When data is exported from Testlab to a Universal File, this file will have a certain structure, containing several formats. Each format is started by “-1” followed by the identifying number of the format on the second line. The end of a format is also “-1”.Each format contains Records and each Record can contain 1 or more fields.Each Record starts on a new line. The fields from a record are all given in its line, separated by empty space.Some formats are described below.The first format is format 151. Most of the time, this is the first format in a universal file. This format contains the information for the model's name, description and the generating program. It also contains information for the time and date of the file's creation and last access.
Universal file format 151
-1151Record 1 FORMAT(80A1)
Field 1 - Model file name
Record 2 FORMAT(80A1)
Field 1 - Model file description
Record 3 FORMAT(80A1)
Field 1 - Program which created DB
Record 4 FORMAT(10A1,10A1)
Field 1 - Date database created
Field 2 - Time database created
Record 5 FORMAT(10Al,10A1)
Field 1 - Date database last saved (DD-MMM-YY)
Field 2 - Time database last saved (HH:MM:SS)
Record 6 FORMAT(80A1)
Field 1 - Program which created the universal file
Record 7 FORMAT(10A1,10A1)
Field 1 - Date universal file written (DD-MMM-YY)
Field 2 - Time universal file written (HH:MM:SS)
-1The next format is format 164. This format contains the units and the description of the units for the data set, as well as the factors for converting the file units to SI.
Universal file format 164
-1164Record 1 FORMAT(I10,20A1)
Field 1 - Units code
| Units code | Description |
| 1 | SI_METRIC_ABS_ (SI) |
| 2 | BG BRITISH_GRAV |
| 3 | MG METRIC_GRAV |
| 4 | BA BRITISH_ABS |
| 5 | MM MODIFIE_SI_(MM) |
| 6 | CM MODIFIED_SI_(CM) |
| 7 | IN BRITISH_GRAV_(MOD) |
| 8 | GM METRIC GRAV_(MOD) |
| 9 | US USER_DEFINED |
Field 2 - Units description (used for documentation only)
Record 2 FORMAT(3D25.17)
Field 1 - Length
Field 2 - Force
Field 3 - Temperature
Record 3 FORMAT(1D25.17)
Field 1 - Temperature offset
Records 2 and 3 contain unit conversion factors. To convert from universal file units to SI divide by the appropriate factor listed above.-1After the previous formats, format 58 can follow. This format documents any time or frequency domain function with several lines of ID information, response and reference location, direction and name. The ordinate data type and abscissa spacing along with the specific data type, axis labels, and units are also included in the format.
Universal file 58
-158Record 1 FORMAT(80A1)
Field 1 - ID Line 1 Note: ID Line 1 is generally used for the function description
Record 2 FORMAT(80A1)
Field 1 - ID Line 2
Record 3 FORMAT(80A1)
Field 1 - ID Line 3
Note: ID Line 3 is generally used to identify when the function was created.
The date is in the form DD-MMM-YY, and the time is in the form HH:MM:SS, with a general FORMAT(9A1,1X,8A1).
Record 4 FORMAT(80A1)
Field 1 - ID Line 4
Record 5 FORMAT(80A1)
Field 1 - ID Line 5
Record 6 FORMAT(2(I5,I10),2(1X, 10A1,I10,I4)) DOF Identification
Field 1 - Function Type
| Function Type | Description |
| 0 | General or Unknown |
| 1 | Time Response |
| 2 | Auto Spectrum |
| 3 | Cross Spectrum |
| 4 | Frequency Response Function |
| 5 | Transmissibility |
| 6 | Coherence |
| 7 | Cross Correlation |
| 9 | Power Spectral Density (PSD) |
| 10 | Energy Spectral Density (ESD) |
| 11 | Probability Density Function |
| 12 | Spectrum |
Field 2 - Function Identification Number
Field 3 - Version Number, or sequence number
Field 4 - Load Case
| Load Case | Description |
| 0 | Single Point Excitation Field |
Field 5 - Response Entity Name ("NONE" if unused)
Field 6 - Response Node
Field 7 - Response Direction
| Response Direction | Description |
| 0 | Scalar |
| 1 | +X Translation |
| 4 | +X Rotation |
| -1 | -X Translation |
| -4 | -X Rotation |
| 2 | +Y Translation |
| 5 | +X Rotation |
| -2 | -Y Translation |
| -5 | -X Rotation |
| 3 | +Z Translation |
| 6 | +X Rotation |
| -3 | -Z Translation |
| -6 | -X Rotation |
Field 8 - Reference Entity Name ("NONE" if unused)
Field 9 - Reference Node
Field 10 - Reference Direction
| Reference Direction | Description |
| 0 | Scalar |
| 1 | +X Translation |
| 4 | +X Rotation |
| -1 | -X Translation |
| -4 | -X Rotation |
| 2 | +Y Translation |
| 5 | +X Rotation |
| -2 | -Y Translation |
| -5 | -X Rotation |
| 3 | +Z Translation |
| 6 | +X Rotation |
| -3 | -Z Translation |
| -6 | -X Rotation |
Note: Fields 8, 9, and 10 are only relevant if field 4 is zero.
Record 7 FORMAT(3I10,3E13.5) Data Form
Field 1 - Ordinate Data Type
| Ordinate Data Type | Description |
| 2 | real, single precision |
| 4 | real, double precision |
| 5 | complex, single precision |
| 6 | complex, double precision |
Field 2 - Number of data pairs for uneven abscissa spacing, or number of data values for even abscissa spacing
Field 3 - Abscissa Spacing
| Abscissa Spacing | Description |
| 0 | uneven |
| 1 | even (no abscissa values stored) |
Field 4 - Abscissa minimum (0.0 if spacing uneven)
Field 5 - Abscissa increment (0.0 if spacing uneven
Field 6 - Z-axis value (0.0 if unused)
Record 8 FORMAT(I10,3I5,2(1X,20A1)) Abscissa Data Characteristics
Field 1 - Specific Data Type
| Specific Data Type | Description |
| 0 | unknown |
| 1 | general |
| 2 | stress |
| 3 | strain |
| 5 | temperature |
| 6 | heat flux |
| 8 | displacement |
| 9 | reaction force |
| 11 | velocity |
| 12 | acceleration |
| 13 | excitation force |
| 15 | pressure |
| 16 | mass |
| 17 | time |
| 18 | frequency |
| 19 | rpm |
Field 2 - Length units exponent
Field 3 - Force units exponent
Field 4 - Temperature units exponent Note:
Fields 2, 3 and 4 are relevant only if the Specific Data Type is General, or in the case of ordinates, the response/reference direction is a scalar.
Field 5 - Axis label ("NONE" if not used)
Field 6 - Axis units label ("NONE" if not used)
Note: If fields 5 and 6 are supplied, they take precedence over program generated label and units.
Record 9 FORMAT(I10,3I5,2(1X,20A1))
Field1 - Ordinate (or ordinate numerator) Data Characteristics
Record 10 FORMAT(I10,3I5,2(1X,20A1))
Field1 - Ordinate Denominator Data Characteristics
Record 11 FORMAT(I10,3I5,2(1X,20A1))
Field1 - Z-axis Data Characteristics
Note: Records 9, 10, and 11 are always included and have fields the same as record 8. If records 10 and 11 are not used, set field 1 to zero.
Record 12 Field1 - Data values
| Ordinate | Abscissa |
| Case | Type | Precision | Spacing | FORMAT |
| 1 | real | single | even | 6E13.5 |
| 2 | real | single | uneven | 6E13.5 |
| 3 | complex | single | even | 6E13.5 |
| 4 | complex | single | uneven | 6E13.5 |
| 5 | real | double | even | 4E20. 12 |
| 6 | real | double | uneven | 2(E13.5,E20. 12) |
| 7 | complex | double | even | 4E20. 12 |
| 8 | complex | double | uneven | E13.5,2E20. 12 |
The data should be read from left to right. In case of spectral data each data sample is expressed by its real and imaginary part. So the first data row contains the info of 3 samples expressed in real/imag format. In case of time data each row contains 6 data samples.-1Format 15 specifies the location, coordinate system, color, and coordinates of each grid point (geometry node) in the model. The coordinates used in this file must be absolute (global). Local coordinates are not allowed.
Universal file 15
-115Record 1 FORMAT(4I10,3E13.5)
Field 1 - node tag number (location label)
Field 2 - definition coordinate system (>=0)
Field 3 - displacement coordinate system (>=0)
Field 4 - color
Fields 5 to 7 - 3-dimensional coordinates of node
-1Record 1 of format 15 is repeated for each grid point in the model. For example: --1151 0 0 8 0.00000E+00 0.00000E+00 0.00000E + 002 0 0 8 5.00000E-01 0.00000E+00 - 5.00000E -02..........100 0 0 8 1.20000E+01 1.20000E+01 -4.50000E+00-1The last format described in this document is format 82. This format specifies the trace line number, color, identification, and the entries defining the trace. This file gives the connectivity that is used together with the grid points to display the configuration of the system under test or analysis.
Universal file 82
-182Record 1 FORMAT(3I10)
Field 1 - Trace Line number
Field 2 - Number of entries defining trace
Field 3 - Color
Record 2 FORMAT(80A1)
Field 1 - Identification Line
Record 3 FORMAT(8I10)
Fields 1-N - Entries defining trace
Notes
1. A non-zero trace line entry means to draw a line to the grid point. A zero trace line entry means to move to the grid point without a draw. A move to the first grid point is implied.
2. The maximum number of entries defining a trace must not exceed 250.
3. The identification line must not be blank. If no information is required, the word "NONE" must appear in columns 1 through 4.
-1
Additional info, including info about universal file format 55 for mode shapes: