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Format

Data Interchange Format

Summary

Name
Data Interchange Format
Identifiers
PUID: x-fmt/41
Format type
Text (Structured)
Description
Data Interchange Format (.dif) is a text file format used to import/export single spreadsheets between spreadsheet programs (OpenOffice.org Calc, Excel, Gnumeric, StarCalc, Lotus 1-2-3, FileMaker, dBase, Framework, Multiplan, etc.). It is also known as Navy DIF. One limitation is that DIF format cannot handle multiple spreadsheets in a single workbook.
File extensions
dif
Source
Digital Preservation Department / The National Archives

Internal signatures

Data Interchange Format

Note
Header begins with TABLE on first line, the pair 0,1 on the second line, a title string in quotes on the third line and VECTORS on the fourth line.

Byte sequences

Min Frag Length
Absolute from BOF
Offset
0
Max offset
None
Byte Sequence
5441424C450D0A302C310D0A22{1-100}220D0A564543544F52530D0A
Endianness
Little-endian

Changelog

  • Updated in V83

    Release date
    17 December 2015

    Data Interchange Format: Added description.

  • Added in V45

    Release date
    6 December 2010

    Data Interchange Format: Signature submitted by Georgia Tech Research Institute, USA.