Data Interchange Format

A Data Interchange Format is a file format that enables data exchange between spreadsheet systems (supporting spreadsheet data transfers).

• AKA: DIF, .dif format.
• Context:
  • It can provide Data Exchange through text-based serialization.
  • It can enable Spreadsheet Transfer through standardized format.
  • It can support Data Import through format conversion.
  • It can implement Data Export through format transformation.
  • ...
  • It can (often) handle Single Spreadsheet through file encoding.
  • It can (often) preserve Cell Data through text representation.
  • It can (often) maintain Data Integrity through format specification.
  • ...
  • It can range from being a Basic Data Transfer to being an Advanced Data Exchange, depending on its implementation complexity.
  • It can range from being a Simple Format Implementation to being a Complex Format Implementation, depending on its supported features.
  • ...
  • It can integrate with Spreadsheet Application for data import/export.
  • It can connect to Office Suite for spreadsheet compatibility.
  • It can support Data Migration for system transition.
  • ...
• Examples:
  • Modern Implementations, such as:
    • Active Supports, such as:
      • Collabora Online for current office suite.
      • Microsoft Excel for enterprise spreadsheet.
      • LibreOffice Calc for open source office.
      • Gnumeric for linux spreadsheet.
  • Historical Implementations, such as:
    • Legacy Supports, such as:
      • Lotus 1-2-3 for early spreadsheet.
      • dBase for database management.
      • FileMaker for data management.
      • Framework for integrated office.
      • Multiplan for early microsoft.
      • StarCalc for star office.
  • ...
• Counter-Examples:
  • Navy DIF, which serves document interchange rather than spreadsheet data.
  • Multiple Spreadsheet Format, which supports workbook rather than single sheet.
  • Binary Spreadsheet Format, which uses binary encoding rather than text format.
• See: File Format, Data Exchange Format, Spreadsheet Format, Text File Format.
• References:
  • (Wikipedia, 2024) Data Interchange Format definition and support information
  • (Wikipedia, 2013) Historical support information

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References

2024

• (Wikipedia, 2024) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Interchange_Format Retrieved:2024-12-13.
  • Data Interchange Format (.dif) is a text file format used to import/export single spreadsheets between spreadsheet programs.

    Applications that still support the DIF format are Collabora Online, Excel, Gnumeric, and LibreOffice Calc. Historical applications that used to support it until they became end of life or no longer acknowledge support of the format are dBase, FileMaker, Framework, Lotus 1-2-3, Multiplan, OpenOffice.org Calc and StarCalc. A limitation with DIF format is that it cannot handle multiple spreadsheets in a single workbook. Due to the similarity in abbreviation and in age (both date to the early 1980s), the DIF spreadsheet format it is often confused with Navy DIF; Navy DIF, however, is an unrelated "document interchange format" for word processors.

2013

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Interchange_Format
  • 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.

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