Rohde&Schwarz Rohde & Schwarz iq-tar File Format Specification Manual

R&S iq-tar
File Format Specification

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Test & Measurement

The iq-tar file format XML schema definition (http://www.rohde-schwarz.com/file/RsIqTar.xsd) is released under the Apache License,

Version 2.0, http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.

The iq-tar file format XML stylesheet (http://www.rohde-schwarz.com/file/open_IqTar_xml_file_in_web_browser.xslt) is released

under the Apache License, Version 2.0, http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.

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ContentsR&S iq-tar

Contents

1 I/Q Data File Format (iq-tar)...................................................................3

1.1 I/Q Parameter XML File Specification..........................................................................4

1.2 I/Q Data Binary File....................................................................................................... 7

1 I/Q Data File Format (iq-tar)

I/Q data is packed in a file with the extension .iq.tar. An iq-tar file contains I/Q data
in binary format together with meta information that describes the nature and the
source of data, e.g. the sample rate. The objective of the iq-tar file format is to separate
I/Q data from the meta information while still having both inside one file. In addition, the
file format allows you to preview the I/Q data in a web browser, and allows you to
include user-specific data.

The iq-tar container packs several files into a single .tar archive file. Files in .tar
format can be unpacked using standard archive tools (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Comparison_of_file_archivers) available for most operating systems. The advantage

of .tar files is that the archived files inside the .tar file are not changed (not com­pressed) and thus it is possible to read the I/Q data directly within the archive without
the need to unpack (untar) the .tar file first.

Contained files

An iq-tar file must contain the following files:

●

I/Q parameter XML file, e.g. xyz.xml
Contains meta information about the I/Q data (e.g. sample rate). The filename can
be defined freely, but there must be only one single I/Q parameter XML file inside
an iq-tar file.

●

I/Q data binary file, e.g. xyz.complex.float32
Contains the binary I/Q data of all channels. There must be only one single I/Q
data binary file inside an iq-tar file.

Optionally, an iq-tar file can contain the following file:

●

I/Q preview XSLT file, e.g. open_IqTar_xml_file_in_web_browser.xslt
Contains a stylesheet to display the I/Q parameter XML file and a preview of the
I/Q data in a web browser.
A sample stylesheet is available at http://www.rohde-schwarz.com/file/

open_IqTar_xml_file_in_web_browser.xslt.

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