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XTF file format information
Everything you need to know about the XTF file format for data processing
What is the XTF Format ?
In 2009, Exail (then ECA Group) acquired Triton Imaging, Inc., which is a world-renowned specialist in sonar post-processing and underwater imaging software.
Developed by Triton Imaging, Inc, the XTF format stands for eXtended Triton Format. It is an open source format used for recording hydrographic data.
The XTF file format is now widely used to store data produced by many different types of sidescan sonars, single beam and multi beam echo sounders and navigation systems. The format is regularly evolving with new needs.
As the XTF community leader, Exail makes the link to the manufacturers’ record types and data formats specificities, will maintain the XTF format for the years to come and has decided to publish its description on its website for all to download.
This document is intended to address file format and suggested ways to process XTF files.
File Format Description
[2020/02/13] The V.42 revision of the XTF file format along with some manufacturer data packet format descriptions are available for download. Updates will regularly be published.
The major changes of this new revision are: the complete redesign of the document for a better understanding and flexibility improvement for the integration of specific data from sonar manufacturer or software developer.
For more information on the XTF File Format latest news, please refer to the paragraph “1.1 What’s New” of the newest release.
Latest Download release
Download REV.41: 2016/09/16
The major changes of this new revision are: the re-introduction of “SampleFormat” to CHANINFO, the addition of the Reserved PacketID table to XTFRAWCUSTOMHEADER section and the deletion of Kraken sonar type 62 (redundant with Kraken sonar type 65).
Download REV.40: 2015/09/22
The major changes of this revision are the addition of the following Sonar Types: FSI, K4900, EM2040, Klein5Kv2, DT-100 and Kraken Sonar Types.
Download REV.37: 2014/10/14
The major change of this revision is the addition of the R2Sonic Watercolumn data packets.
Download REV.36: 2014/07/10
The major change of this revision is the addition of the Reson 7018 Watercolumn data packets.
Download REV.35: 2013/02/04
The major change of this revision is the modification of the CHANINFO: the latency field is removed and the byte count is adjusted.
Download REV.34: 2012/02/21
The major change of this revision is the addition of the CableOutHundredths field.
Appendix
The XTF format is a worlwide reference used by most acoustic sensor manufacturers. However, each manufacturer has its own specificities when it comes to using it. As the XTF community leader, ECA GROUP provides links to the manufacturers’ record types and data formats specificities.
