Diego Ripley
4.8 KiB
title, weight, next, sidebar
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| File Naming Convention | 2 | /docs/processes |
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Data for Canada: File Naming Convention (DFC-FNC)
1. The Current Schema
All published datasets must adhere to the following structure to ensure files are machine-parsable, sortable by region, and identifiable by human readers. This file naming convention will be modified as we solidify our processes.
{{< callout >}} We are open to feedback on the current file naming convention. {{< /callout >}}
Syntax
[iso-region]_[source-identifier]_[theme]_[iso-date]_[variant].[extension]
Example:
ca-ab_edmonton-2023A00054811061_orthoimagery_2023_075mm.pmtiles
Component Breakdown
| Segment | Definition | Format / Rules | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. ISO Region | The ISO 3166-2 code for the jurisdiction. | Lowercase. Hyphenated. | ca-ab, ca |
| _ | Separator | Underscore | |
| 2. Source / Location ID | Organization OR Location. | Use [colloquial-name]-[dguid] for locations, OR [organization-name] for national bodies. |
edmonton-2023A00054811061 OR statcan |
| _ | Separator | Underscore | |
| 3. Theme | The primary category or title of the dataset. | Lowercase. snake_case allowed for longer titles. | orthoimagery, open_database_of_buildings |
| _ | Separator | Underscore | |
| 4. ISO Date | The vintage of the data source. | ISO 8601. Flexible precision. | 2023, 2023-06, 2023-06-01 |
| _ | Separator | Underscore | |
| 5. Variant | Resolution or specific subset info. | No Projections. Alphanumeric. Units included. | 075mm, 30cm |
2. Component Detail
A. Source / Location ID (Flexible)
This segment defines the "Who" or "Where" of the dataset.
-
For Geographic Datasets: Use the Colloquial Name + Hyphen + DGUID.
-
Example:
edmonton-2023A00054811061 -
For Organization Datasets: Use the Organization Acronym when the data is national or not tied to a single DGUID.
-
Example:
statcan,cmhc,nrcan
B. The DGUID (Capitalization Exception)
If using a DGUID (Dissemination Geography Unique Identifier), you must adhere to Statistics Canada standards.
- Link: Statistics Canada: DGUID Definition
- Rule: While the rest of the filename is lowercase, you must capitalize the structural type letter (e.g., 'A' for Administrative areas, 'S' for Statistical areas) within the DGUID.
- Example:
2021A0005...(Correct) vs2021a0005...(Incorrect).
C. ISO Date Flexibility
Dates follow strictly ISO 8601, but the precision can vary based on the nature of the data (Year, Month, or Day).
- Learn More: Wikipedia: ISO 8601 Date and Time Format
Examples of Date Precision:
- Month Precision:
ca_statcan_national_address_register_2024-12.parquet - Day Precision:
ca_statcan_open_database_of_buildings_2025-04-15.parquet
D. Variant
This field is strictly for resolution (e.g., 075mm, 1m) or content subsets.
- Rule: Do not include projection information (e.g.,
EPSG:3857,NAD83) in the filename. - Reasoning: Projection details are handled exclusively in the file format metadata or the accompanying FAIR Data Catalog item.
3. Example Scenarios
Scenario 1: High-Res Orthoimagery (Location Based)
- Context: 7.5cm pixel resolution imagery of Edmonton, Alberta from 2023.
- File Name:
ca-ab_edmonton-2023A00054811061_orthoimagery_2023_075mm.pmtiles - Reference: Preview and Download Orthoimagery
Scenario 2: National Organization Data (Source Based)
- Context: The Open Database of Buildings released by Statistics Canada on April 15, 2025.
- File Name:
ca_statcan_open_database_of_buildings_2025-04-15.parquet - Reference: Preview and Download Census Data
4. Helper Tools
Statistics Canada Geography Search
To accurately populate the Location ID segment of the schema, use this tool to find 2021 Census geographies and their corresponding DGUIDs.
- Tool URL: https://statcan-geography.labs.dataforcanada.org/
- Source Code: GitHub Repository
- Usage: Enter a city or region name to retrieve the correct colloquial name and DGUID pairing (e.g., searching "Ottawa" returns
2021A00053506008).