Data Formats Working Group

Overview

As of early 2017, for new work, it is recommended to use the NXcanSAS (multi-dimensional) standard for both 1-D and n-D data to maximize the chance that other software will be able to read your data files.

We strongly encourage all authors of small-angle scattering related software to add support for NXcanSAS.

Latest News

Steve King: 2024-09 : Proposals for NXcanSAS 1.1 in development

Paul Butler: 2019-07 : Lots of discussion at canSAS-XI about metadata. Discussion and actions from the meeting are available canSAS-XI/DataFormats

Links

nD: NXcanSAS

standard for reduced small-angle scattering data of any dimension, using NeXus (HDF5)

• v1.1: Proposals in development
• v1.0: 2017-01-18
• Announced: 2017-06-06 (at canSAS-IX)
• Documentation: http://download.nexusformat.org/doc/html/classes/applications/NXcanSAS.html
• Examples: https://github.com/canSAS-org/NXcanSAS_examples
• GitHub (NeXus): https://github.com/nexusformat/definitions
• Poster: PDF
• CanSAS 2012 Discussion: 2012-07-31 Data formats discussion page

1D: cansas1d

standard for 1-D reduced small-angle scattering data, using XML (text)

• v1.1: 2013-03-29
• v1.0: 2009-05-12

• Documentation: http://www.cansas.org/formats/canSAS1d/1.1/doc/
• Examples: https://github.com/canSAS-org/1dwg/tree/master/examples
• GitHub: https://github.com/canSAS-org/1dwg

Members

• Andrew Jackson (ESS)- Chair
• Jeff Krzywon (NIST)
• Pete Jemian (APS)
• Steve King (ISIS)
• Andrew Nelson (ANSTO)
• Jan Ilavsky (APS)
• Lisa Debeer-Schmitt (ORNL)

Timeline

• 2007-12-31 agree on v1.0 format
• 2008-01-01 start implementing v1 at facilities
• 2008-06 representative sampling of data available for inter-facility comparison
• 2008-11-3 presentation of results at NOBUGS2008 meeting (http://www.nbi.ansto.gov.au/nobugs2008)
• 2009-05-12 tagged SVN changeset 67 as v1.0 since it has been unmodified since January
• 2009-09-17 agreed that v1.1 revision should be forthcoming with corrections/additions to be identified in TRAC tickets
• 2017-01 NXcanSAS 1.0 released
• 2015-12 multidim moved to github a while ago

Status

Jemian 11:10, 06 September 2008 (CDT) IgorPro GUI tool included in Irena Irena analysis suite
Jemian 13:08, 14 March 2008 (EDT) IgorPro tool to read cansas1d/1.0 XML files available
Jemian 13:38, 25 February 2008 (EST) starting to add case studies
Jemian 00:39, 21 December 2007 (EST) complete first draft (v0.1a) ready for comments from 1DWG
Jemian 12:00, 14 December 2007 (EST) draft status updated
Jemian 17:07, 12 May 2009 (EDT) changeset 67 tagged as v1.0

Examples and Usage

The following are example v1.1 compliant 1D data files containing [besides essential metadata] - right-click & save as to view, stylesheet is on the TRAC site:

SANS data only ISIS_SASXML_v1_1_SANS_Example.XML
Wavelength-dependent transmission ISIS_SASXML_v1_1_Transmission_Example.XML
Wavelength-dependent monitor spectrum ISIS_SASXML_v1_1_Monitor_Spectrum_Example.XML
Wavelength-dependent detector efficiency ratio ISIS_SASXML_v1_1_Det_Efficency_Example.XML

The files can be usefully displayed in many web browsers: Rendering_canSAS1D_in_Web_Browsers

Mailing List

The mailing list is now maintained by subscribing to this Google group:

• https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/cansas-dfwg

Please address all questions and answers to this Google group.