:orphan:

.. _BSDF:

BSDF Format based on the Binary Structured Data Format
======================================================

Extensions: ``.bsdf``

The BSDF format enables reading and writing of image data in the
BSDF serialization format. This format allows storage of images, volumes,
and series thereof. Data can be of any numeric data type, and can
optionally be compressed. Each image/volume can have associated
meta data, which can consist of any data type supported by BSDF.

By default, image data is lazily loaded; the actual image data is
not read until it is requested. This allows storing multiple images
in a single file and still have fast access to individual images.
Alternatively, a series of images can be read in streaming mode, reading
images as they are read (e.g. from http).

BSDF is a simple generic binary format. It is easy to extend and there
are standard extension definitions for 2D and 3D image data.
Read more at http://bsdf.io.

Parameters for reading
----------------------
random_access : bool
    Whether individual images in the file can be read in random order.
    Defaults to True for normal files, and to False when reading from HTTP.
    If False, the file is read in "streaming mode", allowing reading
    files as they are read, but without support for "rewinding".
    Note that setting this to True when reading from HTTP, the whole file
    is read upon opening it (since lazy loading is not possible over HTTP).

Parameters for saving
---------------------
compression : {0, 1, 2}
    Use ``0`` or "no" for no compression, ``1`` or "zlib" for Zlib
    compression (same as zip files and PNG), and ``2`` or "bz2" for Bz2
    compression (more compact but slower). Default 1 (zlib).
    Note that some BSDF implementations may not support compression
    (e.g. JavaScript).



