The increase in the number of silicon foundries and CAD/CAE system and workstation companies, and the problem of movement of data among in-house design systems has made a standard interchange format for electronic design data essential. The benefits of the general adoption of a standard interchange format are important and far reaching. The customer receives a much wider variety of feasible choices, and free competition in both CAEYCAD system/tool businesses and foundry businesses is enhanced. The electronic circuit designer and customer of CAE/CAD system and foundry service can expect compatibility among these products. The designer can choose equipment and services best suited for a particular task with a minimum of overhead. Foundries can work with customers regardless of the CAE/CAD equipment that the customer is using. The CAD/CAE tool or system vendor can maintain compatibility with a variety of foundries and other systems with a minimum investment in software development for that purpose.