file into MIDAS.

Some programs, like e.g. "xv", already convert directly any of the major
image formats to FITS.