Maptech BSB Documentation File

Summary

Name

Maptech BSB Documentation File

Identifiers

PUID: fmt/1875

Format type

• Text (Structured)
• Dataset

Description

BSB (or BSB/KAP) is a file format used primarily for the storage and transmission of nautical charts. Although the format is commonly known as "BSB", the main file extension is actually .kap (or sometimes .cap), though .bsb files can also optionally be used. The main image data (as raster images) is found in .kap files, possibly with multiple images in separate files being part of a multi-page chart. The .bsb file, if present, has additional data pertaining to the chart as a whole. Additional metadata is contained in associated text files, generally stored with .bsb.txt and .kap.txt double extensions, or else names ending in "_bsb.txt" and "_kap.txt".

Note

https://web.archive.org/web/20161021191749/http://www.iho.int:80/iho_pubs/standard/S-64/RNC_Test_Data_Sets/BSB_TDS/BSB_Test_Dataset_Instructions_for_RNC.pdf

File extensions

bsb, kap

Submitted by

The National Archives and Records Administration / The National Archives and Records Administration

Internal signatures

Changelog

• V115

  Release date

  15 November 2023

  • Updated

    Maptech BSB Documentation FIle: Variable signatures modified to be BOF with offset 0-700. Submitted by Preservica and The National Archives and Records Administration.

• V114

  Release date

  22 August 2023

  • Added format

    Maptech BSB Documentation File: Full entry added. Submitted by The National Archives and Records Administration.

  • Added signature

    Maptech BSB Documentation File: Signature researched and samples provided by The National Archives and Records Administration.