By means of <dive> data concerning a dive profile are given inside a <repetitiongroup> section. Each dive profile is encapsulated with an own <dive> section; several <dive> elements are given one after the other in this case.
Several child elements are provided for the description of a dive. However, only in rare cases (almost) all will really be used. In the following for the two imaginable scenatios — diving without computer "like in old times" just with watch and depth gauge, and diving with a computer (today the normal case) respectively — the minimal requirements are listed so that a dive may be stored as a valid one in an UDDF file, and an electronic logbook respectively.
(It is presumed that no one is diving without watch, or depth gauge respectively!)
When diving just with a watch and a depth gauge (or an old dive computer without the capability of storing profile data), there are no profile data available. The child elements of <dive> to be listed in an UDDF file in this case are:
<datetime> — date and time of beginning of dive
<diveduration> — duration of dive
<greatestdepth> — greatest depth reached during dive
<link> — cross-reference on the dive spot (stored inside the <divesite> section in the UDDF file)
If more information is available, it can be given additionally, of course. However, the above listed elements are the absolute minimum.
All modern dive computers have a more or less large amount of memory built in, where profile data, as well as events (e.g. error messages) of the current, and the last dives are stored. Afterwards, these data can be read again. It is expected that these profile data do appear inside the <samples> section in the UDDF file. From these data, the greatest depth reached during the dive and the duration can be determined. Neverthelass, <diveduration>, and <greatestdepth> need to be given inside the <informationafterdive> section, too.
<datetime> — date and time of beginning of dive
<desaturationtime> — the desaturation time calculated by the dive computer
<diveduration> — duration of dive
<greatestdepth> — greatest depth reached during dive
<link> — cross-reference on the dive spot (stored inside the <divesite> section in the UDDF file)
<noflighttime> — the no flight time calculated by the dive computer
<samples> — the profile data of the dive (all information gathered by the dive computer during the dive)
If dive data are to be sent to Project Dive Exploration in DL7 standard, some more information must be given. In the following these elements are listed which must appear:
<anysymptoms>, <apparatus>, <diveplan>, <divetable>, <equipmentmalfunction>, <internaldivenumber>, <platform>, <problems>, <thermalcomfort>, <workload>.
The following elements need not to be given, but are desirable:
<alcoholbeforedive>, <current>, <medicationbeforedive>, <program>, <purpose>, <stateofrestbeforedive>.
<informationafterdive>, <informationbeforedive>, <applicationdata>, <samples>, <tankdata>
(see also <repetitiongroup>)
<repetitiongroup id="rg_12">
<dive id="dive_123_19990406">
<informationbeforedive>
<link ref="site_IllesMedes_coast_archway">
<divenumber>123</divenumber>
<internaldivenumber>77</internaldivenumber> <!-- with this dive computer only 77 dives were made -->
<airtemperature>296.15</airtemperature> <!-- 23 °C -->
<datetime>1999-04-06T16:21</datetime>
<surfaceintervalbeforedive>
<passedtime>17580.0</passedtime>
</surfaceintervalbeforedive>
<altitude>0.0</altitude>
<platform>charter-boat</platform>
<apparatus>open-scuba</apparatus>
<purpose>sightseeing</purpose>
<stateofrestbeforedive>rested</stateofrestbeforedive>
</informationbeforedive>
<tankdata>
<!-- here quantitative data about breathing gas used (tank, -->
<!-- pressure, gas, breathing gas consumption volume, etc.) -->
</tankdata>
<!-- here references to breathing gases used -->
<samples>
<!-- here time/depth data of the profile -->
</samples>
<informationafterdive>
<lowesttemperature>285.2</lowesttemperature>
<greatestdepth>25.8</greatestdepth>
<visibility>10.0</visibility>
<current>very-mild-current</current>
<diveplan>dive-computer</diveplan>
<equipmentmalfunction>none</equipmentmalfunction>
<pressuredrop>16000000.0</pressuredrop> <!-- 160 bar -->
<problems>equalisation</problems>
<program>recreation</program>
<thermalcomfort>comfortable</thermalcomfort>
<workload>light</workload>
<desaturationtime>63840.0</desaturationtime> <!-- 17 h 44 min -->
<noflighttime>34200.0</noflighttime> <!-- 9 h 30 min -->
<notes>
<para>
<!-- here text written into the logbook -->
</para>
<link ref="img_from_dive123"/>
<!-- here any number of images, audio, and video files can be inserted via <link ref="..."/> -->
</notes>
<!-- personal rating of the dive -->
<rating>
<!-- There is no need to set the date of the rating, -->
<!-- for the dive will normally be rated only once :-) -->
<!-- and the date is given above. -->
<ratingvalue>5</ratingvalue>
</rating>
</informationafterdive>
</dive>
<dive id="dive 124_19990407">
<!-- description of next dive -->
</dive>
<!-- here more dive profiles can be given -->
</repetitiongroup>
Following you can open an additional example file with three dives recorded by a Sensus. The data were read using the Kenozooid program (to be published). The downloaded data are used to generate UDDF data, which were used to create plots presented below.