JIS X 0604:1986 (R2014)

This Japanese Industrial Standard specifies a media-independent generalized structure and its description method in regard to records and files for information interchange of data of wide varieties and structures between computer systems. Outlines of the specification contents are as follows: (1) A data descriptive file comprising a data descriptive record and companion data records that enable information interchange to occur with minimal external description. (2) The data descriptive record that describes the characteristics of each data field with the companion data records. (3) The description method of data elements, vectors, arrays and hierarchies containing strings, bit strings and numeric forms. (4) Three levels of interchange depending on the complexity of the allowed structure.