Appendix C: File Formats

CAPTURE utilizes several file formats during the retrieval, editing, and exporting of RAD7 Data. Several legacy formats are also supported, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of existing data. Each supported RAD7 Data format and image file format is described below.
R7RAW Data  

When radon concentration data is retrieved from a RAD7 that does not have RADLINK installed, it is recorded to disk in the R7RAW format. A R7RAW file is a plain text file containing up to 1000 rows of radon test data. Each row is divided into 23 unlabeled columns, separated by commas. Although this text is not easily human readable, it is well suited for graphing and analysis within CAPTURE and other applications. This 23 column format is fully documented in the PC Connectivity section of the RAD7 manual.

R7RAW files represent original, unedited data, straight from the instrument. As such, CAPTURE does not allow a R7RAW file to be modified and then saved back to disk under its original name, even for the purpose of removing unwanted flaws in the data. If a R7RAW data is modified in any way within CAPTURE, the modified data may be exported to the R7CDT format, which represents changed, or "cleaned" data.

Note that CAPTURE can open files using unrecognized file name extensions. Users who have renamed their R7RAW data files using custom extensions such as DAT and CAP will still be able to view graphs of their RAD7 files, because CAPTURE can determine a file's format based on its content.

Earlier versions of CAPTURE used the RAW file name extension instead of R7RAW. This has been changed to avoid conflicts with unrelated files that use the same extension.
R7CDT Data  

The R7CDT file name extension represents either "complete data" or "cleaned-up data". R7CDT files contain RAD7 data has been downloaded and either modified or reformatted in such a way that it is no longer "raw" data. These modifications and formattings may include the removal of unreadable "garbage" information, or more significant changes resulting from the cropping or combining of data, or from the inclusion of RAD7 printer output or device hardware information. R7CDT files containing this extra information are created whenever data is downloaded from a RAD7 capable of two way communication (i.e. RAD7s containing RADLINK). R7CDT files may also be created using the File menu's Save As and Export RAD7 Data File commands.

Earlier versions of CAPTURE used the CDT file name extension instead of R7CDT. This has been changed to avoid conflicts with unrelated files that use the same extension.
TXT Text Document   A TXT (Text) file is a plain text document that can be opened in any text editing or word processing application. The Export Column Based Data command provides the ability to save cleaned up, tab-delineated RAD7 Data to a text file. By inserting tab characters to separate columns of data, CAPTURE produces files whose contents can be imported directly into software such as Microsoft Excel for further analysis.

TXT files may also contain RAD7 Data acquired directly from a measuring device. These TXT files are functionally identical to R7RAW files, and can be opened and graphed in CAPTURE.
CSV Data File   The Export Column Based Data command can also be used to create a CSV (Comma Separated Values) data file. CSV files are similar to tab-delineated text files, but they use commas instead of tabs to separate data fields, and they can be opened directly in Microsoft Excel.
PNG Image File   When a graph image is saved using the Save Graph Picture command, CAPTURE produces a PNG image file. The PNG format uses compression to ensure small image file sizes, without sacrificing image quality.
PDF Document   The PDF file format is a cross platform format produced by the Macintosh version of CAPTURE when exporting graph images from within the Print dialog box. Since the system can save, fax, and email PDF documents using this dialog, it is sometimes preferable to export PDF graph images using the Print command, rather than exporting PNG graph images using the Save Graph Picture command on the Macintosh.