mdf

(Not recommended) Access information contained in MDF file

The mdf function is not recommended and might be removed in a future release. Use mdfRead and related functions instead. See Version History.

Syntax

mdfObj = mdf(mdfFileName)

Description

The mdf function creates an object for accessing a measurement data format (MDF) file. See Measurement Data Format (MDF).

mdfObj = mdf(mdfFileName) identifies a measurement data format (MDF) file and returns an MDF file object, which you can use to access information and data contained in the file. You can specify a full or partial path to the file.

Examples

Create an MDF File Object for a Specified MDF File

Create an MDF object for a given file, and view the object display.

mdfObj = mdf("Logging_MDF.mf4")

mdfObj = 

  MDF with properties:

   File Details
                 Name: 'Logging_MDF.mf4'
                 Path: 'C:\myVNTData\Logging_MDF.mf4'
               Author: ''
           Department: ''
              Project: ''
              Subject: ''
              Comment: ''
              Version: '4.10'
             DataSize: 1542223
     InitialTimestamp: 2020-06-25 20:41:13.133000000

   Creator Details
    ProgramIdentifier: 'MDF4Lib'
              Creator: [1×1 struct]

   File Contents
           Attachment: [5×1 struct]
         ChannelNames: {62×1 cell}
         ChannelGroup: [1×62 struct]

   Options
           Conversion: Numeric

Input Arguments

mdfFileName — MDF file name

char vector | string

MDF file name, specified as a character vector or string, including the necessary full or relative path.

Example: 'MDFFile.mf4'

Data Types: char | string

Output Arguments

mdfObj — MDF file

MDF file object

MDF file, returned as an MDF file object. The object provides access to the MDF file information contained in the following properties.

Property	Description
Name	Name of the MDF file, including extension
Path	Full path to the MDF file, including file name
Author	Author who originated the MDF file
Department	Department that originated the MDF file
Project	Project that originated the MDF file
Subject	Subject matter in the MDF file
Comment	Open comment field from the MDF file
Version	MDF standard version of the file
DataSize	Total size of the data in the MDF file, in bytes
InitialTimestamp	Time when file data acquisition began in UTC or local time
ProgramIdentifier	Originating program of the MDF file
Creator	Structure containing details about creator of the MDF file, with these fields: VendorName, ToolName, ToolVersion, UserName, and Comment
Attachment	Structure of information about attachments contained within the MDF file, with these fields: Name, Path, Comment, Type, MIMEType, Size, EmbeddedSize, and MD5CheckSum
ChannelNames	Cell array of the channel names in each channel group
ChannelGroup	Structure of information about channel groups contained within the MDF file, with these fields: AcquisitionName, Comment, NumSamples, DataSize, Sorted, SourceInfo, and Channel
Conversion	Conversion option for data in the MDF file. Supported values are: 'Numeric' (default) — Apply only numeric conversion rules (CC_Type 1-6). Data with non-numeric conversion rules is imported as raw, unconverted values. 'None' — Do not apply any conversion rules. All data is imported as raw data. 'All' — Apply all numeric and text conversion rules (CC_Type 1-10).

More About

Measurement Data Format (MDF)

Measurement data format (MDF) files are binary format files for storing measurement data. The format standard is defined by the Association for Standardization of Automation and Measuring Systems (ASAM), which you can read about at ASAM MDF.

Vehicle Network Toolbox™ and Powertrain Blockset™ provide access to MDF files through an object you create with the mdf function.

Version History

Introduced in R2016b

R2023b: mdf Function Not Recommended

The mdf object and its functions are not recommended and might be removed in a future release.

You should update your code to use mdfRead and related functions instead, which directly access the MDF file.

For more details, see Transition Your mdf Object Code.