New in version 2.1 (compared to 2.0)

The original General Adapter Specifications document has now been split in two parts. One part describing the General Adapter configuration and one part (this part) describing the files and formats that constitute the published interface. This information is essential to third parties undertaking development of module adapters to interface with NFFS. To avoid confusion the documentation required for configuring the general adapter, itself a part of NFFS, has been moved to the other part. The information in this part should be sufficient for the construction of module adapters for the system. In the new version of the published interface all the separate schema's have been incorporated into a single schema file: fileformats.xsd. Most of the root elements are the same as those in the previous version (see below for a summary of the changes). Apart from the changes to the root elements described below, xml files that conform to the previous implementation can be left unaltered apart from the schema location which is now fileformats.xsd for all types. The following changes have been made since the previous version of the file formats specifications:

  • All: A new TimeStep type has been introduced. This affects the following root elements/file formats : TimeSeries, MapStacks, Longitudional profiles, Polygons.
  • All: all root elements now have a required version attribute that must be set to 1.1 (was 1.0)
  • All: all root elements (file formats) that have a date/time child now have an (optional) timeZone element.
  • All: A new name conventions is used for elements
    • All root elements and complex types start with a upper case letter
    • If an element (or an attribute) name is composed of more than one word each word (except the first) is capitalized.
  • Time series: the ascii file format is no longer supported in the published interface.
  • Time series: the schema definition now allows for multiple series in a single file
  • Time series: the timeseriesId element is removed. Instead the locationId element is now required and a parameter element is introduced. The content element is removed.
  • Time series: the startDate and endDate elements are now required.
  • Locations: The model of the children of the location element has been changed from all to sequence (for most practical purposes the entails no change since the previous version)
  • Map stacks: the schema definition now allows for multiple series in a single file.
  • Map stacks: attributes of the mapStack element (TimeStep, startDate, endDate) have been converted to (required) child elements. The version attribute has been moved to the new root element (MapStacks)
  • Map stacks: The gridid element has been removed, a (required) locationId element has been added, the parameterId element has been renamed to parameter
  • Map stacks: the event element has been added. This is used for specifying the date and time with non-equidistant map stacks.
  • Grid cell centre points: the name of the root elements has been changed from locations to Cells.
  • Module state data: a stateId element (required, defined by the module) has been added. The (optional) stateName, and dateTime elements have been added.
  • Longitudinal profile: the schema definition now allows for multiple series in a single file.
  • Longitudinal profile: locationId ,parameter, startDate, endDate, TimeStep and (optional) branchId elements have been added.
  • Longitudinal profile: the profile element holds a new event element. The xData element used to be a child of the profile element, it is now a child of the event element.
  • Module parameters: the optional moduleId element has been removed.
  • Lookup tables: the root element has been renamed to table. The structure of the root element has changed considerably and now allows for an unlimited number of columns.
  • Module diagnostics output: the level order has been reversed (see text). No changes to elements or attributes.
  • Branch data: the attributes of the branch element (-branchID, branchName, startChainage, endChainage, upNode, downNode) have been converted to child elements.
  • Cross-sections: all the attributes of the crossSection element have been converted to child elements. XsectID has been renamed to xSectionId.
  • Lateral inputs: the link to timeseries date for the lateral input is now performed using the locationId/parameter combination. The timeseriesid and the timeseriesfile elements are removed.
  • Polygons: the schema definition now allows for multiple series in a single file.
  • Polygons: the points element is changed and is now unbounded to allow for time series.
  • Polygons: the polygonid elements is removed, the locationId and parameter elements have been added.


Grid cell centre points were grouped among the dynamic data types, they are now classified as static data. Conversely, polygons are now listed as dynamic data.
A graphical overviews of the root elements has been added to the description of each format. The complete schema documentation remains in appendix D.

New in version 2.2

Chapter 3 has been updated.
In Chapter 4 the application of module adapters has been added which was also included version 2.0 of this document but has fallen out in version 2.1.
Appendix F is added describing in more detail the interaction between the NFFS and external modules.
New in version 2.3
The updated version 2.3 was made after discussion with HR Wallingford and CEH Wallingford regarding their module adapters.

  • The version number of the root elements has been changed to 1.2
  • Although the schema does allow otherwise, it has been decided that all datapoints in the timeseries files should be in chronological order.
  • A typing error (devider -> divider) has been corrected in the TimStep type
  • The single schema (fileformats.xsd) has been split into several files, each containing a single file-format (root element).


New in version 2.4

  • Document has been updated to reflect that the PI is a part of DELFT-FEWS and not the NFFS only.


New in version 2.5

  • Added memo in appendix F
  • Updated explanation in states and diagnostics sections
  • Added a questions and answers section


New in version 2.6

  • Added netcdf for griddata


New in version 2.7

  • Added description of exchange of run information
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