The extension of a computer file is the set of three or more letters that appear after the period in the file's name. While some extensions such as .doc, .exe and .pdf are common, others are used less frequently or only by specific programs. One such extension is .xtm, which is used by only two programs.
Programs that Use XTM
- The .xtm extension is used to signify specific types of data files for both Xtremsplit and CmapTools, though the programs used to create the files are significantly different. Xtremsplit is a file-splitting program that takes a single large file and divides its data among several smaller files for easier download or storage. CmapTools is a knowledge-modeling program used to create diagrams, flow charts and knowledge maps that allow users to navigate from a single beginning point to multiple endpoints to reach conclusions and find the answers to questions.
Xtremsplit Data Files
- The XTM files created by Xtremsplit are the end result of the file-splitting process. The process creates a number of small XTM archive files that each contain a portion of the original file's data; the data can be rejoined at a later date, provided that the user has all of the XTM files for the split file or program. XTM files created during the splitting process are numbered, appearing as "sample001.xtm", "sample002.xtm" and similar file names to make it easy to see at a glance whether certain file parts are missing.
CmapTools Exported Topic Maps
- The XTM files created by CmapTools contain topic data that has been exported from the CmapTools program. These files are a CmapTools-specific variation of the XML file format, containing all of the information of the topic map the file was exported from; the XTM extension name even serves as an abbreviation for "XML Topic Map." Though all data is retained in the XTM file, the actual topic map format is not retained during the export process.
Choosing the Right Program
- Though most users of XTM files will know whether their files are intended for use with Xtremsplit or CmapTools, those who are unsure which program should be used for their files can determine the correct program by examining the file name. Xtremsplit files contain numerical identifiers in the file names which are not present in CmapTools export files. The presence or absence of these numbers can serve as a simple way to tell the two file types apart. File size can also be used as a means of determining the correct program, as CmapTools XTM files are small due to their XML origin while Xtremsplit files are significantly larger.
