File Formats

[JLAB]

Why does it seem that every scanning software program uses their own proprietary file format ? Why can't they use file formats that everyone else uses such as plain text, CSV, Excel, Access, or Sql Server to name a few ?

 

[brscanning]

Why does it seem that every scanning software program uses their own proprietary file format ? Why can't they use file formats that everyone else uses such as plain text, CSV, Excel, Access, or Sql Server to name a few ?

My guess would be that there is no organization to establish such a standard. I decided to use CSV in ID Tracker and ID Tracker II because I could easily export data from Excel and allow editing of the files with a simple text editor. Personally, I am for an open format.

I think Radio Reference did a good thing by providing exports in XML which allows programmers to easily import the data but it would be nice if there was some established standard.

Percon Corp. tried to establish the UFDBF format some years ago but I do not think it ever really caught on.

 

[ka3jjz]

Even for .csv formats, there isn't a set standard for that either. One software package will define their columns in a certain manner - say, freq, PL, alpha tag, delay, ect. - and then someone else will come along and put the alpha tag first. The better programs such as FreeScan allow you to map a file so you can tell it what column holds what data.

It's a shame that there isn't a 'standard' for csv files - I suspect more software developers would use them more if there were.

73 Mike

 

[iMONITOR]

Percon Corp. tried to establish the UFDBF format some years ago but I do not think it ever really caught on.

DBF was a database file standard for many years. It first appeared when Ashton Tate marketed dBASE-II database management software. I started using dBASE around 1983, on a Kaypro CP/M computer. Borland bought dBASE in 1991. Soon after Foxbase and Clipper adopted the DBF format for their database product. Microsoft bought up Foxbase and marketed FoxPro, and later introduced Visual FoxPro, which is still available and in use today.

Microsoft FoxPro Developer
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vfoxpro/default.aspx

I used to really like dBASE because you could manipulate large relational databases with command line request (similar to SQL), without the need to write an application if you didn't want to.

I think the proprietary data formats today are mostly created due to competition. In some instances security may also be the reason.

I agree with JLAB, open source, common data formats would make our lives a lot easier. Theirs too for that matter.