Overview
ISO/IEC 13346-1:1995 - Part 1: General is the foundational document for the ISO/IEC 13346 family of standards that define the volume and file structure of write-once and rewritable media using non-sequential recording for information interchange. Part 1 does not define complete file-system behaviors itself; rather it specifies the references, definitions, notation and basic structures used by Parts 2–5 (Volume & Boot Block Recognition, Volume Structure, File Structure, Record Structure). The standard was adopted from ECMA-167 and is intended for media that may be write-once, read-only, rewritable, or combinations of those types.
Key topics and technical requirements
Part 1 establishes the common terminology, data typing and notation that the other Parts rely on. Major technical topics include:
- Scope and structure of the ISO/IEC 13346 series and part numbering conventions (e.g., 2/5 → clause 5 in Part 2).
- Conformance rules for media and information processing systems, including how to declare which Parts and conformance levels apply.
- Notation and basic types, such as numerical value formats, bit-field layouts and descriptor formats.
- Character sets and coding (references to ISO/IEC character standards), fixed-length character fields and multiple character set support.
- Timestamps and entity identifiers, including the layout and role of time fields and entity ID structures.
- Descriptor sequence schema and other common data-structure notations that ensure consistent interpretation across Parts.
- Normative references to related ISO/IEC standards (e.g., ISO/IEC 646, 2022, 6429) which are required for character and control functions.
Practical applications
ISO/IEC 13346 Part 1 is used wherever reliable interchange of files and metadata across different information-processing systems and removable media is required. Typical applications:
- Designing or implementing file systems that support non-sequential (out-of-order) recording on optical and other removable media.
- Developing media preparation and burning tools (write-once and rewritable media).
- Creating bootable media recognition and volume-recognition utilities (in conjunction with Part 2).
- Archival and data-exchange workflows that require robust handling of character sets, timestamps and standardized metadata descriptors.
Who uses this standard
- Filesystem and storage engineers
- Device and media manufacturers
- Software vendors for media creation, reading and archival tools
- Archivists and IT managers focused on long-term interchange and preservation
- Standards architects integrating boot, volume and file-system specifications
Related standards
- ECMA-167 (origin of ISO/IEC 13346)
- ISO 9660 (existing volume/file-structure standard referenced for comparison)
- ISO/IEC 646, 2022, 6429 (character set and control function standards referenced by Part 1)
ISO/IEC 13346-1 is essential reading when implementing or validating conformance across the ISO/IEC 13346 series for interoperable, non-sequential media interchange.