LM-63-02
ANSI APPROVED
IESNA
Standard File
Format
for
the Electronic
Transfer of
Photometric Data
and Related
Information
Prepared by: The Subcommittee on Photometry
of the IESNA Computer Committee
ANSIDESNA LM-63-02
ANSI Approval Date 9/12/02
ANSUIESNA Standard File Format for the Electronic
Transfer of Photometric Data and Related Information
Publication of this Committee
Report has been approved
by the IESNA. Suggestions for
revisions should be directed
to the IESNA.
Prepared by:
The Subcommittee on Photometry of the IESNA Computer Committee
Copyright 2002 by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America.
Approved by the IESNA Board of Directors, August 4, 2002, as a Transaction of the Illuminating Engineering
Society of North America.
Approved by the America National Standards Institute, September 12, 2002
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, in any electronic retrieval system
or otherwise, without prior written permission of the IESNA.
Published by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, 120 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005.
IESNA Standards and Guides are developed through committee consensus and produced by the IESNA Office
in New York. Careful attention is given to style and accuracy. If any errors are noted in this document, please for-
ward them to Rita Harrold, Director Educational and Technical Development, at the above address for verification
and correction. The IESNA welcomes and urges feedback and comments.
ISBN # 0-87995-178-8
Printed in the United States of America.
DISCLAIMER
IESNA publications are developed through the consensus standards development process approved by the American
National Standards Institute. This process brings together volunteers representing varied viewpoints and interests to
achieve consensus on lighting recommendations. While the IESNA administers the process and establishes policies
and procedures to promote fairness in the development of consensus, it makes no guaranty or warranty as to the accu-
racy or completeness of any information published herein. The IESNA disclaims liability for any injury to persons or
property or other damages of any nature whatsoever, whether special, indirect, consequential or compensatory, direct-
ly or indirectly resulting from the publication, use of, or reliance on this document.
In issuing and making this document available, the IESNA is not undertaking to render professional or other services for
or on behalf of any person or entity. Nor is the IESNA undertaking to perform any duty owed by any person or entity to
someone else. Anyone using this document should rely on his or her own independent judgment or, as appropriate, seek
the advice of a competent professional in determining the exercise of reasonable care in any given circumstances.
The IESNA has no power, nor does it undertake, to police or enforce compliance with the contents of this document.
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ANSI/IESNA Standard File Format for the Electronic Transfer of Photometric Data and Related Information
Prepared by the Photometry Sub-committee
Todd Saemisch, Chair
W. Baker
F! Ericson
G. Hauser
E. Gibson
R. Heinisch
C. Loch
IESNA Computer Committee
Wilson Dau, Chair
I. Ashdown*
W. Baker
G. Barber
T. Ballman*
A. Cheng*
T. Dahlquist
D. DiLaura*
F! Ericson
P. Franck*
R. Gibbons
E. Gibson*
G. Hauser
R. Heinisch*
J. Hibbs*
R. King
L. Livingston
C. Loch*
G. Lowe*
M. Phillips*
T. Saemisch
R. Shakespeare*
D. Smith*
J. Zhang*
* Advisory
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Contents
1 .O Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2.0 Limits of Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
3.0 Key Defintions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
4.0 Summary of Modification from IESNA LM-63-1995 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
5.0 Detailed Description of Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
5.1 IESNA.LM-63-2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
5.3 TILT =NONE or TILT = INCLUDE or TILT=cíilename> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
5.5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
5.6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
5.7 enumber of vertical angle- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
5.8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
5.9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
5.10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
5.11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
5.12clenghb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
5.13cheighb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
5.1 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5.16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5.17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5.19ccandelavalues> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
5.2[keyword] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
5.4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
5.1 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
6.0 Programming and File Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
. . . . . References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Annex A General Rules for Keywords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Annex6 Valid Keywords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
AnnexC Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Annex D Describing Luminous Openings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Annex E Lamp Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Annex F Format for Tilt = or INCLUDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Annex G Use of Shall, Should, May, and Can . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
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ANSI/IESNA LM-63-02
Standard File Format for the Electronic Transfer
of Photometric Data and Related Information
1 .O INTRODUCTION
This is the fourth revision of this standard. Since its
introduction in 1986 (IESNA LM-63-1986), this stan-
dard has proved to be very useful and powerful. This
revision further clarifies the standard to make its use
as simple as possible.
2.0 LIMITS OF SCOPE
This document describes the ANSMESNA LM-63-
2002 data system and how to build a file using this
system. This recommended standard addresses pho-
tometric data file formats specifically for data transfer,
however, it is recognized that this standard is often
used for data storage and retrieval.
3.0 KEY DEFINITIONS
Absolute (or direct) photometry - Consists of the
simultaneous comparison of a standard lamp and an
unknown light source.
Delimiter - Used to delineate data in a file. Acceptable
delimiters are: a comma, a space, multiple spaces, or
a carriage-return and line-feed character sequence.
Goniophotometer - A photometer for measuring the
directional light distribution characteristics of sources,
luminaires, media and surfaces.
Horizontal angles - Measurements in degrees of
angular displacement measured counterclockwise in
a horizontal plane for Type C photometry and clock-
wise for Type A and B photometry.
Keyword- Square bracketed words used in IESNA
LM-63-2002 to label data.
Photometric horizontal - Refers to a horizontal direc-
tion from photometric center that is coincident with
horizontal angle O" and vertical angle 90" for Types B
and C photometry. For Type A, the direction is coinci-
dent with horizontal angle O" and vertical angle O".
Photometric plane - A plane, not a cone, upon which
photometric data is measured. In Types A and C pho-
tometry, the planes are all vertical and share a com-
mon vertical axis. In Type B photometry, the planes
share a common horizontal axis.
Photometric zero - Refers to a vertical direction from
photometric center that is coincident with horizontal
angle O" and vertical angle O" for Types B and C pho-
tometry. For Type A, the direction is coincident with
horizontal angle O" and vertical angle -90".
Relative photometry - Consists of the evaluation of
the photometric characteristic of a lamp by compari-
son with the assumed lumen or spectral output of a
test lamp.
Search string - A group of characters created by the
user of the photometric file located to the right of the
keyword [SEARCH]. These strings may be used by
software to locate photometric files based on encod-
ed characteristics.
Vertical angles - The angular displacement in
degrees from straight down (referred to as nadir in the
IESNA Lighting Handbook).
Zero degree photometric plane - A vertical plane
passing through photometric center containing photo-
metric zero and photometric horizontal.
4.0 SUMMARY OF MODIFICATIONS FROM
IESNA LM-63-I 995
The following is a summary of the major changes
from LM-63-1995 to LM-63-2002:
The first line in the file is now IESNA:LM-63-2002
(see Section 5.1).
All lines can now be 256 characters in length (see
Section 6).
All IESNA LM-63-2002 filenames shall now have
the file extension ¡es or IES.
The following keywords are now required: [TEST],
[TESTLAB], [MANUFAC], and [ISSUEDATE] (see
Section 5.2).
[DATE] keyword replaced with [ISSUEDATE] (see
Annex B).
[BLOCK] and [ENDBLOCK] keywords have been
removed.
All tilt filenames (TILT=) shall now
have the file extension tlt or TLT (tilt format moved
to Annex G).
Definitions of the Luminous Opening have been
expanded and, in some cases, modified. The fol-
1
ANSVIESNA LM-63-02
lowing shapes are directly affected: Circular,
Sphere, Vertical Cylinder, Horizontal Cylinder,
Ellipse, and Ellipsoid (see Table 1 and Annex D).
The allowance for horizontal angles starting at 90
degrees and ending at 270 degrees for Type C
photometry has been removed.
[LAMPPOSITION] keyword has been added (see
Annex E).
~ ~~
5.0 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DATA
The following is a file format specification. All
ANSVIESNA LM-63-2002 filenames shall end with
the file extension ¡es or IES (the file extension is not
case-specific); e.g., SAMPLE.IES.
Each of the items listed in the format are described in
the sections below. Each line marked with a bullet (-)
shall begin a new line in the file. Unmarked fields,
such as clumens per lamp>, may either be placed on
the same line as the field before it or may be used to
start a new line of data.
IESNA:LM-63-2002
[Keyword 11 Keyword data
[Keyword 21 Keyword data
[Keyword 31 Keyword data
[Keyword n] Keyword data
* :
TII T-A:I-..-.....- I 1-1 I in€
i iLi-iiiciiaiiiw vi A u L w w vi NONE
clamp to luminaire geometry>
cnumber of tilt angles>
cmultiplying factors>
These four lines shall be
be present if and only if
TILT=INCLUDE 1
cnumber of lamps> clumens per lamp> ccandela
multiplieo cunits type>
cheighb
cballast facton duture use> cinput watts>
ccandela values for all vertical angles at 1 st hori-
ccandela values for all vertical angles as 2nd hori-
zontal angle>
zontal angle>
* :
ccandela values for all vertical angles at last hori-
zontal angle>
5.1 1ESNA:LM-63-2002
5.2 [Keywords]
Following 1ESNA:LM-63-2002, and prior to TILT= any
number of defined IES keywords may be used (see
Annex A and B). Each keyword line shall begin with
an appropriate keyword.
All files shall contain the following keywords:
[TEST] Test report number
[TESTLAB] Photometric testing laboratory
[ISSUEDATE]
[MANUFAC] Manufacturer of luminaire
Date that the manufacturer issued
the 1ESNA:LM-63-2002 file
All other keywords are optional. In addition to the
required keywords, the following are a suggested min-
imum:
[LUMCAT] Luminaire catalog number
[LUMINAIRE] Luminaire description
[LAMPCAT] Lamp catalog number
[LAMPI Lamp description (¡.e., type,
wattage, size, etc.)
This line indicates whether the lamp output varies as
i: füi7ctfjûi7 ûf the lüminai:e tilt angle, and if so, :he locâ-
tion of the tilt multiplier information.
If the output of the lamp does not vary as a function of
the tilt angle, TILT=NONE shall appear on this line
(skip to Section 5.4).
If the output of the lamp does vary as a function of the
tilt angle, TILT=INCLUDE or TILT=cíilename> shall
appear on this line. TILT=INCLUDE indicates that the
tilt information is included as part of the photometric
file. TILT= indicates that the tilt information
is in a separate file. The filename shall end with the file
extension tlt or TLT (the file extension is not case-
specific); e.g., MHlOOV.TLT. The format for tilt infor-
mation is the same whether it is in a separate file or
included as part of the photometric file and is dis-
cussed in Annex F.
NOTE: The phrase TILT= shall be exactly as
shown and begin in column 1. This is important
since this phrase is used to signiíy the end of the
keyword information.
The first line of any photometric file shall be 1ESNA:LM-
63-2002. This character string distinguishes it from files
using other formats and marks the beginning of the file.
2
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ANSMESNA LM-63-02
5.4 enumber of lamps>
This field shall contain a number indicating the total
number of lamps in the luminaire.
5.5
This field shall contain a number indicating the
lumens per lamp on which the photometric test is
based. In the case of absolute photometry, where the
lumens per lamp are not the basis for the photometric
data, enter negative one (-1).
NOTE: For most luminaires with more than one
lamp, the lamps will all be of the same type with
the same lumen output.
For those luminaires with two or more lamps with
different lumen output, this value shall be treated
as the average lumens per lamp. The product:
x enumber of lamps> shall be
the total lumen output by all lamps operating in the
luminaire.
When creating reports with absolute photometry
( = -I), it is suggested to
include the keyword [OTHER] indicating the can-
dela values are absolute and should not be fac-
tored for different lamp ratings.
5.6 cmultiplierz
This field shall contain a number indicating the multi-
plying factor that shall be applied to all candela values
in the file. This is often 1 .O, but may be a value other
than 1.0.
5.7 enumber of vertical angles>
This field shall contain a number indicating the total
number of vertical angles in the photometric report.
Refer to IESNA LM-75-01’ for a detailed explanation
of goniophotometer types.
Luminous Dimensions
The following dimensions refer to the luminous (that
is, light emitting) opening of the luminaire, not its phys-
ical dimensions. They are meant to approximate the
luminous opening (either as a luminous area or vol-
ume) for lighting calculations. They are not intended
for computer-generated renderings of the luminaire. It
is assumed that there is only one luminous opening in
each IESNA LM-63-2002 data file.
The luminous dimensions apply to a luminaire aimed
at “photometric zero” (O” horizontal, O” vertical,).
“Photometric horizontal” would be (O” horizontal, 90”
vertical).
“Length” and “Width measurements refer only to their
orientation with respect to the zero-degree photomet-
ric plane; they do not refer to the luminaire dimensions
or lamp orientation. In particular, the “length mea-
surement may be less than the “width” measurement.
5.1 O
This is an integer indicating the type of units used for
the luminous dimensions of the luminaire, and shall be
the value 1 or 2, according to the following schedule:
1) Luminous dimensions are given in feet
2) Luminous dimensions are given in meters
5.11
This field shall contain a number indicating the dis-
tance across the luminous opening when measured
perpendicular to the O” photometric plane (perpen-
dicular to “photometric horizontal” - see Figure 1,
Tablel and Annex D for additional details).
5.12
5.8 enumber of horizontal angles>
This field shall contain a number indicating the total
number of horizontal angles in the photometric report.
5.9
This is an integer indicating the type of photometry
that exists for the luminaire being described, and shall
be the value 1, 2, or 3, according to the following
schedule:
This field shall contain a number indicating the dis-
tance across the luminous opening when measured
parallel to the O” photometric plane (along “photomet-
ric horizontal” - see Figure 1, Table 1 and Annex D
for additional details).
5.13 cheighb
This field shall contain a number indicating the overall
height of the luminous opening, measured parallel to
“photometric zero” (see Figure 1, T