formatting
- In the case of data media, formatting refers to the organization of the storage medium before it is written to. The utilities for formatting are provided by the operating system. In the case of classic disks, a distinction is made between low- level formatting, partitioning and high-level formatting. In low-level formatting, the sectors and cylinders of the hard disks are defined and the utility determines the beginning of the sectors. Partitioning involves dividing the hard disk into several partitions that can be addressed as separate drives, and high-level formatting begins after partitioning by assigning them into individual logical drives.
- Formatting is also referred to as text wrapping for written documents or books. It includes the text width and the type of text wrapping, which can be flush right or flush left, which can be justified or flatset.
- Formatting is one of the six basic elements in the electronic mail Message Oriented Text Interchange System( MOTIS)/X.400. It is information that determines the arrangement of characters on the recipient's monitor or printer when an electronic letter is transmitted.