ASTM E1708-20

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it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: E1708 − 19 E1708 − 20
Standard Practice for
Electronic Interchange of Color and Appearance Data
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1708; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This practice covers procedures to be used in the electronic exchange of color and appearance data between users, by either
modem or the physical transfer of electronic media. It is intended for use by manufacturers of color-measuring instruments and
developers of software so that any instrument may acquire data for its use that may have been measured on an instrument of
another manufacturer, at another place, or at another time.
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of
regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.3 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
E284 Terminology of Appearance
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions of terms in Terminology E284 are applicable to this practice.
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
3.2.1 data value identifier, n—a keyword that identifies the contents of a data field and, by definition, signals the data type of
the field as string, integer, or floating point.
3.2.2 keyword, n—in electronic interchange, an alphanumeric designator that defines the nature or number of following data
fields.
3.2.2.1 Discussion—
The word is used in its ordinary dictionary sense in Section 7.
3.2.3 white space, n—a valid character representation that does not generate a printable character in a file.
3.2.3.1 Discussion—
Valid ASCII white space characters are space (decimal 32), carriage return (decimal 13), form feed (decimal 12), vertical tab
(decimal 11), newline (decimal 10), and horizontal tab (decimal 9).
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E12 on Color and Appearance and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E12.04 on Color and
Appearance Analysis.
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2019May 1, 2020. Published November 2019May 2020. Originally approved in 1995. Last previous edition approved in 2019 as
E1708 – 14 (2019).E1708 – 19. DOI: 10.1520/E1708-19.10.1520/E1708-20.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
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E1708 − 20
4. Summary of Practice
4.1 Users of this practice are given a mandatory list of keywords. The user fills out the list with the data values associated with
each keyword. The user may then select from an optional list of keywords. The user then associates with these keywords the data
values required to be transmitted.
4.2 The keywords are used at the receiving end of the transmission to decode the format and number of data values present in
the transmission.
5. Significance and Use
5.1 This practice should be used by manufacturers of color-measuring instruments and developers of software when the
transmission of color and appearance data is desired between instruments or computers and where ASCII files are the desired
method of transfer.
5.2 The method of transmission may be via direct connection, modem, or the transfer of electronic media, for example, by
floppy disk transfer.
5.3 The practice lends itself to the transmission of either a single record of data or multiple record files.
5.4 Examples of files generated in this practice are contained in Fig. X1.1 and Fig. X2.1 of Appendix X1 and Appendix X2.
6. Procedure
6.1 Prepare a file using ASCII code that consists of the mandatory keyword list followed by the associated data values. Each
keyword and each data value is delimited by white space. The record may be organized into logical units associated with each
keyword by using the carriage return character for the white space delimiter at the end of the data values associated with any
keyword.
6.1.1 Every keyword in the record must be followed by at least one character of white space as a delimiter. Do not precede
keywords on a line by other than white space. The exception to this recommendation, which is made to assist human readability,
is the use of keywords as data value identifiers, which are listed in order on one line, if possible, so that they may be interpreted
by the human reader as column headings.
6.1.2 The specification of data value identifiers is entirely optional regarding the choice and number of identifiers. Data value
identifiers are placed between the BEGIN_ DATA_FORMAT keyword and the END_DATA_ FORMAT keyword. Each data value
identifier must be separated by at least one character of white space.
6.2 Mandatory Keywords—The following keywords are mandatory in a record:
6.2.1 E1708YY—The first seven characters in the file must be this keyword, where the digits YY are numeric for the year of
revision of this practice that was used to formulate the record.
6.2.2 ORIGINATOR—The alphanumeric data value associated with this keyword is the specific system, organization, or
individual originating the record.
6.2.3 DESCRIPTOR—The alphanumeric data value associated with this keyword contains a description of the purpose or
content of the record.
6.2.4 CREATED—The alphanumeric data value associated with this keyword contains the date on which the record was created
or the data measured.
6.2.5 NUMBER_OF_FIELDS—The integer data value associated with this keyword contains the number of data format
identifiers prescribed in the data format definition that follows.
6.2.6 BEGIN_DATA_FORMAT—No data value is associated with this keyword. The keyword identifies the beginning of the
list of data value identifiers.
6.2.7 END_DATA_FORMAT—No data value is associated with this keyword. The keyword identifies the end of the list of data
value identifiers.
6.2.8 NUMBER_OF_SETS—The integer data value associated with this keyword denotes the number of data sets with the
format described by the list of data value identifiers.
6.2.9 BEGIN_DATA—No data value is associated with this keyword. The keyword marks the beginning of the data value list
defined by the data value identifier list and the NUMBER_OF_SETS of data keyword.
6.2.10 END_DATA—No data value is associated with this keyword. The keyword marks the end of the data list.
6.3 Data Value Identifiers—The following default data value identifiers are recognized by automated readers. The list contains
the data value identifier, followed by its data type, and finally a description of the contents of the data field associated with the
descriptor. The alphanumeric data type is indicated by CS. The integer data type is indicated by I. The floating point data type is
indicated by F.
6.3.1 SPECIMEN_ID, CS—This identifies the specimen that the data represent.
6.3.2 STRING, CS—This indicates that the field contains any alphanumeric value it may be necessary to transmit. This keyword
is used to identify label information, lot number information, or other string values associated with the record.
6.3.3 SPECTRAL_NM, I—This identifies the wavelength, in nm, of an associated data value.
E1708 − 20
6.3.4 SPECTRAL_PC, F—This indicat
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