Writing libraries to disk is done with the Save Library command (in menu File).

The Save All Libraries command (in menu File) writes all libraries that have changed. You can also use the save-libraries icon from the tool bar. To force all libraries to be saved, use the Mark All Libraries for Saving command. |

If a library was read from disk, it is written back to the same file. If, however, you wish to write the library to a new file (thus preserving the original) then use the Save Library As... command.

The "Library" preferences (in menu File / Preferences..., "I/O" section, "Library" tab) offers options for writing libraries to disk. By default, saved libraries overwrite the previous libraries and no backup is created. If you choose "Backup of last library file", then the former library is renamed so that it has a "~" at the end. If you choose "Backup history of library files", then the former library is renamed so that it has its creation date as part of its name.

Electric can also write external format files with the Export command (in menu File). These formats can be written:

- Caltech Intermediate Format (CIF) is used to describe integrated circuit layout. The output file contains only the current cell and any circuitry below that in the hierarchy. Use "CIF" preferences (in menu File / Preferences..., "I/O" section, "CIF" tab) to affect how CIF is written. See Section 7-3-2 for more on CIF.
- GDS II (Stream) is also used to describe integrated circuit layout. The output file contains only the current cell and any circuitry below that in the hierarchy. Use "GDS" preferences (in menu File / Preferences..., "I/O" section, "GDS" tab) to affect how GDS is written. See Section 7-3-3 for more on GDS.
- PostScript is the Adobe printing language. The output file contains only a visual representation of the current cell (or part of that cell). PostScript options can be controlled with the "Printing" preferences (in menu File / Preferences..., "General" section, "Printing" tab).
- Text Cell Contents is used to write a text file from a text cell. The current window must be a textual view (such as VHDL, Verilog, documentation, etc.)
- Readable Dump is an Electric-specific format that captures the entire database, but in an editable text format. Because it is text, it takes up more space on disk. However, it can be transferred between machines more reliably and can be edited if necessary.
- Version 6 ELIB writes old-format binary files. These files can be read by version 6 of Electric.

The exported files from Electric are often considered to be proprietary information, and must be marked appropriately.

| Copyright information can be inserted into exported files with the "Copyright" preferences (in menu File / Preferences..., "General" section, "Copyright" tab). Since each export file has a different format for comments, the copyright text should not contain any such characters. Instead, the system will insert the proper comment characters for the particular export format.

The copyright file will be inserted into decks exported for CIF, as well as in simulation netlists for Verilog, SPICE, and IRSIM.