Format of the SCA Armorial Database
				by
			 Iulstan Sigewealding
                             18 February 1997

This document describes the format used to record names and armory in
the SCA Armorial Database.  The database is actually a flat text file.
The text is mostly ASCII, with a few Latin-1 encodings.  (Latin-1 is
an extension of ASCII and is an international standard.
Unfortunately, its 8-bit codes are NOT compatible with the "437" code
page normally active on PCs running MS-DOS in the United States.)

The file consists of a copyright notice followed by records.

			       NOTICE

The copyright notice begins with a line that reads "NOTICE:" and ends
with a line that reads "END OF NOTICE."  The records begin immediately
after the end-of-notice.

			        RECORDS

Each record occupies a single line in the file, and each line contains
one record.  A record has at least five fields, separated by stiles
(`|').  The five required fields are:  name, source, type, text,
and notes, in that order.

  (1)  name associated with the item
	  If the type is one of BDNSabds or D?, this is the
            registrant's name.
	  If the record type is `NC', 'Nc', 'OC', 'HNC', or 'ANC',
            this is the former name.
	  If the type is `O', this is the name of the award or order.
	  If the type is `AN', this is the alternate name.
	  If the type is `HN', this is the household name.
	  If the type is `t', this is the heraldic title.
	  If the type is `v' or 'vc', this is the (incorrect)
            variant spelling.
	  If the type is `C', this is a blank.
	  If the type is `R', this indicates where the cross-reference
            appears in the Armorial.
             

	  There is no official limit on the length of a name.

  (2)  reference to the source of the information:
      (a) empty, for items whose source is unknown
      (b) a four-digit LoAR date (in the form YYMM) optionally followed
	  by a kingdom ID letter
	     Examples:
                `8910'  (= the October 1989 LoAR)
		`9001E' (= the January 1990 LoAR under "EAST")

	     In this case, the LoAR date indicates the last Laurel
	     action.  If the record type is `A', `B', `D' or `S', this
	     is not necessarily the date the name was registered, nor
	     is it necessarily the date the armory was registered.
      (c) a dash, followed by an LoAR date, optionally followed by
          a kingdom ID
	     In this case, the item has been released, transfered,
             redesignated, corrected, reblazoned, or is otherwise
             obsolete.  The date is the date of the obsoleting action.
      (d) a pair of LoAR dates, each optionally followed by a kingdom ID,
          the pair separated by a dash
	     In this case, the item is obsolete.  The second date is
             the obsoleting action, and the first date is the last action
             before the obsoleting action.

      The kingdom ID letters mostly correspond to codes used by
      the S.C.A. Registry:
	  A = Atenveldt
	  C = Caid
	  D = Drachenwald
	  E = East
	  K = Calontir
	  L = Laurel (not submitted through a specific kingdom)
	  M = Middle
	  N = An Tir
	  O = Outlands
	  Q = Atlantia
	  S = Meridies
	  T = Trimaris
	  W = West
	  X = Ansteorra

  (3)  record type (required):
	  a    = Augmentation of arms
	  AN   = Alternate Name
	  ANC  = Alternate Name Change
	  B    = name and Badge, combined
	  b    = Badge only (also used for misc. armory -- see "notes" field)
	  C    = Comment (database identification and version control data)
	  D    = name and Device
	  d    = Device only
	  D?   = uncertain type of armory (could be A, B, D, or S)
	  HN   = Household Name
	  HNC  = Household Name Change
          j    = Joint badge cross-reference
	  N    = primary personal or branch Name (and there is no armory yet)
	  NC   = Name Change
	  Nc   = Name Correction
	  O    = award or Order name
	  OC   = award or Order name Change
	  R    = cross-Reference
	  S    = name and Seal, combined
	  s    = Seal only
	  t    = heraldic Title
	  u    = branch designator Update (not an official Laurel action)
          v    = uncorrected spelling Variant (usually an error)
          vc   = spelling Variant Correction

  (4)  text:
	  If the type is one of BDSabds or D?, this is the blazon.
	  If the type is `AN', this is `For' followed by the
	    primary name of the registrant.
	  If the type is `C', this is the text of the comment.
	  If the type is `HN', this is the name of the registrant.
	  If the type is `j', this is the other holder of the joint badge.
	  If the type is `N', this must be empty.
	  If the type is `NC', this is the word `See' followed by
	    the new name.
	  If the type is `ANC', 'HNC', 'u', or 'OC' this is
	    the new name.
	  If the type is `O', this is the name of the
	    branch that registered the award or order.
	  If the type is `R', this is the word `See' followed by
	    the names under which the referenced items appear.
	  If the type is `t', this is the name of the branch
            which registered the title.
	  If the type is `Nc', `v' or 'vc', this is the correct form
            of the name.

	  There is no official limit on the length of the text field.

  (5)  notes, individually enclosed in parentheses:
	  To clarify the blazon:
	    `A Cross of Samildanach is four Menorahs in cross'
	  To indicate the status the item:
	    `Closed' `Deceased' `Defunct' `Disbanded' `-released'
	  To indicate a special class of armory:
	    `Civil Ensign' `Ensign' `Flag' `Naval Ensign' `War Banner'
	  To indicate the intended use of the item:
	    `For House of Duckford' `For the Courtesans Guild'
	  To indicate the other holder of a joint badge:
	    `JB: Elinor Aurora of Rosewood'

	  There is no official limit on the number of notes or their length.

  (6)  other fields:
          For name items, there are always exactly four stiles
          (and thus five fields).

          For armory items (BDSabds or D?), additional fields are
          used to describe the headings under which the item is
          indexed in the SCA Ordinary.  There is no official limit
          on the number of headings.