The numerical output from GMT programs can be binary (when -bo is used) or ASCII [Default]. In the latter case the issue of formatting becomes important. GMT provides extensive machinery for allowing just about any imaginable format to be used on output. Analogous to the processing of input data, several templates guide the formatting process. These are OUTPUT_DATE_FORMAT and OUTPUT_CLOCK_FORMAT for calendar-time coordinates, OUTPUT_DEGREE_FORMAT for geographical coordinates, and D_FORMAT for generic floating point data. In addition, the user have control over how columns are separated via the FIELD_SEPARATOR parameter. Thus, as an example, it is possible to create limited FORTRAN-style card records by setting D_FORMAT to %7.3lf and FIELD_SEPARATOR to none [Default is tab].