Each section in an MPS format input must contain at least one data line, with the exception of the NAME section. The data lines are interpreted according to the section to which they belong.

Data lines must start with at least one white space character, that is, with a blank, tab, formfeed, or control-return character. Note that, in contrast to LP format, the return character is not considered to be white space. Data lines contain one or more fields separated by white space. Fields may contain any characters other than white space.

The following table lists and interprets the fields of data lines in relation to their sections. Text given in bold face and double quotes represents reserved words that must appear in the input exactly as shown. Please note the single quotes that are part of the "'MARKER'", "'INTORG'", "'INTEND'", "'SOSORG'", and "'SOSEND'", keywords.

• OBJNAME section
       field 1: row name
   
  
• REFROW section
       field 1: row name
   
  
• OBJSENSE section
       field 1: "MAXIMIZE", "MAX", "MINIMIZE", or "MIN"
   
  
• ROWS section
       field 1: "N", "L", "G", or "E"
       field 2: row name
   
  
• COLUMNS section
       field 1: variable name
       field 2: row name
       field 3: number
       field 4,5,...: more row name, number pairs may follow
  or
       field 1: "'MARKER'"
       field 2: "'INTORG'" or "'INTEND'"
  or
       field 1: "'MARKER'"
       field 2: "'SOSORG'" or "'SOSEND'"
  
   
  
• RHS section
       field 1: label
       field 2: row name
       field 3: number
       field 4,5,...: more row name, number pairs may follow
   
  
• BOUNDS section
       field 1: "LO", "UP", or "FX"
       field 2: bounds label
       field 3: variable
       field 4: number
  or
       field 1: "LI","UI", or "BV"
       field 2: bounds label
       field 3: variable
       field 4: number
  or
       field 1: "MI", "PI", or "FR"
       field 2: bounds label
       field 3: variable
      
   
  
• RANGES section
       field 1: label
       field 2: row name
       field 3: number
       field 4,5,...: more row name, number pairs may follow

Lines that start with the "*" character are comment lines. Also, if field 3 (or field 5, field 7, etc.) starts with the "$" character, it is skipped along with the rest of the line. Empty lines are ignored.

See also MPS format definition and MPS format sections.