Hi Kevin,
In DIAdem we are using the separation between header and data because this gives use more flexibility. You need only one header file (with a simple structure) to describe how the data information is stored. And this data information supports different binary types like real, double, integer and ASCII and its combinations. Especial for large files this is reducing the disk space enormously. So we decided in the past to support this kind of data structure.
By the way, if you want to analyse data which are not stored in the DIAdem file format (like data logger files) often you just need to generate the DIAdem header file to import them - and it is very easy for the manufacturer to create this file additionally to his binary files.
With the LabVIEW-DIAdem-Con
nectivity-VI's (link: http://digital.ni.com/softlib.nsf/websearch/A2AD1D0C68740D7C86256C55004E4E58?opendocument) you are able to use this file format very easily.
But if you would like to use your own file format and the file type is ASCII than you can use the DIAdem ASCII import coming with a wizard to load the file. And if your file structure every time is the same you have can create a description file which allows you to load these files directly.
I hope this will help you.
Greetings
Walter Rick