The first step in processing sonar data files with MB-System™ is to identify the type of sonar that was used to record the data and the format the data files are in. MB-System™ uses this information not only for successfully reading from and writing to the data files, but behind the scenes details regarding these sonars are used in reprocessing the data files.

Hopefully this information has been recorded by the science party when the data was taken and is readily available. However at times those with the task of post processing the data are not always the ones who participated in the cruise.

MB-System™ uses a standard set of libraries for reading sonar data files. MB-System™ version 5 supports the following sonar systems, among others:

MB-System™ supports several file formats unique to each sonar type - more than can be easily listed here. However they are all clearly delineated in the man page for MBIO allowing one to easily determine the MB-System™ format for the specified sonar and file type.

You can use the mbformat tool provided by MB-System™ to determine the sonar data Format ID. Each sonar writes data files with standard naming conventions. mbformat, typically uses these naming conventions to identify the sonar data format from which it looks up the numerical Format ID.

In some cases, the naming convention doesn't provide enough clues to determine the correct format ID. For example, Simrad recently changed their sonar data format, although their file naming convention is the same (*.raw). mbformat must open these files and begin to read the data to determine if the correct format ID is 51 - for the old format, or 56 - for the new format.

If the files are renamed with some naming conventions other than that provided by the sonar system or the standard MB-System™ convention, mbformat will not recognize them. In this case one must know details regarding the sonar system and sift through the MBIO man page for the appropriate format.

For example, suppose it is known, from notes provided with the data set, that the data was taken using the SeaBeam™ - 19 beam sonar on the R/V Thomas. I might further know that the data is bathymetry only (no sidescan) and is stored in binary format. I could then look in the man page for MBIO and see the following:

           ...
           MBIO Data Format ID:  16
           Format name:          MBF_SBSIOSWB
           Informal Description: SIO Swath-bathy SeaBeam
           Attributes:           Sea Beam, bathymetry, 19 beams,
                                 binary, centered, SIO.
           ...

There we have it - "MBIO Data Format ID: 16".