Echoview file formats

File formats specific to Echoview that manage Echoview data, calibration and Echoview data files.

Echoview files (.ev)
Backup Echoview files (.evb)
Echoview Console files (.ec)
Echoview index files (.evi)
Echoview workspace files (.evwx)
Echoview files, early version (.el)
Echoview 2D region definition files (.evr)
Region import error log (.txt)
Comma-separated values (.csv)
Echoview bathymetric data files (.evb)
Echoview line files (.evl)
Echoview EVD export files (.evd)
Echoview color files (.evc)
AutoOpen.EV
EPJ data files (.epj)
*.media.csv files

Echoview files (.ev)

This is the main file type used by Echoview. It contains the names of all the files added in the File List, all regions and bottom definitions added to the Echogram, the results of processing in the Cruise Track, and all custom settings. See About EV files for more information.

AutoOpen.EV

If this file exists in the same folder as Echoview.exe, then it will be opened every time you start Echoview, without explicitly specifying a different EV file.

This feature is intended for demonstration purposes, but is also useful when you are doing a lot of work with the same EV file.

When Echoview is installed, AutoOpen.EV is created with example data. If you do not want this file opened automatically then do one of the following:

On the Echoview Configuration dialog box, clear the Open AutoOpen.EV at program startup checkbox,
rename the file,
delete the file, or
move the file to a different folder.

Backup Echoview files (.evb)

When an EV file is saved, the previous version is renamed with a suffix of (backup X.XX).evb, where X.XX is the number of the Echoview version which created that file. This allows for the recovery of a previous version of a file, should you save some edits that you want to undo.

You must give the backup EV file a new name before you can open it in Echoview (it must have the .EV extension for Echoview to open it).

Echoview Console files (.ec)

A text file containing command interface commands. One command per line.

Refer to ExportCommands and ImportCommands.

Echoview index files (.evi)

These files are created by Echoview when it reads data files. They contain an index of pings in a data file and there will be one for each data file which Echoview has indexed. Echoview indexes files as required and these files are written to improve performance when accessing the data again. You can safely delete these files, Echoview will recreate them as required (incurring a certain performance cost). See: About EVI files

Echoview workspace files (.evwx)

If you have chosen to save and restore your workspace, Echoview will write the workspace definition to a file of the same name as your EV file with the .evwx extension. There will be one such file for every EV file, and it must be present in the same folder as the EV file if you would like the workspace to be restored. They can safely be deleted, no data or EV file settings will be lost, only information governing the layout of windows when the EV file is opened. Echoview will use the default if this file is missing.

Echoview files, early version (.el)

Early versions of Echoview 1.x used .el as the extension for EV files. These files should be renamed, with an extension of ".EV" and converted to version 3.xx format. See Opening Version 1 EV files in Echoview 3 and higher for more information.

Echoview 2D region definition files (.evr)

2D Region definition files are produced when you export 2D region definitions. The files contain the boundaries of each 2D region defined in the EV file, defined as a list of points with depth and date/time coordinates, and the region properties including annotations. A custom text file format is used for these files. See 2D Region definition file format for more information.

Echoview Data File Format files (.evd)

EVD files are created by Echoview when you export supported variables from Echoview. The exported files can be added to a fileset. Echoview Data File Format data are displayed as raw variables in Echoview. Exported virtual variable data are effectively isolated from changes in operator settings and recalculation. This can benefit workflow time for optimally tuned virtual variables from a virtual chain.

The Echoview Data File Format also provides a way to view and work with sounder/sonar data from unsupported instruments by using Echoview Data File Format XML elements and binary data.

Region import error log (.txt)

Region import error log files are produced when errors are encountered importing an Echoview region file. The files will always have the same base file name as the EV file into which you are importing, and will be stored in the same folder. Previous log files of the same name will be overwritten.

Comma-separated values (.csv)

The majority of the export commands in Echoview produce files with a CSV extension.

Comma-separated value files are designed for moving data between database and spreadsheet programs. They are text files, where each line of the file contains a number of values, each separated by a comma. If an individual value contains an embedded space or comma then the value should be quoted with double quote characters.

Files designed to be imported into databases need to have field names defined in the first line of the file. Each subsequent line of the file contains a complete record, with exactly one value for each field defined on the first line. For example:

RECORD_ID, SURNAME, GIVEN_NAME
1,Doe,John
2,Doe,Jane

Files designed for import into spreadsheets need not follow these layout constraints. Each value will be located to a cell in the spreadsheet.

Note: Some "text data CSV file formats" are supported as an exported data format and as a file format for adding to a fileset. There can be differences between the exported file and the equivalent "text data CSV file format". Such differences arise from the support for optional columns. Export file formats can include optional data columns. "Text data CSV files" (of any origin) can include optional data columns. When a file is added to a fileset, optional columns are ignored unless stated otherwise by the "text data CSV file format".

See:

Export file formats for details on specific CSV file formats.
Text data files for details on adding CSV files.
Database format setting on the Export page of the EV File Properties dialog box.

Echoview bathymetric data files (.evb)

These files are produced by Echoview version 1.xx, but can be read into the current version. The file contains date, time, bottom depth, bottom status and ping status information for each ping in the EV file. A custom text file format is used for these files.

Echoview line files (.evl)

These files are produced when you export lines in Echoview's line definition format. The files contain date, time, line depth and line status information for each ping in the EV file. A custom text file format is used for these files. See Line definition file format for more information.

EPJ files (.epj)

Echoview supports the EPJ file format. An EPJ file can be read for each video file that is added to a fileset. Echoview uses EPJ data to synchronize video data to echogram data. For more information refer to Video data files.

*.media.csv files

Echoview supports the *.media.csv format. Echoview uses *.media.csv data to synchronize image data to echogram data. For more information refer to Image data files.