====== GROT Rotation file format: Proposal for version 2 ======


===== Attribute markup =====

Wrapping an attribute value in double quotes is awkward in a file syntax which doesn't otherwise require this. 

Old style ''@ATTRIBUTE"value"''

Example: ''@AU"Foo Bar" @AU"Baz" @REF"Foo.EPSL.2020" @REF"Bar.JGR.2020" @C"Some foo bar comment" ''

Proposed new style: ''@ATTRIBUTE value''

Example: ''@AU Foo Bar,Baz @REF Foo.EPSL.2020, Bar.JGR.2020 @C Some foo bar comment''

This means that an attribute is either delimited by a following attribute, prefixed by an ''@'' sign or a newline character. Attribute value lists (e.g. ''@AU FOO, BAR, BAZ'') are allowed but individual values are required to be separated by commas.


===== Compound attributes =====

In some cases, workers want to use compound attributes such as:

''@C rotation params changed by @AU BAZ,FOOB based on @REF Bar.2019,Baz.2020 for @CHRONID M1r''

===== Style guidelines =====

  * Plate pairs in full names should always be separated by a hyphen - e.g. ''My big plate-your big plate''
  * Metadata attribution needs to be consistent in style. Only use one way of writing metadata - such as ''@AU"FooBar" @REF"FooBar.EPSL.2020" @C"most important rotation of the world"'' **OR** ''@AU FooBar @REF FooBar.EPSL.2020 @C most important rotation of the world'' but do not mix those styles.
  * Does each line need to be attributed in full?
  * Try to avoid doubling up information: there is no need to write something like ''@REF FooBar.EPSL.2020 @DOI 10.21304/kasdj.offf.kasdj2032'' when both point to the same source. This has become redundant as we have now a reference section whcih maps ''@REF'' and ''@DOI'' tags.