IEC 60255-24:2013 defines a format for files containing transient waveform and event data collected from power systems or power system models. The format is intended to provide an easily interpretable form for use in exchanging data. The standard is for files stored on currently used physical media such as portable external hard drives, USB drives, flash drives, CD, and DVD. This standard defines a common format for the data files and exchange medium needed for the interchange of various types of fault, test, and simulation data. The main changes with respect to the previous edition are as follows:
- this new edition allows single file format (with extension .CFF) in lieu of four separate files;
- the single file with .CFF extension contains four sections of information corresponding to .CFG, .INF, .HDR, and .DAT. The DAT section is either in ASCII or Binary;
- the following additional data file types are also supported: binary32 and float32.