This is the schema for MOOS meta data. The top level is the LogicalInstDeployment which was created so that the schema would map well to the metadata database. It does not have any meaning for the device driver developer other than it provides a root element for the XML document to describe the data coming from the ISI device. It is necessary to have a root element in an XML document and without the LogicalInstDeployment, the Instrument and RecordDescriptions are at the same level bufferStyle specifies whether the record is ASCII or binary bufferLengthType is whether the record is "Fixed" length or "Variable" length bufferParseType is whether the record is parsed using separators, field width/item size, or C-style formats bufferItemSeparator is the string or character sequence which separates each item in the buffer (this may apply in either ASCII or binary buffer recordTerminator is the string or character sequence which terminates the buffer; it is optional for fixed-length buffers, but may be required for variable length buffers (else you can't recognize the end of the record when the records are stored in a file) Units can be specified using either a short or long name, but the name must match exactly the ones found at (http://a.b.c.d/StandardMoosUnits.html).