diff --git a/doc/texinfo/gmsh.texi b/doc/texinfo/gmsh.texi
index 4d3b8a50a8105aa90768a2e6e372c5be50863743..9ec52b001f87ec03d5dced0538b06bdc99e2d15b 100644
--- a/doc/texinfo/gmsh.texi
+++ b/doc/texinfo/gmsh.texi
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
\input texinfo.tex @c -*-texinfo-*-
-@c $Id: gmsh.texi,v 1.137 2004-10-13 17:29:37 geuzaine Exp $
+@c $Id: gmsh.texi,v 1.138 2004-10-15 17:13:54 geuzaine Exp $
@c
@c Copyright (C) 1997-2004 C. Geuzaine, J.-F. Remacle
@c
@@ -231,17 +231,21 @@ Running Gmsh
File formats
-* Gmsh mesh file format::
-* Gmsh ASCII post-processing file format::
-* Gmsh binary post-processing file format::
-* Gmsh parsed post-processing file format::
+* Gmsh mesh file formats::
+* Gmsh post-processing file formats::
* Gmsh node ordering::
-Gmsh mesh file format
+Gmsh mesh file formats
* Version 1.0::
* Version 2.0::
+Gmsh post-processing file formats
+
+* Parsed post-processing file format::
+* ASCII post-processing file format::
+* Binary post-processing file format::
+
Bugs, versions and credits
* Bugs::
@@ -1813,7 +1817,7 @@ If only elementary geometrical entities are defined (or if the
produced by the mesh module will be saved ``as is''. That is, all the
elements in the grid will be saved to disk using the identification number
of the elementary entities they discretize as their region number
-(@pxref{Gmsh mesh file format}). This can sometimes be inconvenient:
+(@pxref{Gmsh mesh file formats}). This can sometimes be inconvenient:
@itemize @bullet
@item
@@ -2235,7 +2239,7 @@ inside the graphical window, or be automatically positioned in order to
avoid overlaps.
Sample post-processing files in human-readable ``parsed'' format
-(@pxref{Gmsh parsed post-processing file format}) are available in the
+(@pxref{Parsed post-processing file format}) are available in the
@file{tutorial} directory of Gmsh's distribution (@file{.pos} files).
@menu
@@ -2292,14 +2296,13 @@ Saves the the @var{expression}-th post-processing view in a file named
@item View "@var{string}" @{ @var{string} ( @var{expression-list} ) @{ @var{expression-list} @}; @dots{} @}
Creates a new post-processing view, named @code{"@var{string}"}. This is the
easiest way to create a post-processing view, but also the least efficient
-(the view is read through Gmsh's script parser, which can become quite slow
-if the view is large---e.g., with more than 100,000 elements). Though,
-this ``parsed'' post-processing format (explained in detail in @ref{Gmsh
-parsed post-processing file format}) is very powerful for testing proposes,
-since all the values are @var{expressions}. Two other formats, better
-adapted for large data sets, are described in @ref{Gmsh ASCII
-post-processing file format} and @ref{Gmsh binary post-processing file
-format}.
+(the view is read through Gmsh's script parser, which can become a bit slow
+if the view is very large---e.g., with more than 500,000 elements). Though,
+this ``parsed'' post-processing format (explained in detail in @ref{Parsed
+post-processing file format}) is very powerful, since all the values are
+@var{expressions}. Two other formats, better suited for very large data
+sets, are described in @ref{ASCII post-processing file format} and
+@ref{Binary post-processing file format}.
@end ftable
@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -2683,23 +2686,21 @@ This chapter describes the file formats that cannot be modified by the
user. These formats have a version number (currently 1.2), independent of the
Gmsh version number (currently @value{GMSH-VERSION}).
-All non-parsed file formats have sections enclosed between @code{$KEY} and
-@code{$ENDKEY} tags.
+All non-parsed file formats have sections enclosed between @code{$Key} and
+@code{$EndKey} tags.
@menu
-* Gmsh mesh file format::
-* Gmsh ASCII post-processing file format::
-* Gmsh binary post-processing file format::
-* Gmsh parsed post-processing file format::
+* Gmsh mesh file formats::
+* Gmsh post-processing file formats::
* Gmsh node ordering::
@end menu
@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-@c Gmsh mesh file format
+@c Gmsh mesh file formats
@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-@node Gmsh mesh file format, Gmsh ASCII post-processing file format, File formats, File formats
-@section Gmsh mesh file format
+@node Gmsh mesh file formats, Gmsh post-processing file formats, File formats, File formats
+@section Gmsh mesh file formats
@cindex Mesh, file format
@cindex File format, mesh
@@ -2722,7 +2723,7 @@ program is also a good example on how to read and write files in the
@c Version 1.0
@c .........................................................................
-@node Version 1.0, Version 2.0, Gmsh mesh file format, Gmsh mesh file format
+@node Version 1.0, Version 2.0, Gmsh mesh file formats, Gmsh mesh file formats
@subsection Version 1.0
The @file{.msh} file format, version 1.0, is Gmsh's old native mesh file
@@ -2835,7 +2836,7 @@ of the edges and quadrangular faces given in @ref{Gmsh node ordering}.
@c Version 2.0
@c .........................................................................
-@node Version 2.0, , Version 1.0, Gmsh mesh file format
+@node Version 2.0, , Version 1.0, Gmsh mesh file formats
@subsection Version 2.0
Version 2.0 of the @file{.msh} file format is Gmsh's new native mesh file
@@ -2960,15 +2961,140 @@ quadrangular faces given in @ref{Gmsh node ordering}.
@end table
@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-@c Gmsh ASCII post-processing file format
+@c Gmsh post-processing file formats
@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-@node Gmsh ASCII post-processing file format, Gmsh binary post-processing file format, Gmsh mesh file format, File formats
-@section Gmsh ASCII post-processing file format
+@node Gmsh post-processing file formats, Gmsh node ordering, Gmsh mesh file formats, File formats
+@section Gmsh post-processing file formats
+
+@cindex @file{.pos} file
+
+Gmsh can read and write data sets in three different file formats: the
+``parsed'', ``ASCII'' and ``binary'' file formats. The parsed format is the
+oldest and most flexible, but also the slowest to read/write. The ASCII and
+binary formats are less flexible but allow for faster read/write operations,
+which is useful for (very) large data sets.
+
+Gmsh can convert any format to any other, either in a script (cf. @code{Save
+View} and @code{PostProcessing.Format} in @ref{Post-processing commands},
+and @ref{Post-processing options}, respectively) or in the graphical user
+interface (using the `View->Save as' menu).
+
+@menu
+* Parsed post-processing file format::
+* ASCII post-processing file format::
+* Binary post-processing file format::
+@end menu
+
+@c .........................................................................
+@c Parsed post-processing file format
+@c .........................................................................
+
+@node Parsed post-processing file format, ASCII post-processing file format, Gmsh post-processing file formats, Gmsh post-processing file formats
+@subsection Parsed post-processing file format
+
+@cindex Post-processing, parsed file format
+@cindex File format, post-processing, parsed
+@cindex @file{.pos} file
+
+Gmsh's oldest post-processing format (``parsed'') is read by Gmsh's script
+parser (see also @ref{Post-processing commands}). You can thus, for example,
+embed parsed post-processing views directly into your geometrical
+descriptions (see, e.g., @ref{t4.geo}).
+
+The parsed format is very powerful, since all the values are
+@var{expressions}, and it can be easily generated ``on-the-fly'', as there
+is no header containing @emph{a priori} information on the size of the data
+set. Its syntax is also very permissive, which makes it ideal for testing
+purposes. Its main disadvantage resides in the overhead introduced by the
+parser, which makes loading a view in parsed format slower than loading a
+view in ASCII or binary format. This is only a disadvantage for very large
+data sets, tough.
+
+The format of the parsed post-processing file is the following:
+
+@example
+@group
+View "@var{string}" @{
+ @var{type} ( @var{list-of-coords} ) @{ @var{list-of-values} @};
+ @dots{}
+@};
+@end group
+@end example
+
+The 26 objects that can be displayed are:
+
+@sp 1
+
+@example
+ @var{type} #@var{list-of-coords} #@var{list-of-values}
+------------------------------------------------------------
+scalar point SP 3 1 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+vector point VP 3 3 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+tensor point TP 3 9 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+scalar line SL 6 2 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+vector line VL 6 6 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+tensor line TL 6 18 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+scalar triangle ST 9 3 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+vector triangle VT 9 9 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+tensor triangle TT 9 27 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+scalar quadrangle SQ 12 4 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+vector quadrangle VQ 12 12 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+tensor quadrangle TQ 12 36 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+scalar tetrahedron SS 12 4 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+vector tetrahedron VS 12 12 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+tensor tetrahedron TS 12 36 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+scalar hexahedron SH 24 8 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+vector hexahedron VH 24 24 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+tensor hexahedron TH 24 72 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+scalar prism SI 18 6 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+vector prism VI 18 18 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+tensor prism TI 18 54 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+scalar pyramid SY 15 5 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+vector pyramid VY 15 15 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+tensor pyramid TY 15 45 * @var{nb-time-steps}
+text 2d T2 4 arbitrary
+text 3d T3 5 arbitrary
+@end example
+
+The coordinates are given `by node'@footnote{Beware that this is different
+from the ordering of the node coordinates in the ASCII and binary
+post-processing file formats.}, i.e.:
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+@code{(@var{coord1}, @var{coord2}, @var{coord3})} for a point,
+@item
+@code{(@var{coord1-node1}, @var{coord2-node1}, @var{coord3-node1},}@*
+@code{ @var{coord1-node2}, @var{coord2-node2}, @var{coord3-node2})} for a line,
+@item
+@code{(@var{coord1-node1}, @var{coord2-node1}, @var{coord3-node1},}@*
+@code{ @var{coord1-node2}, @var{coord2-node2}, @var{coord3-node2},}@*
+@code{ @var{coord1-node3}, @var{coord2-node3}, @var{coord3-node3})} for a triangle,
+@item
+etc.
+@end itemize
+
+The values are given by time step, by node and by component, i.e.:
+@example
+@var{comp1-node1-time1}, @var{comp2-node1-time1}, @var{comp3-node1-time1},
+@var{comp1-node2-time1}, @var{comp2-node2-time1}, @var{comp3-node2-time1},
+@var{comp1-node3-time1}, @var{comp2-node3-time1}, @var{comp3-node3-time1},
+@var{comp1-node1-time2}, @var{comp2-node1-time2}, @var{comp3-node1-time2},
+@var{comp1-node2-time2}, @var{comp2-node2-time2}, @var{comp3-node2-time2},
+@var{comp1-node3-time2}, @var{comp2-node3-time2}, @var{comp3-node3-time2},
+@dots{}
+@end example
+
+@c .........................................................................
+@c ASCII post-processing file format
+@c .........................................................................
+
+@node ASCII post-processing file format, Binary post-processing file format, Parsed post-processing file format, Gmsh post-processing file formats
+@subsection ASCII post-processing file format
@cindex Post-processing, ASCII file format
@cindex File format, post-processing, ASCII
-@cindex @file{.pos} file
The ASCII post-processing file is divided in several sections: one format
section, enclosed between @code{$PostFormat}-@code{$EndPostFormat} tags, and
@@ -3106,19 +3232,18 @@ is a list of @var{nb-text3d-chars} chars. Substrings are separated with the
`@code{^}' character.
@end table
-@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-@c Gmsh binary post-processing file format
-@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+@c .........................................................................
+@c Binary post-processing file format
+@c .........................................................................
-@node Gmsh binary post-processing file format, Gmsh parsed post-processing file format, Gmsh ASCII post-processing file format, File formats
-@section Gmsh binary post-processing file format
+@node Binary post-processing file format, , ASCII post-processing file format, Gmsh post-processing file formats
+@subsection Binary post-processing file format
@cindex Post-processing, binary file format
@cindex File format, post-processing, binary
-@cindex @file{.pos} file
The binary post-processing file format is the same as the ASCII file format
-described in @ref{Gmsh ASCII post-processing file format}, except that:
+described in @ref{ASCII post-processing file format}, except that:
@enumerate
@item
@@ -3174,97 +3299,11 @@ precision numbers containing all the @var{scalar-point-value} lists, put one
after each other in order to form a long array of doubles. The principle is
the same for all other kinds of values.
-@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-@c Gmsh parsed post-processing file format
-@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-@node Gmsh parsed post-processing file format, Gmsh node ordering, Gmsh binary post-processing file format, File formats
-@section Gmsh parsed post-processing file format
-
-@cindex Post-processing, parsed file format
-@cindex File format, post-processing, parsed
-@cindex @file{.pos} file
-
-For relatively small data sets Gmsh provides an additional post-processing
-format, which is read by Gmsh's script parser. You can thus, for example,
-embed small post-processing views directly into your geometrical
-descriptions (see e.g., @ref{t4.geo}). This format is also useful for
-testing purposes: its syntax is very permissive, and you can easily generate
-it by hand or on the fly. The format of the parsed post-processing file is
-the following:
-
-@example
-@group
-View "@var{string}" @{
- @var{type} ( @var{list-of-coords} ) @{ @var{list-of-values} @};
- @dots{}
-@};
-@end group
-@end example
-
-The 26 objects that can be displayed are the same as in the ASCII or binary
-post-processing file formats:
-
-@sp 1
-
-@example
-@group
- @var{type} #@var{list-of-coords} #@var{list-of-values}
-------------------------------------------------------------
-scalar point SP 3 1 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-vector point VP 3 3 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-tensor point TP 3 9 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-scalar line SL 6 2 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-vector line VL 6 6 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-tensor line TL 6 18 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-scalar triangle ST 9 3 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-vector triangle VT 9 9 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-tensor triangle TT 9 27 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-scalar quadrangle SQ 12 4 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-vector quadrangle VQ 12 12 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-tensor quadrangle TQ 12 36 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-scalar tetrahedron SS 12 4 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-vector tetrahedron VS 12 12 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-tensor tetrahedron TS 12 36 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-scalar hexahedron SH 24 8 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-vector hexahedron VH 24 24 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-tensor hexahedron TH 24 72 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-scalar prism SI 18 6 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-vector prism VI 18 18 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-tensor prism TI 18 54 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-scalar pyramid SY 15 5 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-vector pyramid VY 15 15 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-tensor pyramid TY 15 45 * @var{nb-time-steps}
-text 2d T2 4 arbitrary
-text 3d T3 5 arbitrary
-@end group
-@end example
-
-For historical reasons, contrary to the ASCII and binary post-processing
-file formats, the coordinates are given `by node', i.e.:
-
-@itemize @bullet
-@item
-@code{(coord1, coord2,coord3)} for a point,
-@item
-@code{(coord1-node1, coord2-node1, coord3-node1,}@*
-@code{ coord1-node2, coord2-node2, coord3-node2)} for a line,
-@item
-@code{(coord1-node1, coord2-node1, coord3-node1,}@*
-@code{ coord1-node2, coord2-node2, coord3-node2,}@*
-@code{ coord1-node3, coord2-node3, coord3-node3)} for a triangle,
-@item
-etc.
-@end itemize
-
-@noindent The values are given in the same order as for the ASCII and binary
-post-processing file formats.
-
@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
@c Gmsh node ordering
@c -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-@node Gmsh node ordering, , Gmsh parsed post-processing file format, File formats
+@node Gmsh node ordering, , Gmsh post-processing file formats, File formats
@section Gmsh node ordering
@cindex Nodes, ordering
diff --git a/doc/texinfo/opt_post.texi b/doc/texinfo/opt_post.texi
index 48d8e37771340d91400783aef2ce68af2a1b68fa..baba43fc0f9ed4d335acfb9918f2ce8884f7c105 100644
--- a/doc/texinfo/opt_post.texi
+++ b/doc/texinfo/opt_post.texi
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@ Remove original views after a Combine operation@*
Default value: @code{1}@*
Saved in: @code{General.OptionsFileName}
+@item PostProcessing.Format
+Default file format for post-processing views@*
+Default value: @code{0}@*
+Saved in: @code{-}
+
@item PostProcessing.HorizontalScales
Display value scales horizontally@*
Default value: @code{0}@*