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Repository Signals File Format

  • Lines beginning with # are comments.
  • Each line in the file defines either:
  • A Generic Signal Type
    Use GENERIC_SIGNAL_TYPE to declare a new signal type. The format is:
    GENERIC_SIGNAL_TYPE [type_alias] [GSV_string_spec]
    (Three tab-separated fields)
    • GENERIC_SIGNAL_TYPE: Marks the line as a signal type definition.
    • type_alias: A short name for the signal type.
    • GSV_string_spec: The type specification. List time channels first (if any), then value channels.
    • Time channels use T(X), where X is a comma-separated list of basic types (see Generic (Universal) Signal Vectors).
    • Example: T(i) means one integer time channel; T(i,i) means two integer time channels (can also be written as T(i),T(i)).
    • Value channels follow after time channels.
  • A Signal Definition
    Use SIGNAL to define a signal. Each line should have at least six fields (extra fields are ignored). If fewer than six are provided, defaults are used for missing fields.
    • SIGNAL: Marks the line as a signal definition.
    • signal_name: The name of the signal.
    • signal_unique_code: A unique numeric code for the signal within the repository.
    • signal_type: Specify the type directly as a GSV_string_spec (e.g., T(i),V(f) for one integer time channel and one float value channel), or refer to a previously defined type alias using 16:type_alias.
    • comment: Free text, ignored by the system. Can be empty, but the next field must be present.
    • categorical_bitmask: A bitmask indicating which value channels are categorical (e.g., 10 means the first of two value channels is categorical, the second is numeric). Default is 0 for all value channels.
    • units (optional): Units for the signal, separated by | for multiple channels.

Example

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# Tab-delimited format

# Legacy signals definition
SIGNAL  GENDER      100     0       Male=1,Female=2    1  
SIGNAL  BP          920     8    systolic,diastoloc    00    mmHg,mmHg
SIGNAL  Hemoglobin  1000    1     cbc   0   mg/dL
SIGNAL  RC          2309    1       Med All ReadCodes ^[0-9A-HJ-NP-U] .no I,O,V,W,X,Y    1
SIGNAL  Drug        2400    8       Drugs: date, drug code, duration in days, use proper    10    days

# Newer signals definition:
GENERIC_SIGNAL_TYPE   VInt    V(i)
GENERIC_SIGNAL_TYPE   LabT1V1    T(i),V(f)
GENERIC_SIGNAL_TYPE   CategoricalT1V1    T(i),V(i)
GENERIC_SIGNAL_TYPE   LabT1V2    T(i),V(f,f)
GENERIC_SIGNAL_TYPE   Date2Val_i_f    T(i),V(i,f)

SIGNAL  GENDER      100     16:VInt       Male=1,Female=2    1  
SIGNAL  BP          920     16:LabT1V2    systolic,diastoloc    00    mmHg,mmHg
SIGNAL  Hemoglobin  1000    16:LabT1V1     cbc   0   mg/dL
SIGNAL  RC          2309    16:CategoricalT1V1       Med All ReadCodes ^[0-9A-HJ-NP-U] .no I,O,V,W,X,Y    1
SIGNAL  Drug        2400    16:Date2Val_i_f       Drugs: date, drug code, duration in days, use proper    10    days