What is an IDFS data set comprised of?
An IDFS data set is comprised of 3 files, a data file, a header file and a Virtual Instrument Description File (VIDF). The data file contains the most rapidly varying data, returned in raw, unprocessed binary form. The header file contains data which, for the most part, is slowly varying in time and need not be repeated every data record. Information such as the year and day of year time components, the sensors being returned, and various timing elements are examples of information contained in the header file. The VIDF file is a complete description of the virtual instrument. Its purpose is to provide a description of the measurements being stored in the IDFS data and header files and to interface with the IDFS data access software in order to extract the data from the IDFS files and to convert the data into physical units.
