CARIS HIPS and SIPS Help : Support Files Guide : Catalogues : Catalogue Dictionaries
 

Catalogue Dictionaries

Dictionaries define what features and attributes are in hydrographic products. For example, a dictionary for S-57 defines the features and attributes that are available in an S-57 chart.

Custom dictionaries can be built but these must use the same structure and syntax as existing dictionaries. More than one dictionary can be used for a product.

The structure of the a dictionary file is shown below. Attributes are shown in red.

The file is divided into two sections: attribute classes and object classes.

The file must include the following header:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>

<CARISDictionary Version="1">

This table describes tags and associated attributes.

Tags

Description

<CARISDictionary>

The root tag for all elements in this file.

Attributes:

Version: Version of the CARIS dictionary. The version must be always set to a value of 1.

Example:

<CARISDictionary Version="1">

<AttributeClasses>

Parent tag for all elements within the attribute section of the dictionary.

<AttributeClass>

Parent tag for individual attributes.

Attributes:

Acronym: S-57 acronym associated with attribute

ExternalID: Unique numeric identifier for the attribute

ID: (This tag is not implemented in CARIS and can be omitted in custom dictionaries.)

Example:

<AttributeClass Acronym="BUISHP" ExternalID="3" ID="3" Type="ENUMERATION">

<Name>

Full name of the attribute, e.g., “building shape” for BUISHP attribute.

Example:

<Name>Building shape</Name>

<Description>

Full explanation of the attribute. This tag is empty if the attribute is a enumeration or list type.

Example:

<Description>The depth below the sea bed to which an object is buried.</Description>

<References>

Source document for attribute information.

Example:

<References>The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 1993</References>

<Remarks>

Additional information about an attribute.

Example:

<Remarks>The attribute 'shape of building' encodes the various profile shapes of buildings.</Remarks>

<ExpectedValues>

Parent tag for values in an enumeration or list type attribute.

<ExpectedValue>

Child tags of <ExpectedValues>. This tag contains values in an enumeration or list type attribute.

Attributes:

Description: A brief description of the attribute.

Value: The numeric code assigned to each value in an enumerated list or list type attribute

Example:

<ExpectedValue Description="{spire}" Value="3"/>

<Description>

Full explanation of the attribute. This tag is empty if the attribute is a enumeration or list type.

Example:

<Description>The depth below the sea bed to which an object is buried.</Description>

<DisplayFormat>

The format of float or integer type attributes.

Example:

<DisplayFormat>###.#</DisplayFormat>

<ObjectClasses>

Parent tag for all individual object class tags.

<ObjectClass>

Parent tag for individual features.

Attributes:

Acronym: Acronym for the feature.

ExternalID: Unique numeric identifier for the feature.

ID: (not implemented in CARIS)

Type: The type of feature: geographic, meta, composite, etc.

Example:

<ObjectClass Acronym="AIRARE" ExternalID="2" ID="2" Type="GEOGRAPHIC">

<Name>

Brief textual description of the feature.

Example:

<Name>Airport/airfield</Name>

<Description>

Full description of the feature.

Example:

<Description>An area containing at least one runway, used for landing, take-off, and movement of aircraft.</Description>

<References>

Source material for information on feature.

Example:

<References>INT 1: ID 17; M-4: 366;</References>

<Remarks>

Additional information about the feature.

Example:

<Remarks>Distinction: runway; sea-plane landing area; </Remarks>