<sect1 id="sect-files-ssconvert">
  <title>Converting Files</title>

  <para>
    &gnum; can convert files automatically without needing user
    intervention. This allows a large number of files to be converted
    using a script. &gnum; is distributed along with a program called
    <application>ssconvert</application> which is the program used to
    convert files automatically. All of the file formats supported by
    &gnum; can be used except for the PostScript and PDF file formats
    which operate through the printing system.
  </para>

  <para>
    This application is used, from the command line by specifying, any
    desired options, an input file and an output file. For example,
<screen>
ssconvert myfile.xls myfile.gnumeric
</screen>
    would convert an <application>Excel</application> format file to a
    &gnum; format file. 
  </para>

<!-- TODO: render hack -->
  <para></para>

  <para>
    The available import and export file formats which ssconvert
    can read can be listed using
<screen>
ssconvert --list-importers
</screen>
    or 
<screen>
ssconvert --list-exporters
</screen>
    respectively.
  </para>

<!-- TODO: render hack -->
  <para></para>

  <para>
    Like other GNU command line applications,
    <application>ssconvert</application>  includes a manual page. This
    page can be accessed by typing:
<screen>
man ssconvert
</screen>
    which will open the manual page. This page can be navigated by
    typing the space bar or using the <keysym>Page Up</keysym> and
    <keysym>Page Down</keysym> buttons. The
    <application>man</application> program can be dismissed by typing
    the <keysym>q</keysym> key.
  </para>


</sect1>

