WMS:Binary Dataset Files

Datasets can be stored to either ASCII or binary files. Compared to ASCII files, binary files require less memory and can be imported to WMS more quickly. The disadvantages of binary files are that they are not as portable and they cannot be viewed with a text editor.

The binary dataset file format is shown in Figure 1. The binary format is patterned after the ASCII format in that the data are grouped into "cards". However, the cards are identified by a number rather than a card title.

Card	Item	Size	Description
	version	4 byte integer	The WMS binary dataset file format version. value = 3000.
100	objecttype	4 byte integer	Identifies the type of objects that the datasets in the file are associated with. Options are as follows:   &nbsp 1 TINs 2 Boreholes 3 2D meshes 4 2D grids 5 2D scatter points = 6 3D meshes 7 3D grids 8 3D scatter points
110	SFLT	4 byte integer	The number of bytes that will be used in the remainder of the file for each floating point value (4, 8, or 16).
120	SFLG	4 byte integer	The number of bytes that will be used in the remainder of the file for status flags.
130 or 140	BEGSCL or BEGVEC		Marks the beginning of a set of cards defining a scalar or vector dataset.
150	VECTYPE	4 byte integer	(0 or 1) In the case of vector dataset files, indicates whether the vectors will be applied at the nodes/gridnodes or the elements/cells.
160	OBJID	4 byte integer	The id of the associated object. Value is ignored for grids and meshes.
170	NUMDATA	4 byte integer	The number of data values that will be listed per time step. This number should correspond to the number of vertices, nodes, cell centers (cell-centered grid), cell corners (mesh-centered grid) or scatter points.
180	NUMCELLS	4 byte integer	This number should correspond to the number of elements (meshes) or the number of cells (mesh-centered grids). Value is ignored for other object types.
190	NAME	40 bytes	The name of the dataset. Use one character per byte. Mark the end of the string with the ‘\0’ character.
200	TS		Marks the beginning of a time step.
	ISTAT	SFLG integer	(0 or 1) Indicates whether or not status flags will be included in the file.
	TIME	SFLT real	Time corresponding to the time step.
	statflag1	SFLG integer	Status flag (0 or 1) for node 1
	statflag2	SFLG integer	Status flag (0 or 1) for node 2
	....
	val1	SFLT real	Scalar value for item 1
	val2	SFLT real	Scalar value for item 2
	....
			Repeat card 200 for each timestep in the dataset.
210	ENDDS		Signal the end of a set of cards defining a dataset.

Figure 1. The Binary Scalar or Vector Dataset File Format.

The cards in the binary dataset file are as follows:

Card Type	VERSION
Card ID	3000
Description	File type identifier. No fields.
Required	YES

Card Type	OBJTYPE
Card ID	100
Description	Identifies the type of objects that the datasets in the file are associated with.
Required	YES. If card does not exist, the file can only be read through the Data Browser. The datasets would then be assigned to the objects corresponding to the active module.
Field	Variable	Size	Value	Description
1	id	4 byte int	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8	TINs Boreholes 2D meshes 2D grids 2D scatter points 3D meshes 3D grids 3D scatter points

Card Type	SFLT
Card ID	110
Description	Identifies the number of bytes that will be used in the remainder of the file for each floating point value (4, 8, or 16).
Required	YES
Field	Variable	Size	Value	Description
1	sizefloat	4 byte int	4, 8, or 16	Number of bytes

Card Type	SFLG
Card ID	120
Description	Identifies the number of bytes that will be used in the remainder of the file for status flags (1, 2, or 4).
Required	YES
Field	Variable	Size	Value	Description
1	sizeflag	4 byte int	1, 2, or 4	Number of bytes

Card Type	BEGSCL
Card ID	130
Description	Marks the beginning of a set of cards defining a scalar dataset.
Required	YES

Card Type	BEGVEC
Card ID	140
Description	Marks the beginning of a set of cards defining a vector dataset.
Required	YES

Card Type	VECTYPE
Card ID	150
Description	Identifies the type of vector data that will be read and where to apply it.
Required	This card is only required if the vector data is associated with elements/cells. If this card is not present, it is assumed that the data are associated with nodes/gridnodes.
Field	Variable	Size	Value	Description
1	type	4 byte int	0 1	The vectors will be applied to the nodes/gridnodes. The vectors will be applied to the elements/cells.

Card Type	OBJID
Card ID	160
Description	The id of the associated object.
Required	This card is required in the case of TINs, 2D scatter points, and 3D scatter points. With each of these objects, multiple objects may be defined at once. Hence the id is necessary to relate the dataset to the proper object.
Field	Variable	Size	Value	Description
1	id	4 byte int	+	The id of the object.

Card Type	NUMDATA
Card ID	170
Description	The number of data values that will be listed per time step. This number should correspond to the number of vertices, nodes, cell centers (cell-centered grid), cell corners (mesh-centered grid), maximum node id (meshes) or scatter points.
Required	YES
Field	Variable	Size	Value	Description
1	numdata	4 byte int	+	The number of items. At each time step, numdata are listed.

Card Type	NUMCELLS
Card ID	180
Description	This number should correspond to the element id (meshes) or the number of cells (grids).
Required	YES
Field	Variable	Size	Value	Description
1	numcells	4 byte int	+	The number of elements or cells.

Card Type	NAME
Card ID	190
Description	The name of the dataset.
Required	YES
Field	Variable	Size	Value	Description
1	name	40 bytes	str	The name of the dataset. Use one character per byte. Mark the end of the string with the ‘\0’ character.

Card Type	TS
Card ID	200
Description	Defines the set of scalar values associated with a time step. Should be repeated for each time step.
Required	YES
Field	Variable	Size	Value	Description
1	istat	SFLG int	0 1	Use status flags from previous time step. For the first time step, this value indicates that all cells are active. Status flags will be listed.
2	time	SFLT int	+	The time step value. This number is ignored if there is only one time step.
	stat	SFLG int	0 1	Inactive Active One status flag should be listed for each cell or element. These flags are included only when istat = 1.
	val	SFLT real	±	The scalar values

Card Type	ENDDS
Card ID	210
Description	Signals the end of a set of cards defining a dataset
Required	YES