ASTM E1708-95

Standard Practice for Electronic Interchange of Color and Appearance Data

SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers procedures to be used in the electronic exchange of color and appearance data between users, by either modem or the physical transfer of electronic media. It is intended for use by manufacturers of color-measuring instruments and developers of software so that any instrument may acquire data for its use that may have been measured on an instrument of another manufacturer, at another place, or at another time.  
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 31-Dec-2000
• Technical Committee: E12 - Color and Appearance
• Drafting Committee: E12.04 - Color and Appearance Analysis

Relations

• Replaced By: ASTM E1708-95(2001) - Standard Practice for Electronic Interchange of Color and Appearance Data
• Effective Date: 01-Jan-2001
• Referred By: ASTM E2539-14(2021) - Standard Test Method for Multiangle Color Measurement of Interference Pigments
• Effective Date: 01-Jan-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D7195-21 - Standard Guide for Setting Object Color Specifications
• Effective Date: 01-Jan-2001
• Referred By: ASTM E2194-14(2021) - Standard Test Method for Multiangle Color Measurement of Metal Flake Pigmented Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Jan-2001
• Referred By: ASTM E805-22 - Standard Practice for Identification of Instrumental Methods of Color or Color-Difference Measurement of Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Jan-2001

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation: E 1708 – 95
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS
100 Barr Harbor Dr., West Conshohocken, PA 19428
Reprinted from the Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Copyright ASTM
Standard Practice for
Electronic Interchange of Color and Appearance Data
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1708; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope (decimal 12), vertical tab (decimal 11), newline (decimal 10),
and horizontal tab (decimal 9).
1.1 This practice covers procedures to be used in the
electronic exchange of color and appearance data between
4. Summary of Practice
users, by either modem or the physical transfer of electronic
4.1 Users of this practice are given a mandatory list of
media. It is intended for use by manufacturers of color-
keywords. The user fills out the list with the data values
measuring instruments and developers of software so that any
associated with each keyword. The user may then select from
instrument may acquire data for its use that may have been
an optional list of keywords. The user then associates with
measured on an instrument of another manufacturer, at another
these keywords the data values required to be transmitted.
place, or at another time.
4.2 The keywords are used at the receiving end of the
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the
transmission to decode the format and number of data values
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
present in the transmission.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
5. Significance and Use
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
5.1 This practice should be used by manufacturers of
color-measuring instruments and developers of software when
2. Referenced Documents
the transmission of color and appearance data is desired
2.1 ASTM Standards:
2 between instruments or computers.
E 284 Terminology of Appearance
5.2 The method of transmission may be via direct connec-
2.2 ANSI Standard:
tion, modem, or the transfer of electronic media, for example,
CGATS.5 Graphic Technology—Spectral Measurement and
by floppy disk transfer.
Colorimetric Computation for Graphic Arts Images
5.3 The practice lends itself to the transmission of either a
3. Terminology single record of data or multiple record files.
5.4 Examples of files generated in this practice are con-
3.1 Definitions—Definitions of terms in Terminology E 284
tained in Fig. X1.1 and Fig. X2.1 of the appendixes.
are applicable to this practice.
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
6. Procedure
3.2.1 data value identifier, n—a keyword that identifies the
6.1 Prepare a file using ASCII code that consists of the
contents of a data field and, by definition, signals the data type
mandatory keyword list followed by the associated data values.
of the field as string, integer, or floating point.
Each keyword and each data value is delimited by white space.
3.2.2 keyword, n—in electronic interchange, an alphanu-
The record may be organized into logical units associated with
meric designator that defines the nature or number of following
each keyword by using the carriage return character for the
data fields.
white space delimiter at the end of the data values associated
3.2.2.1 Discussion—The word is used in its ordinary dic-
with any keyword.
tionary sense in Section 7.
6.1.1 Every keyword in the record must be followed by at
3.2.3 white space, n—a valid character representation that
least one character of white space as a delimiter. Do not
does not generate a printable character in a file.
precede keywords on a line by other than white space. The
3.2.3.1 Discussion—Valid ASCII white space characters are
exception to this recommendation, which is made to assist
space (decimal 32), carriage return (decimal 13), form feed
human readability, is the use of keywords as data value
identifiers, which are listed in order on one line, if possible, so
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E-12 on Appear-
that they may be interpreted by the human reader as column
ance and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E12.04 on Color and
headings.
Appearance.
6.1.2 The specification of data value identifiers is entirely
Current edition approved May 15, 1995. Published July 1995.
optional regarding the choice and number of identifiers. Data
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 06.01.
Available from NPES, The Association for Suppliers of Printing and Publishing
Technologies, 1899 Preston White Drive, Reston, VA 22091-4367.
E 1708
value identifiers are placed between the BEGIN_ DATA_FOR- ated data value is in units of percent reflectance or percent
MAT keyword and the END_DATA_ FORMAT keyword. transmittance.
Each data value identifier must be separated by at least one 6.3.5 SPECTRAL_RT, F—This indicates that the associated
character of white space. data value is a spectral reflectance factor or spectral transmit-
tance factor.
6.2 Mandatory Keywords—The following keywords are
mandatory in a record:
NOTE 2—This keyword represents an occurrence of the incompatibility
6.2.1 E1708YY—The first seven characters in the file must
of ASTM keywords with keywords defined by CGATS.5. That standard
be this keyword, where the digits YY are numeric for the year
uses SPECTRAL_FR for reflectance and transmittance factors. The term“
of revision of this practice that was used to formulate the F(R)” is accepted routinely as representing Kubelka-Munk K/S in the
European color community and in the analytical chemistry community
record.
worldwide. The keyword SPECTRAL_FR is thus adopted by ASTM to
6.2.2 ORIGINATOR—The alphanumeric data value associ-
refer to that parameter (see 6.5.5.5).
ated with this keyword is the specific system, organization, or
6.3.6 SPECTRAL_RM, F—This indicates that the associ-
individual originating the record.
ated value is a spectroradiometric quantity.
6.2.3 DESCRIPTOR—The alphanumeric data value associ-
6.3.7 XYZ_X, F—This indicates that the associated data
ated with this keyword contains a description of the purpose or
value is a CIE X tristimulus value.
content of the record.
6.3.8 XYZ_Y, F—This is a CIE Y tristimulus value.
6.2.4 CREATED—The alphanumeric data value associated
6.3.9 XYZ_Z, F—This is a CIE Z tristimulus value.
with this keyword contains the date on which the record was
6.3.10 XYY_CAPY, F—This is a CIE Y tristimulus value.
created or the data measured.
This keyword is used as an alternative to XYZ_Y when the
6.2.5 NUMBER_OF_FIELDS—The integer data value as-
data are furnished in chromaticity coordinates and luminance
sociated with this keyword contains the number of data format
format.
identifiers prescribed in the data format definition that follows.
6.3.11 XYY_X, F—This is a CIE x chromaticity coordinate.
6.2.6 BEGIN_DATA_FORMAT—No data value is associ-
6.3.12 XYY_Y, F—This is a CIE y chromaticity coordinate.
ated with this keyword. The keyword identifies the beginning
6.3.13 LAB_L, F—This is a CIE 1976 metric lightness
of the list of data value identifiers.
value, L*.
6.2.7 END_DATA_FORMAT—No data value is associated
6.3.14 LAB_A, F—This is a CIE 1976 redness-greenness
with this keyword. The keyword identifies the end of the list of
value, a*.
data value identifiers.
6.3.15 LAB_B, F—This is a CIE 1976 yellowness-blueness
6.2.8 NUMBER_OF_
...