## *Core App*: CX Support
### Note: This app is pre-installed in Cytoscape 3.6 or later
**_You should not download this app_ from the store yourself. If Cytoscape detects that a new version is available in the App Store, it will notify you as it's starting and will give you a chance to download it directly.**
**_You should not download this app_ if your Cytoscape is earlier than 3.6. An earlier version of this app is pre-installed in your Cytoscape, and this app cannot replace it.**
# CX Reader/Writer
## News
* 9/14/2024 - v2.8.4. Improved support of cx2 importer and exporter. Minor bug fixes.
* 10/10/2017 - v2.2.2. Minor update to support latest version of Cytoscape.
* 9/22/2017 - v2.2.1 release (minor bug fix version)
* 6/12/2017 - v2.2.0 released. Root network table handler added.
* 4/5/2017 - v2.1.0 released. It supports basic filtering for aspects.
* 10/24/2016 - v 1.1.3 released. Default layout will be applied to networks without layout section.
* 9/2/2016 - v 1.1.1 released.
## Introduction
CX is the data exchange format, implemented as JSON, for Cytoscape Cyberinfrastructure (CI) services and applications. With this app, you can import and export networks in CX JSON format from/to a file.
As of June 2016, this format is used for data exchange between Cytoscape and [NDEx](https://www.ndexbio.org/) database, and eventually, this will be used by all other Cytoscape CI services.
### Use Cases
CX is a new standard based on JSON. Your application can use a standard JSON reader to import files generated with this app, and your application should interpret the JSON according to the [CX Format Specification](https://www.cytoscape.org/cx). If you are planning to create Cytoscape CI services, you can use this app to generate test data from existing Cytoscape session files.
### CX Format Specification
* [CX, the Cytoscape Cyberinfrastructure Network Interchange Format](https://www.cytoscape.org/cx)
## How to Use
This app provides standard Cytoscape file readers and writers -- you can access CX import and export options from _File_ menu.
### Import CX
* **FIle → Import → Network from File** and choose _cx2_ or _cx_ as file format.
### Export CX
* Export network and visual information:
* **FIle → Export → Network to File** and choose _cx2_ or _cx_ as file format.
