SIF+ (Standard Interchange Format+)

The Standard Interchange Format, known as SIF+, is a NAVTEQ proprietary format based on the NAVTEQ internal data model, previously known as DNDC96. SIF+ is a textual file, composed of 164-character fixed-length records. The standard defines both the structure and the content of the file.

Highlights include:

• ACSII file structure, with record types related by pointers
• No out-of-the-box tools necessary to read or parse SIF+ files
• Relationally organized using pointers
• Link information grouped together, as a result of file sequence structure being dictated by link ID (unique ID per segment)
• Each position predefined, thus an inflexible data model.

File Content

The SIF+ file schema is shown below. Four categories of records make up an SIF+ file: interchange file records, node records, link records, and composite road feature (CRF) records. Each record is a 164-character text file.

Interchange File Records

Interchange file records contain information about the interchange file as a whole. Every SIF+ file has the following interchange file records:

• File identification records contain information that uniquely identifies a particular SIF+ file, including the date the SIF+ file was created, the SIF+ file version, and the geographical area represented in the file. These are the first two records of every SIF+ file
• Reference records and compound reference records contain reference information, including the unique coding schemes used in the SIF+ file
• Cross reference records contain point of interest (POI) categorization information for premium business listings products. These records relate facilities to categories and subcategories to parent categories
• Area records contain the definition of all the administrative areas included in the SIF+ file. Area records are referenced by link basic main, link POI attribute, and zone records. Two types of area records are defined:
  • Area main records contain the primary information about an administrative area, including the area name, government code, administrative level, and administrative hierarchy
  • Area daylight savings time records contain information about when daylight savings time is in effect for the administrative area.
• Zone records contain the zone name and zone attributes for all the zones contained in the SIF+ file. Zone records are referenced by link basic main and link basic zone records
• File control records contain record and byte counts for each record type in the SIF+ file. There is one file control record for every record type in the SIF+ file. In addition, there is one file control record that contains record and byte counts for the entire SIF+ file. These are the last records in the file.

Node Records

Node records contain the coordinates and attributes for all nodes in the SIF+ file. Node records are referenced by link basic main records and CRF records.

Link Records

Link records contain data about the links in the SIF+ file. These data include the link's position and attributes, as well as associated features (e.g. usage data), driving conditions, signs, and POIs. The following link records are defined:

• Link basic records contain information specific to a link, including the link's topology and attributes. Three types of link basic records are defined:
  • Link basic main records contain node references, left and right area and zone references, left and right postal codes, and primary attribute information for a link
  • Link basic attribute records contain the access characteristics, display characteristics, and special attribute information for a link
  • Link basic zone records contain additional zone references and exist for any link that has more than one zone applied to a particular link side.
• Link shape records contain the coordinates and attributes of the shape points that reside on a link. There are one or more link shape records for each link that has shape points
• Link usage records contain information about the link specific to the manner in which the link is used (e.g., a street, a cartographic feature, an administrative border, and the like). There is at least one link usage record for every link in the SIF+ file. Three types of link usage records are defined:
  • Link usage feature records contain primary information about a feature, including the feature name, street type, feature type, and name route type
  • Link sage block records contain information about a feature specific to a given link, including name status and base address information
  • Link address records contain optional address information if additional (non-base) address ranges exist for a feature.
• Link POI records contain information describing each POI associated with a particular link feature (usage). Six types of link POI records are defined:
  • Link POI main records contain the primary information about a POI, including facility type, chain ID, street address, and phone number
  • Link POI name records contain the facility name and any synonym or exonym names that might exist for the POI
  • Link POI attribute records contain various types of attribute information about a POI, including food type, vanity city, population, capital city, diesel, 24-hour indicator, building type, rest area type, and airport type attributes
  • Link POI actual address records contain optional actual address information for a POI
  • Link POI parent records contain references to the parent POI(s) for POIs that are themselves children
  • Link POI child records contain references to the child POI(s) for POIs that are themselves parents.
• Link sign records describe the road signs that are associated with a particular link. The link sign records are attached to the sign destination link
• Link condition/driving manoeuvre (CDM) records describe the exception conditions and the preferred or restricted driving manoeuvres associated with a particular link or group of links. The link CDM records are attached to the CDM source link. Three types of link CDM records are defined:
  • Link CDM main records contain primary information describing the condition or driving manoeuvre
  • Link CDM date/time modifier (DTM) records contain optional information about the time period when the CDM is in effect
  • Link CDM manoeuvre link records contain additional manoeuvre link information if more than one manoeuvre link exists for the CDM. The link CDM main record contains the first manoeuvre link.
• Link CDM lane traversal records contain lane connectivity information between lanes of the source link and lanes of the destination link (i.e., final manoeuvre link). This record is applicable only to lane traversal conditions
• Link CDM lane template records contain the values in the lane representation. A lane template record exists only if a lane condition is defined
• Link CDM modifier records contain modifier information for modifier types 10 and higher.

CRF Records

CRF records enumerate the components (i.e., the links and nodes) that make up CRFs. These records contain link IDs and node IDs that are references to link records and node records. Three types of CRF records are defined:

• CRF main records contain primary information about the CRF, including CRF type, number of components, number of lanes, number of names, the landmark point X and Y coordinates (for CRF objects only), and the ref and nref CRF intersections (for CRF roads only)
• CRF component records contain the components (links and/or nodes) that make up the CRF
• CRF name records contain names for a CRF object. If the CRF object is unnamed, this record is not published.

Usage of SIF+ Data

NAVTEQ customers typically have a proprietary data structure for publishing navigable map contents, as used by their application. Data contained in an extraction format must be converted into this proprietary data structure. Customers must build or buy a compiler that reads the extraction format, interprets the data in the format, and publishes the content into their proprietary data structure.

Data Availability/Distribution

NAVTEQ® Map Data are available in SIF+ format as follows:

• Europe, 60 files
• North America, 34 files
• World markets including Mexico, Brazil, Taiwan, Macau, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, South Africa, Australia, 20 files
• China, 1 file.

These region counts are based on second quarter 2006 databases and are published as a reference only; regions are expected to grow with continued increased coverage worldwide. China is available through the NAVTEQ/NavInfo joint venture NAV2.

NAVTEQ North America provides a SIF+ statistics file with each delivery:

• Record counts
• Feature counts
• Attribute counts.

NAVTEQ North America also provides a named place POI Report with each delivery. Both are located on the NAVTEQ database CD-ROM.

For more technical information or questions about the SIF+ data format, content, and representation, please search the knowledge base, or contact a Technical Customer Support representative in our discussion forums.