1.1 This specification covers a standardized format for chromatographic data representation and a software vehicle to effect the transfer of chromatographic data between instrument data systems. This specification provides protocol designed to benefit users of analytical instruments and increase laboratory productivity and efficiency.

1.2 The protocol in this specification provides a standardized format for the creation of raw data files or results files. This standard format has the extension “.cdf” (derived from NetCDF). The contents of the file include typical header information like instrument, column, detector, and operator description followed by raw or processed data, or both. Once data have been written or converted to this protocol, they can be read and processed by software packages that support the protocol.

1.3 The software transfer vehicle used for the protocol in this specification is NetCDF, which was developed by the Unidata Program and is funded by the Division of Atmospheric Sciences of the National Science Foundation.2

1.4 The protocol in this specification is intended to (1) transfer data between various vendors' instrument systems, (2) provide LIMS communications, (3) link data to document processing applications, (4) link data to spreadsheet applications, and (5) archive analytical data, or a combination thereof. The protocol is a consistent, vendor independent data format that facilitates the analytical data interchange for these activities.

1.5 The protocol consists of: