[ome-users] Storing 6D and 7D in OME-XML & OME-TIFF

[Andrew Patterson]

Hello,

We have been doing some further work on fitting data that requires more than 5 dimensions into the OME data model. Our plan in the long term is to move to using an N-dimensional model but this will take a large amount of work to the Bio-Formats, the OMERO server and clients. In the short term we have devised a solution we can put in place that will allow up to 7 dimensions in our existing model. We have called this the Modulo solution.

This solution relies on using the Z and T dimensions to each store an extra dimension. The description of the extra dimensions are stored in StructuredAnnotation so the data looks like 5-D data, and can thus be stored in the current OME-TIFF and OMERO server.

Full details and sample files are available at:

http://www.openmicroscopy.org/site/support/file-formats/6d-and-7d-storage

When the OME model moves to be N-dimensional we can upgrade data stored in this structure.

We hope this proposal will work for your data. 

We welcome your suggestions for further improvements as always. Comments can be emailed to us or left on our forums: 
http://www.openmicroscopy.org/community/

Thanks,

Andrew

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Andrew Patterson
ajpatterson at lifesci.dundee.ac.uk
Software Developer, Open Microscopy Environment
Wellcome Trust Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression, University of Dundee