The Self-Defining Text Archive and Retrieval (STAR) File, or simply the STAR File, is a text-based file format for storing structured data.
It was proposed in 1991 by Sydney R. Hall. The format became widely used in molecular-structure sciences, although it is not specific to this field—it was designed as a universal approach to electronic data exchange and archiving.
One characteristic feature of the STAR File format is that ''data names'' (keys in
key–value pairs) start with the underscore. They are separated from ''data values'' only by white space, for example:
_format "STAR File"
_first_published 1991
The format was designed to provide a concise syntax for tabular data. The construct for this is called ''loop''.
Loops start with the
loop_ keyword followed by names corresponding to columns and then by values.
loop_
_geom_bond_atom_site_label_1
_geom_bond_atom_site_label_2
_geom_bond_distance
O1 C8 1.301(3)
O1 Na1 2.161(2)
O2 C36 1.425(4)
O2 C39 1.425(4)
O2 Na1 2.514(3)
O3 C31 1.421(4)
# ...
Using a "Dictionary Definition Language" file, itself a STAR File, STAR sub-formats can be defined for particular use cases.
One notable STAR-based format is the
Crystallographic Information File
Crystallographic Information File (CIF) is a standard text file format for representing crystallographic information, promulgated by the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr). CIF was developed by the IUCr Working Party on Crystallograph ...
format.
The "STAR FILE" name is a registered trade mark of the
International Union of Crystallography
The International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) is an organisation devoted to the international promotion and coordination of the science of crystallography. The IUCr is a member of the International Council for Science (ICSU).
Objectives
T ...
.
"Case details for trade mark UK00002256026"
Intellectual Property Office, UK.
See also
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References
{{Reflist
Computer file formats