There are two different type of metafiles, the first type is a file that describes the contents of a file, this type of metafile tends to contain metadata. The second type of meta file is most often used in computer graphics these files define objects and images using a list of coordinates. Typically used for vector images such as Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW, EPS files and can include raster images as well. An advantage of this is the CGM metafile will function on any type of operating system. A disadvantage of this file format is they are very limited in their machine-independence. Changing the printer format might change the outcome of the image, especially if you use fonts that are not installed in another computer.