Data File Format Guidelines for Automated Measurement Systems
by Joe Czapski, rev. Oct. 2001

Uses for Stored Measurement Results


Problems to Overcome in Data Storage


Long Filenames


Data File Header

1st column: Label (replace words in [] with actual label)

2nd column: Value (sample is shown)

3rd column: Unit (sample is shown)

Explanatory comment for this list (not in actual header)

File format photodiode IVT   in this example, current is measured vs. voltage and temperature
Format version 3    
Oldest compatible version 1   Oldest analysis software version that can make sense of this file. Unrecognized header items can still be included with displays and printouts.
Header length 94 rows  
Checksum 23198 16bit unsigned  
Filename pd0042-127.bin   filename usually much longer in practice
Date 03/15/2000 mm/dd/yyyy  
Time 14:35:03 hh:mm:ss  
Comment first batch from new cleanroom   carriage returns stripped out
Institution Infrared Detectors, Ltd.    
Operator K. Turner    
DUT type IRDX   device-under-test identifying info
DUT serial # A0019    
Measurement system standard IRPD rack    
Meas. system model # Type 2    
Meas. system serial # IRPD004    
[Equip. #1] model #      
[Equip. #1] serial #      
[Equip. #2] model #      
[Equip. #2] serial #      
(and so on for each Equip.)      
       
[Setting #1]      
[Setting #2]      
(and so on for each Setting)      
       
[Calculation #1]      
[Calculation #2]      
(and so on for each Calculation)      
       
Number of stimulus axes 2   if a date and time stamp on data points is required, include it as 1 or 2 additional stimulus axes
Number of measured axes 1    
       
Axis type stimulus   stimulus or measured
Axis number 1    
Name Voltage   should match column headings in ASCII table style data
Unit volt    
Loop level 1   for varied stimuli: 1 = innermost loop, etc.
Data type 64bit float   binary float, binary integer, or ASCII .5e, for example
Data format rep fb   1d, 2d, 3d, etc.; for stimulus, rep = use Start-Stop-Interval, fb = feedback value measured at each datapoint
Start value 4.0 volt for stimulus stepped sweep
Stop value -4.0 volt for stimulus stepped sweep
Interval -0.002 volt for stimulus stepped sweep
Number of points 4001    
Coding standard   standard, binary, or log10
Gain 1.0   for binary or log10 coding
Offset 0.0   for binary or log10 coding
(include this 14-row descriptor for each stimulus and measured axis)     rows only appropriate for stimulus axes need not be listed for measured axes

Data File Actual Data


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