THAP031: A Platform-Independent Data Format for Scientific Research

Title: THAP031: A Platform-Independent Data Format for Scientific Research

Research Question: How can a platform-independent data format be developed to facilitate data sharing and analysis across different operating systems and programming languages?

Methodology: The study developed a Self-Describing Data Sets (SDDS) format that could be ported to various operating systems and programming languages, including C, Tcl, Java, Fortran, and Python. The SDDS Toolkit, which consists of over 100 applications, was initially written in C on Solaris. It was then ported to other operating systems and programming languages, such as Red Hat Linux, Visual C++, and Borland C++ Builder on Windows, and VxWorks. Additionally, wrappers and extensions were created for FORTRAN and Python. Finally, the SDDS format was ported to Java.

Results: The research resulted in a highly portable data format that could be used across different platforms and programming languages. The SDDS Toolkit, which includes various applications for postprocessing of databases and monitoring and manipulating process variables, was made available in precompiled Windows, Linux, and source code formats. The SDDS format was also used in various accelerator modeling and simulation programs. The porting of the SDDS format to VxWorks allowed for the loading and storing of configuration data in some IOCs.

Implications: The development of the SDDS format has significant implications for scientific research. It enables researchers to share and analyze data more efficiently across different platforms and programming languages. This facilitates collaboration and accelerates the pace of scientific discovery. Furthermore, the platform-independent nature of the SDDS format ensures that data can be used with a wide range of software and hardware systems, increasing the longevity and utility of the data.

Link to Article: https://arxiv.org/abs/0111006v1 Authors: arXiv ID: 0111006v1