Skip to contents

The intent of this package is to provide lightweight R wrapper functions around Innovasea’s VDAT File Tool for those who are intimidated by the shell (me) or just want to keep everything in one language (R, also me).

rvdat is intended to play nicely with the matos and otndo packages, though full connectivity and documentation on how to do so is a work in progress. Please reach out to me at or open an issue on GitHub if you need any help.

For similar implementation that has a few more bells and whistles, check out glatos::vdat_convert in version >= 0.8.0 of the glatos package.

Installation

Download vdat.exe

rvdat requires a VDAT executable (vdat.exe) in order to work, which comes packaged in Innovasea’s Fathom Connect software. You can download the software here after providing your contact details and agreeing to their End User License Agreement.

Extract and run the installer, paying attention into which directory the program is installed. The default install location on Windows machines is C:\Program Files\Innovasea\Fathom Connect.

path_to_vdat <- list.files(
  path = "C:/Program Files/Innovasea/Fathom Connect",
  pattern = "^vdat\\.exe$",
  full.names = TRUE
)

path_to_vdat
#> [1] "C:/Program Files/Innovasea/Fathom Connect/vdat.exe"

Install rvdat

You can install the most-up-to-date version of this package from R-universe or GitHub.

R-universe:

install.packages(
  "rvdat",
  repos = c(
    "https://mhpob.r-universe.dev",
    "https://cloud.r-project.org"
  )
)

GitHub:

# install.packages("remotes")
remotes::install_github("mhpob/rvdat")

Progress

To do

Completed

  • Convert VDAT file to

Won’t add (for now)

    • only implemented for HR3 VDAT files; will implement when there’s a file to test
    • Removed from vdat.exe in spring 2023. Left to user.
    • Won’t add; subtracts a number of hours from the time without being DST-aware.
    • The json.rxlog and vfwp formats noted in the help documentation were for internal testing and not intended to be exposed. (See this issue)

Using the package

Load the package:

Set system location of vdat.exe:

vdat_here()
#> ℹ Looking for vdat in the typical locations.
#> ℹ vdat is located at C:/Program Files/Innovasea/Fathom Connect/vdat.exe

What version?

vdat_version()
#> vdat-11.0.1-20240830-d01c0d-release

Convert a VRL to CSV:

## vdat_to_csv("SOME-VDAT-FILE")
#> 0.0% - Converting File42.2% - Converting File                       
#> ✔ File converted:
#>   C:\Users\darpa2\AppData\Local\Temp\Rtmp04O2Xz/readme_files/HR2-180_461396_2021-04-20_173145.vdat
#> ℹ File saved in:
#>   C:\Users\darpa2\AppData\Local\Temp\Rtmp04O2Xz/readme_files/HR2-180_461396_2021-04-20_173145.csv

Convert a VRL to a folder of CSVs split by data type:

## vdat_to_folder("SOME-VDAT-FILE")
#> 0.0% - Converting File42.2% - Converting File                       
#> ✔ File converted:
#>   C:\Users\darpa2\AppData\Local\Temp\Rtmp04O2Xz/readme_files/HR2-180_461396_2021-04-20_173145.vdat
#> ℹ Files saved in:
#>   C:\Users\darpa2\AppData\Local\Temp\Rtmp04O2Xz/readme_files/HR2-180_461396_2021-04-20_173145.csv-fathom-split
## list.files("SOME-VDAT-FILE.csv-fathom-split")
#> character(0)

Check out the file metadata:

## vdat_inspect("SOME-VDAT-FILE")
#> ==============================================================================
#>                                      VDAT                                     
#> ==============================================================================
#> File:      HR2-180_461396_2021-04-20_173145.vdat
#> Original:  HR2-180 461396 2021-04-20 173145.vdat
#> Container: Vemco Data File (com.vemco.file.vdat/1.0.0)
#> Content:   HR2 Receiver Data Pack (com.vemco.file.vrdp.vrhr2/1.0.0)
#> Created:   2021-04-20T17:31:45
#> File UUID: f1a18604-46ea-4985-b57c-24809d37ad46
#> Data UUID: 1a595886-99ea-4ee9-a996-2e4d92dc01c3
#> Size:      39370
#> Blocks:    17
#> Block Types: 
#>            VRDP Header (com.vemco.file.vrdp.header/1.1.0)
#>            RxLog General Summary (com.vemco.protobuf.rxlog.summary.general/1.0.0)
#>            HR2 Offload Header (com.vemco.device.vrhr2.offload.header/1.0.0)
#>            HR2 Offload Footer (com.vemco.device.vrhr2.offload.footer/1.0.0)
#>            HR2 Detection Log Block (com.vemco.device.vrhr2.log.detect/1.0.0)
#>            HR2 Ping Log Block (com.vemco.device.vrhr2.log.ping/1.0.0)
#> Codecs: 
#>            zlib compression (com.vemco.file.vdat.codec.zlib/1.2.11)
#> 
#> ==============================================================================
#>                                      VRDP                                     
#> ==============================================================================
#> Creator:   fathom-2.5.0-19700101--release
#> Source:    HR2-180 (0814)
#> 
#> ==============================================================================
#>                                    Offload                                    
#> ==============================================================================
#> Firmware Version: 2.0.1
#> Receiver Time @ Init: 2021-04-20T17:20:05Z
#> Client Time @ Init: 2021-04-20T17:20:06Z
#> Client Time Zone @ Init: -04:00
#> Receiver Time @ Offload: 2021-04-20T21:31:45Z
#> Client Time @ Offload: 2021-04-20T21:31:45Z
#> Client Time Zone @ Offload: -04:00
#> 
#> 

See the fields associated with different data types:

vdat_template(format = "csv.fathom")
#> $ATTITUDE_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"   "Time"                "Time Offset (h)"    
#> [4] "Time Correction (s)" "Model"               "Serial Number"      
#> [7] "Tilt (deg)"         
#> 
#> $BATTERY_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"     "Time"                  "Time Offset (h)"      
#>  [4] "Time Correction (s)"   "Model"                 "Serial Number"        
#>  [7] "Battery Position"      "Battery Type"          "Battery Serial Number"
#> [10] "Battery Voltage (V)"   "Battery Remaining (%)"
#> 
#> $CFG_CHANNEL_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"   "Time"                "Time Offset (h)"    
#>  [4] "Time Correction (s)" "Model"               "Serial Number"      
#>  [7] "Channel"             "Detection Type"      "Frequency (kHz)"    
#> [10] "Blanking (ms)"       "Map ID"              "Coding ID"          
#> 
#> $CFG_RECEIVER_HR3_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"                  "Time"                              
#>  [3] "Time Offset (h)"                    "Time Correction (s)"               
#>  [5] "Model"                              "Serial Number"                     
#>  [7] "Mode"                               "HR Bitscore Threshold"             
#>  [9] "HR Detection Combining Timeout (s)" "HTI Threshold Factor"              
#> [11] "HTI Threshold Minimum"              "HTI Filter"                        
#> 
#> $CFG_STATION_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"   "Time"                "Time Offset (h)"    
#> [4] "Time Correction (s)" "Model"               "Serial Number"      
#> [7] "Station Name"        "Latitude (deg)"      "Longitude (deg)"    
#> 
#> $CFG_STUDY_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"   "Time"                "Time Offset (h)"    
#> [4] "Time Correction (s)" "Model"               "Serial Number"      
#> [7] "Description"        
#> 
#> $CFG_TRANSMITTER_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"   "Time"                "Time Offset (h)"    
#>  [4] "Time Correction (s)" "Model"               "Serial Number"      
#>  [7] "Transmission Type"   "Full ID"             "ID"                 
#> [10] "Power Level"         "Min Delay (s)"       "Max Delay (s)"      
#> 
#> $CLOCK_REF_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"       "Time"                   
#> [3] "Time Offset (h)"         "Time Correction (s)"    
#> [5] "Model"                   "Serial Number"          
#> [7] "External Time (UTC)"     "External Difference (s)"
#> [9] "Source"                 
#> 
#> $CLOCK_SET_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"       "Time"                   
#> [3] "Time Offset (h)"         "Time Correction (s)"    
#> [5] "Model"                   "Serial Number"          
#> [7] "Prior Device Time (UTC)" "Prior Difference (s)"   
#> [9] "Source"                 
#> 
#> $DATA_ERROR_DESC
#> [1] "Type"        "Error"       "Page"        "Offset"      "Description"
#> 
#> $DATA_SOURCE_FILE_DESC
#> [1] "File Name" "UUID"      "Type"      "Size"      "State"    
#> 
#> $DEPTH_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"   "Time"                "Time Offset (h)"    
#> [4] "Time Correction (s)" "Model"               "Serial Number"      
#> [7] "Depth (m)"          
#> 
#> $DEPTH_STATS_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"       "Time"                   
#>  [3] "Time Offset (h)"         "Time Correction (s)"    
#>  [5] "Model"                   "Serial Number"          
#>  [7] "Depth Min (m)"           "Depth Max (m)"          
#>  [9] "Depth Mean (m)"          "Sample Count"           
#> [11] "Accumulation Period (s)"
#> 
#> $DET_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"    "Time"                 "Time Offset (h)"     
#>  [4] "Time Correction (s)"  "Model"                "Serial Number"       
#>  [7] "Channel"              "Detection Type"       "Full ID"             
#> [10] "ID"                   "Raw Data"             "Transmitter Serial"  
#> [13] "Signal Strength (dB)" "Noise (dB)"           "Gain (dB)"           
#> [16] "Quality Score"        "Station Name"         "Latitude"            
#> [19] "Longitude"            "GPS HDOP"            
#> 
#> $DET_HTI_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"     "Time Correction (s)"   "Model"                
#>  [4] "Serial Number"         "Peak Amplitude"        "Noise"                
#>  [7] "Threshold"             "PW -3dB (ms)"          "PW -6dB (ms)"         
#> [10] "PW -12dB (ms)"         "Frequency Offset (Hz)"
#> 
#> $DET_FILTER_DESC
#> [1] "Filter Name"         "Details"             "Rejected Detections"
#> 
#> $DET_SENS_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"    "Time"                 "Time Offset (h)"     
#>  [4] "Time Correction (s)"  "Model"                "Serial Number"       
#>  [7] "Channel"              "Detection Type"       "Full ID"             
#> [10] "ID"                   "Raw Data"             "Transmitter Serial"  
#> [13] "Signal Strength (dB)" "Noise (dB)"           "Gain (dB)"           
#> [16] "Quality Score"        "Station Name"         "Latitude"            
#> [19] "Longitude"            "GPS HDOP"             "Transmitter Type"    
#> [22] "Sensor Function"      "Sensor Value"         "Sensor Unit"         
#> [25] "Sensor Precision"     "Definition Source"   
#> 
#> $DIAG_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"           "Time"                       
#>  [3] "Time Offset (h)"             "Time Correction (s)"        
#>  [5] "Model"                       "Serial Number"              
#>  [7] "Ambient Temperature (deg C)" "Noise Mean (mV)"            
#>  [9] "Tilt (deg)"                  "Depth (m)"                  
#> [11] "PPM Pings"                   "PPM Detections"             
#> 
#> $DIAG_FAST_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"           "Time"                       
#>  [3] "Time Offset (h)"             "Time Correction (s)"        
#>  [5] "Model"                       "Serial Number"              
#>  [7] "Ambient Temperature (deg C)" "Noise (mV)"                 
#>  [9] "Tilt (deg)"                  "Depth (m)"                  
#> 
#> $DIAG_HR2_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"      "Time"                   "Time Offset (h)"       
#>  [4] "Time Correction (s)"    "Model"                  "Serial Number"         
#>  [7] "Tilt (deg)"             "HR Noise (dB)"          "HR Accepted Detections"
#> [10] "HR Rejected Detections" "PPM Pings (D1)"         "PPM Detections (D1)"   
#> [13] "PPM Pings (D2)"         "PPM Detections (D2)"    "PPM Noise (dB)"        
#> 
#> $DIAG_HR3_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"      "Time"                   "Time Offset (h)"       
#>  [4] "Time Correction (s)"    "Model"                  "Serial Number"         
#>  [7] "Tilt (deg)"             "HR Noise (dB)"          "HR Accepted Detections"
#> [10] "HR Rejected Detections" "PPM Pings (D1)"         "PPM Detections (D1)"   
#> [13] "PPM Pings (D2)"         "PPM Detections (D2)"    "PPM Noise (dB)"        
#> [16] "HTI Detections"         "HTI Noise (dB)"        
#> 
#> $DIAG_VR2W_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"   "Time"                "Time Offset (h)"    
#> [4] "Time Correction (s)" "Model"               "Serial Number"      
#> [7] "Pings"               "Detections"         
#> 
#> $DIAG_VR2W_INTERIM_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"   "Time"                "Time Offset (h)"    
#> [4] "Time Correction (s)" "Model"               "Serial Number"      
#> [7] "Pings"               "Detections"         
#> 
#> $DIAG_VR2AR_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"   "Time"                "Time Offset (h)"    
#>  [4] "Time Correction (s)" "Model"               "Serial Number"      
#>  [7] "Pings"               "Detections"          "Noise (mV)"         
#> [10] "Tilt (deg)"         
#> 
#> $DIAG_VR2AR_INTERIM_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"   "Time"                "Time Offset (h)"    
#> [4] "Time Correction (s)" "Model"               "Serial Number"      
#> [7] "Pings"               "Detections"         
#> 
#> $DIAG_VR2TX_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"   "Time"                "Time Offset (h)"    
#>  [4] "Time Correction (s)" "Model"               "Serial Number"      
#>  [7] "Pings"               "Detections"          "Noise (mV)"         
#> [10] "Tilt (deg)"         
#> 
#> $DIAG_VR2TX_INTERIM_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"   "Time"                "Time Offset (h)"    
#> [4] "Time Correction (s)" "Model"               "Serial Number"      
#> [7] "Pings"               "Detections"         
#> 
#> $DIAG_VR4_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"    "Time"                 "Time Offset (h)"     
#>  [4] "Time Correction (s)"  "Model"                "Serial Number"       
#>  [7] "Pings (69 kHz)"       "Detections (69 kHz)"  "Pings (180 kHz)"     
#> [10] "Detections (180 kHz)" "Tilt (deg)"          
#> 
#> $DIAG_NEXTRAK_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"           "Time"                       
#>  [3] "Time Offset (h)"             "Time Correction (s)"        
#>  [5] "Model"                       "Serial Number"              
#>  [7] "Ambient Temperature (deg C)" "Noise (dB)"                 
#>  [9] "Tilt (deg)"                  "Depth (m)"                  
#> [11] "Pings"                       "Detections"                 
#> 
#> $EVENT_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"   "Time"                "Time Offset (h)"    
#>  [4] "Time Correction (s)" "Model"               "Serial Number"      
#>  [7] "Type"                "Subtype"             "Description"        
#> [10] "Values"              ""                    ""                   
#> [13] ""                    ""                    ""                   
#> [16] ""                    "Latitude"            "Longitude"          
#> [19] "GPS HDOP"           
#> 
#> $EVENT_FAULT_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"   "Time"                "Time Offset (h)"    
#> [4] "Time Correction (s)" "Model"               "Serial Number"      
#> [7] "Fault Importance"    "Fault Code"          "Fault Description"  
#> 
#> $EVENT_INIT_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"       "Time"                   
#> [3] "Time Offset (h)"         "Time Correction (s)"    
#> [5] "Model"                   "Serial Number"          
#> [7] "Prior Device Time (UTC)" "External Time Zone"     
#> [9] "Firmware Version"       
#> 
#> $EVENT_OFFLOAD_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"             "Time"                         
#>  [3] "Time Offset (h)"               "Time Correction (s)"          
#>  [5] "Model"                         "Serial Number"                
#>  [7] "External Time (UTC)"           "External Time Zone"           
#>  [9] "HR Total Accepted Detections"  "PPM Total Accepted Detections"
#> [11] "Memory Remaining (%)"          "Battery Remaining (%)"        
#> [13] "Original File"                
#> 
#> $HEALTH_HR2_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"    "Time"                 "Time Offset (h)"     
#> [4] "Time Correction (s)"  "Model"                "Serial Number"       
#> [7] "Line Voltage (V)"     "Memory Remaining (%)" "RTC Time"            
#> 
#> $HEALTH_HR3_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"    "Time"                 "Time Offset (h)"     
#> [4] "Time Correction (s)"  "Model"                "Serial Number"       
#> [7] "Line Voltage (V)"     "Memory Remaining (%)" "RTC Time"            
#> 
#> $HEALTH_VR2AR_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"    "Time"                 "Time Offset (h)"     
#> [4] "Time Correction (s)"  "Model"                "Serial Number"       
#> [7] "Memory Remaining (%)" "RTC Time"            
#> 
#> $HEALTH_VR2TX_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"    "Time"                 "Time Offset (h)"     
#> [4] "Time Correction (s)"  "Model"                "Serial Number"       
#> [7] "Memory Remaining (%)" "RTC Time"            
#> 
#> $HEALTH_VR2W_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"    "Time"                 "Time Offset (h)"     
#> [4] "Time Correction (s)"  "Model"                "Serial Number"       
#> [7] "Memory Remaining (%)" "RTC Time"            
#> 
#> $HEALTH_VR4_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"     "Time"                  "Time Offset (h)"      
#> [4] "Time Correction (s)"   "Model"                 "Serial Number"        
#> [7] "Memory Remaining (%)"  "Relative Humidity (%)" "RTC Time"             
#> 
#> $HEALTH_NEXTRAK_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"    "Time"                 "Time Offset (h)"     
#> [4] "Time Correction (s)"  "Model"                "Serial Number"       
#> [7] "Memory Remaining (%)"
#> 
#> $NOISE_STATS_VR2AR_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"       "Time"                   
#>  [3] "Time Offset (h)"         "Time Correction (s)"    
#>  [5] "Model"                   "Serial Number"          
#>  [7] "Noise Min (mV)"          "Noise Max (mV)"         
#>  [9] "Noise Mean (mV)"         "Sample Count"           
#> [11] "Accumulation Period (s)"
#> 
#> $NOISE_STATS_VR2TX_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"       "Time"                   
#>  [3] "Time Offset (h)"         "Time Correction (s)"    
#>  [5] "Model"                   "Serial Number"          
#>  [7] "Noise Min (mV)"          "Noise Max (mV)"         
#>  [9] "Noise Mean (mV)"         "Sample Count"           
#> [11] "Accumulation Period (s)"
#> 
#> $PING_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"    "Time"                 "Time Offset (h)"     
#>  [4] "Time Correction (s)"  "Model"                "Serial Number"       
#>  [7] "Channel"              "Frequency (kHz)"      "Blanking (ms)"       
#> [10] "Signal Strength (dB)" "Noise (dB)"           "Gain (dB)"           
#> [13] ""                     ""                     ""                    
#> [16] ""                     "Latitude"             "Longitude"           
#> [19] "GPS HDOP"            
#> 
#> $TEMP_DESC
#> [1] "Device Time (UTC)"   "Time"                "Time Offset (h)"    
#> [4] "Time Correction (s)" "Model"               "Serial Number"      
#> [7] "Ambient (deg C)"     "Internal (deg C)"   
#> 
#> $TEMP_STATS_DESC
#>  [1] "Device Time (UTC)"       "Time"                   
#>  [3] "Time Offset (h)"         "Time Correction (s)"    
#>  [5] "Model"                   "Serial Number"          
#>  [7] "Ambient Min (deg C)"     "Ambient Max (deg C)"    
#>  [9] "Ambient Mean (deg C)"    "Sample Count"           
#> [11] "Accumulation Period (s)"

Call VDAT using standard flags:

vdat_call("--help")
#> Usage: C:\PROGRA~1\INNOVA~1\FATHOM~1\vdat.exe [OPTIONS] [SUBCOMMAND]
#> 
#> Options:
#>   -h,--help                   Show help and summary of commands, or detailed
#>                               help for selected command (and exit)
#>   --help-all                  Show help for all commands (and exit)
#>   -v,--version                Print application version (and exit)
#>   --app-id                    Print application identity (and exit)
#> 
#> 
#> Subcommands:
#>   convert                     Convert file to the given file format
#>   inspect                     Describe the content of an existing file
#>   template                    Generate template for a given file format

Development notes

If contributing, please use the following general style:

  • Begin any function that will call vdat.exe with the vdat_loc <- check_vdat_location() helper function.
  • Use the sys package to send commands to vdat.exe, usually via sys::exec_internal. The “cmd” argument can then be vdat_loc.
  • Create informative messages, warnings, and errors using the cli package.
  • In summary:
a_new_wrapper <- function(some_command) {
  vdat_loc <- check_vdat_location()

  sys::exec_internal(
    vdat_loc,
    args = some_command
  )

  cli::cli_alert_success("Woohoo!!")
}