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Global Lighting Data Format

Uniform, comprehensive data format for the lighting industry.

Get startedView on Github

Modular and flexible

GLDF is a new, modern, and modular lighting data format with a structure, capable of supporting simple to complex luminaires and sensors.

Developed by DIAL and RELUX to save efforts in the creation and interpretation of lighting data, offering more capabilities than ROLF or ULD. Open and freely available for everyone.

Written in XML, covered by XSD

The core element of GLDF is an XML file, which describes all product features and variations. Containing three major blocks - metadata, product parts, the product itself - it allows the definition of luminaires in a modular manner.

With the possibility to reuse elements and combine them to multiple variants of the same product effortless.

All that is backed by a consistent, documented, and versioned XSD Schema to validate your data.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
  <Root xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="GldfSchema.xsd">
    <Header />
    <GeneralDefinitions>
      <Files />
      <Sensors />
      <Photometries />
      <Spectrums />
      <LightSources />
      <ControlGears />
      <Equipments />
      <Emitters />
      <Geometries />    
    </GeneralDefinitions>
    <ProductDefinitions>
      <ProductMetaData />
      <Variants>
        <Variant />
        <Variant />
      </Variants>
    </ProductDefinitions>
  </Root>

Extensive input options

GLDF was created by experts with decades of lighting experience for all modern use cases.

Our goal: everything a manufacturer could communicate about his product, should be possible in GLDF.

This includes luminaires with multiple light emitters and/or sensors, conventional/LED light sources, spectrums, embeded/linked files, emergency lighting, maintenance factors, control gears, mounting point definitions, dimming curves, optional use of all ~350 CEN/TS 17623 - ZVEI BIM properties to name just a few.

Multiple level of detail

Create 3D models for your products and visualize them in different levels of detail. From basic bodies, through parameterisable models up to detailed 3D geometries.

Combine GLDF with our newly developed L3D format. To visualize enclosures in fine granularity, precisely positioned light-emitting surfaces/sensors and movable parts with joints as required.

GLDF & L3D Container

One product - one file. The product and geometry data is compressed and packaged into a .gldf container file which you can conveniently exchange and import into DIALux, RELUX and any other software that support it.

GLDF contains all information that BIM applications require in the entire process. Regardless of whether it is CAD, lighting planning or facility management.

Developed by DIAL & RELUX - Open for everyone

GLDF is currently under development and will be maintained by DIAL and RELUX together.

We appreciate early adopters starting to use it and welcome contributors to collaborate with us on the next version.

We will keep this website up-to-date and publish a collection of resources for individuals and companies who want to learn how to use and contribute to GLDF.

Here are a few ideas on how to get started:

  • Read our Blog. News will be published there
  • Have a look at the XSD reference
  • Visit our Github repository, download the XSD schema and try it out
  • We will publish and extend the documentation in the coming weeks and months. Bookmark us and follow our RSS feed on this website
  • Go through the Getting Started guide - we will publish it soon

Does everything work as expected? If not, we're always looking for improvements. Let us know by opening a discussion or issue on Github.