Encoding Datafiles
You may prefer to write your datafile completely by hand in a single step, instead of creating a text file, and then encoding its contents. It isn't difficult, and this page explains the rules to follow. You may also find this useful when you want to make quick changes to a datafile that you have already encoded.
Rule 1
Every line in the datafile, except for the first line and any blank line, must begin with a & sign. If you choose to leave the first line of the file blank (by typing Enter/Return at the top of the document), all the subsequent parameters must begin with a & sign.
Rule 2
If you want to comment-out a parameter without deleting it, add a JavaScript-style comment, //, after the & symbol, not before it. (You cannot add comments at the end of a line, they must be on a line by themselves, beginning &//).
Rule 3
Certain characters must be url-encoded. Here is a short list of the most common characters, together with the encoded version you need to use instead. Remember that you only need to encode the values of parameters, not the parameter names themselves. You must not encode the = sign between the parameter name and its value; only encode = signs that you include within the value.
The symbols * and | do not need to be encoded.
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