The <surfaceintervalbeforedive> statement puts into brackets subsequent elements concerning the description of what happened during the surface interval before the dive (for example travelling to the new dive spot over a mountain pass, and/or through a valley with altitude and time information).
Therefore, <surfaceintervalbeforedive> is used to describe the diver's "previous history" in case his/her tissues are not "saturated" according to ambient pressure at the beginning of a dive, but this knowledge is necessary for a correct decompression calculation.
Important occurences after the dive are given inside <surfaceintervalafterdive> (for example a hyperbaric chamber treatment and the transport to this facility).
<exposuretoaltitude>, <infinity/>, <passedtime>, <wayaltitude>
<dive>, <profile>, <surfaceintervalafterdive>, <table>
(see also <dive>)
<dive id="dive-007"> <!-- at first data concerning the dive's prehistory --> <informationbeforedive> <surfaceintervalbeforedive> <!-- in this case only the surface interval of 4h53min is given in seconds --> <passedtime>17580.0</passedtime> </surfaceintervalbeforedive> <datetime>...</datetime> </informationbeforedive> <!-- now the further description of the dive is following --> </dive>
<dive id="dive_1"> <!-- 1. dive --> <informationbeforedive> <!-- at first data concerning the dive's prehistory --> <surfaceintervalbeforedive> <infinity/> </surfaceintervalbeforedive> <datetime>...</datetime> </informationbeforedive> <!-- here more data describing the dive (profile) --> </dive> <dive id="dive_2"> <!-- 2. dive at same spot, 1.5 h later --> <informationbeforedive> <surfaceintervalbeforedive> <passedtime>5400.0</passedtime> </surfaceintervalbeforedive> <datetime>...</datetime> </informationbeforedive> <!-- here more data describing the dive (profile) --> </dive> <dive id="dive_3"> <!-- 3. dive --> <informationbeforedive> <surfaceintervalbeforedive> <!-- until 1 h after end of dive prolonged staying at place --> <passedtime>3600.0</passedtime> <!-- now going by car to the next lake --> <!-- after 10 min of driving the valley is reached --> <wayaltitude waytime="4200.0">500.0</wayaltitude> <!-- 5 min driving in the valley --> <wayaltitude waytime="4500.0">500.0</wayaltitude> <!-- 30 min later a pass is reached --> <wayaltitude waytime="63.0.1">1250.0</wayaltitude> <!-- 5 min enjoying the viewpoint ... --> <wayaltitude waytime="6600.0">1250.0</wayaltitude> <!-- 40 min driving down to the valley --> <wayaltitude waytime="9000.0">3.0.1</wayaltitude> <!-- after 20 min the next dive spot at 430.0 m is reached --> <wayaltitude waytime="10200.0">430.0</wayaltitude> <!-- 30 min preparations until beginning the next dive --> <wayaltitude waytime="12000.0">430.0</wayaltitude> </surfaceintervalbeforedive> <datetime>...</datetime> </informationbeforedive> <!-- here more data describing the dive (profile) --> </dive>