Scouting Data Interchange Format

[proegssilb]

I think specifying a file format for scouting data would help when people start trying to share data. Since the main goal is to help with sharing, I thought I should try to include as many people as is feasable.
The goals I had in mind:

• Flexibility: Not everyone is going to want the same data, or need the same data. If the file format can't handle different sets of data, then it won't get used by most teams, and there's little point to any work that the FRC Teams collectively put into it. The only downside to flexibility is that scouting apps have to be designed to allow for data they weren't expecting and critical data missing from a file.
• Human Editable: If humans can't read and change the file, then life becomes a lot more difficult when programs don't behave as expected.
• "Timeless": The fewer times we have to re-invent the wheel, the better. If the file format can be generic across different years, then fewer details have to be worked out for any one year. "Timelessness" is probably the hardest with the match-specific data. A series of Goals with a certain number of Scoring Objects and a 3-D Position would work for at least Triple Play, Aim High, and Rack 'n' Roll.

The types of data that might need to be covered by whatever format is decided upon:

• Team List
• Match Schedule
• Pit Scouting Data/Robot Info
• Match Results
• Competition List

Before I give my thoughts on what the file format should be for each of those, what does everyone think of the goals and data?