StrataBugs file formats

Common file formats:

StrataBugs v2.0 onwards uses an XML format for data exchange. The new format accommdates fully the new data model, including support for multi-version interpreted data and the transfer of images. Files can be imported if they are compliant with the StrataBugs v2 standard, SBUGSML2-0.XSD. To make these files more compact, and to enable them to be bundled with JPEG image files, they are by default compressed into ZIP archives with the extension .SBG.

StrataBugs v.2 (*.SBG or *.ZIP) are zip files containing an XML file and multiple image files, if present. You do not need to expand this file; select the SBG/ZIP file itself during import. Uncompressed XML files can only be imported if they do not reference images. If there are other data files within the ZIP archive (e.g. DEX files which have been zipped), they will need to be extracted into a separate folder before they can be imported. XML files in the above format, however, will not need to be extracted before importing.

StrataBugs Data Exchange (*.DEX) is the data exchange format used in StrataBugs v1.6 - 1.8. You can export DEX files in order to import data into v1.8 system, but there are some limitations because of the changes in the v2.0 data model (for example, you cannot transfer sequence data or multiple versions in the DEX format). You can read DEX files and import them into v.2 even from within a ZIP file. There are several types of DEX file - in early versions taxon occurrences and IGD were in separate files, in later versions these data types were combined in a single file. All may contain data from multiple disciplines and multiple wells.

StrataBugs (*.TXT/*.DAT). This format contains information about sample depths, types, abundance schemes, depth units and taxon categories in one or more disciplines for single wells. Quantitative, semi-quantitative and mixed abundances are recognised, but not samples weights, split factors or occurrence split factor counts. This format does not support sample labels or samples with multiple analysts. The functionality of this format was superceded by DEX format files from V1.6.

CSV occurrence matrix (*.CSV) format is used to import occurence data from spreadsheets.

Other formats:

Ragware (*.CSV). This is now unsupported software. These files can be imported as for the CSV occurrence matrix format (above).

Strats (*.TRN fileset) is a format from a now defunct biostratigraphic system. Strats data is imported from a group of files all having a common number in the file name and the file extension .TRN. Multiple disciplines can be imported. IGD data may be present but are not imported by StrataBugs. Well name, depth units, sample types and abundance schemes are all contained in the dataset.

RG (*.DAT) This is the Robertson Research/Simon Petroleum Technology/Fugro Robertson data format. More than one discipline may be present in the file. StrataBugs can also deal with a variant of the RG format output of taxon occurrence data from the SIS program used by StratLab in Norway.

Checklist II (*.CHK and *.Dnn fileset or *.DAT) is one of the oldest biostratigraphic file formats used typically by some US consultants. The format comprises a number of different file types of which only these two are mandatory for importing taxon occurrences. Other files may form part of the file set but are not essential to import taxon occurrence data.

Bugware (*.DEF, *.DEN, *.DEP) is a biostratigraphic data format used typically by some US consultants. Bugware data come in a single file for each discipline (typically .DEF, .DEN or .DEP for foraminifera, nannofossils and palynology, respectively).

Tilia (various file formats). A program specifically designed for Quaternary palynologists.

For detailed information on all file formats see: Example Import Files documentation

Page last updated: 28-Jul-2014 10:07