NOTICE: This version of the NSF Unidata web site (archive.unidata.ucar.edu) is no longer being updated.
Current content can be found at unidata.ucar.edu.
To learn about what's going on, see About the Archive Site.
NOTICE: This version of the NSF Unidata web site (archive.unidata.ucar.edu) is no longer being updated.
Current content can be found at unidata.ucar.edu.
To learn about what's going on, see About the Archive Site.
The University of Virginia and NSF held a workshop on Scientific Database Management. A Summary has been published as TR 90-21 and TR 90-22. Although it does not have a comparison of actual file formats, it does make a useful guide for evaluating various formats. I would add that this is a subject in which it is hard to find "experts". There are a LOT of domain specific "standard" formats. Some, like FITS, THE standard in astronomy are well enough designed to be adapted for general purpose use. Many are tied firmly to a specific problem domain and/or file system structure. There are many ANSI and international standards ( or proposed standards ) like ASN.1 and the proposed standard interchangeable optical file systems that will have a big impact on any "standard" way of representing data. ( not to mention new methods in image/data compression like JPEG & MPEG standards, etc. ) This is a field that has fallen through the cracks for a long time: MOST scientists have not been very concerned with HOW their data has been stored ( until modern instrumentation has swamped them with data! ), MOST computer scientists have not been concerned with such mundane subjects, and MOST practical programmers have solved the problems on a ad hoc basis. BTW: We (physiology dept. UVA) have been using HDF for multi-spectral image files. We are considering using CDF for spectral (X-ray & EELS) data. ALL of the standards we have looked at are insufficient in some way and need to be extended. So I would say that one important criterion is that there is a well planned facility ( both in the design and architecture AND in the bureaucartic & administrative sense ) for extensions. In that respect, the fact that there is a very active netCDF mail list is a big plus. ======== "If you have a hammer, find a nail" - George Bush,'91 ======== Steven D. Majewski University of Virginia Physiology Dept. sdm7g@xxxxxxxxxxxx Box 449 Health Sciences Center Voice: (804)-982-0831 1600 Jefferson Park Avenue FAX: (804)-982-1616 Charlottesville, VA 22908
netcdfgroup archives: