This document introduces a new approach using HDF5 for storing N-dimensional lookup table data in a structured format called the Scientific Data Format (SDF). SDF aims to address problems with current data storage solutions by supporting N-dimensional data with dimension scales and metadata, as well as physical quantities and units. It uses an open source HDF5 backend and provides native tool support and interoperability between tools like Modelica, Python, MATLAB, and Simulink. The document demonstrates SDF usage through an N-dimensional table block in Modelica and functions for reading and writing SDF files.

1. A new approach with HDF5
N-D LOOKUP TABLES FOR MODELICA

2. OVERVIEW
• (table) data formats today
• the “Scientific Data Format”
• Demo: Modelica blocks & functions
• tooling

3. STATUS QUO
Test
Bench
Dymola
Simulink
Excel
.mat
.dat
.xlsx
.csv
.mo
.m
MATLAB

4. Problems with the current solutions
• Different file formats  conversions
• Proprietary
• Not suitable for N-D data
• No support for meta data
• No support for physical quantities & units
• Not structurable
STATUS QUO

5. SCIENTIFIC DATA FORMAT
.sdf
SDF
Editor
Python
MATLABDymola
Simulink
• support for N-D data &
dimension scales
• physical quantities & units
• custom metadata
• structurable
• open source
• native tool support

6. SCIENTIFIC DATA FORMAT
emachine.sdf
tau
n
u
P_loss
QUANTITY=Power
UNIT=W
…
AUTHOR=John Doe
Attribute
Dataset
File Structure

7. SCIENTIFIC DATA FORMAT
emachine.sdf
tau
n
u
P_v
Data
Dimension Scales
<61x26x7> double
<61> double
<26> double
Dimension
Scale
Link
<7> double

8. ARCHITECTURE
HDF5 C-API
HDF5 Table
Modelica
Functions
Modelica
NDTable
Python
SDF for
Python
SDF
Editor
Java /
EMF
Simulink
NDTable
MATLAB
SDF for
MATLAB

9. INTER- / EXTRAPOLATION

10. Demo!

11. THE NDTABLE BLOCK

12. THE NDTABLE BLOCK

13. READ / WRITE FUNCTIONS

14. SDF EDITOR

15. SCRIPTING

16. TRY IT OUT!
http://simdevtools.org