File Formats

This section contains the file formats for generic files used by SMS. A generic file is defined as any file that was not formatted for a specific numeric model. Model specific files such as those used by FESWMS and RMA2 are documented in their respective reference documentation.

Most of the generic files used by SMS use a modified form of the HEC style card type format. With this format, the different components of the file are grouped into logical groups called "cards." The first component of each card is a short name that serves as the card identifier. The remaining fields on the line contain the information associated with the card. In some cases, such as lists, a card can use multiple lines.

While card style input makes the file slightly more verbose, there are many advantages associated with the card type approach to formatting files. Some of the advantages are:

1. Card identifiers make the file easier to read. Each input line has a label, which helps to identify the data on the line.

2. The card names are useful as text strings for searching in a large file. All input lines of a particular type can be located quickly in a large input file.

3. In many cases, Cards allow the data to be input in any order (i.e., the order that the cards appear in the file is usually not important).

4. Cards make it easy to modify a file format. New card types can be added without invalidating older files. New files have additional data in the new cards. The new card must be optional (which is typically the case for new cards) for old files to remain compatible. If an old card type is no longer used, the card can simply be ignored without causing input errors.

The generic file formats supported by SMS include:

• 2D Mesh Files (*.2dm)

• 2D Scatter Point Files (*.xy)

• ARC/INFO® ASCII Grid Files (*.arc)

• ASCII Data Set Files (*.dat)

• Binary Data Set Files (*.dat)

• Boundary ID Files (*.bid)

• Boundary XY Files (*.bxy)

• Coastline Files (*.cst)

• Color Palette Files (*.pal)

• Drogue Files (*.pth)

• Image Files (*.img)

• Map Files (*.map)

• Material Files (*.mat)

• Observation Table Files (*.obt)

• Quad4 Files (*.qd4)

• Settings (INI) Files (*.ini)

• Shapefiles (*.shp)

• SMS Project Files (*.spr)

• SMS Super Files (*.sup)

• Tabular Data Files - SHOALS (*.pts)

• TIN Files (*.tin)

• XY Series Files (*.xys)

• XYZ Files (*.xyz)

 
Related Topics
File Extensions

Generic files contain data that is not specifically formatted for use with a numeric model. SMS makes use of many different types of data while formatting data for an analysis, data not directly used for the analysis can be stored in these files for later use. These files include:

• SMS Project File.

• Simulation File: File containing data identifiers along with file names where the specified data is stored. Opening a simulation file can open multiple files in a single command.

• 2D Scatter Point File.

• Material File.

• Image file.

• Map file.

• 2D Mesh file.

• Data Set file.

• Settings file: This file saves the current settings and default values of the program (display options, defaults, etc.).

• SHOALS tabular data file.

All of the generic files can be stored as ASCII text files for flexible portability across platforms. Since data set files may contain large amounts of data they can be saved in binary format for economy. The first item in each of these files is a keyword signifying the file type.