WIF Files - Requirements

WIF - Weaving Information File Standard

A WIF file is needed for a weaving project. The WIF file is a standard representation of a weaving draft. This standard can be read and produced by all handweaving software.

The threading, tie-up (if not a liftplan) and treadling should be representative of the draft that is to be woven. It is not necessary to have all the repeats of the treadling or threading.

TempoTreadle will wrap around to "pick 1" once the last weft pick is woven and continue to repeat the treadling sequence while incrememnting pick counters for total picks woven.

Colors from the WIF file will also be shown on the TempoTreadle system unit for threading and treadling.

When weaving on a table loom, be sure to have a Liftplan instead of a WIF with a tie-up. Weave design software programs have a feature to convert from tie-up to liftplan.

WIF files can either be copied (using File Explorer on Windows or Finder on Mac), or they can be saved directly from Weave Design Software onto the Micro-D card.

If copying a long file name, be sure to rename the WIF file placed on the micro-sd card to meet the following requirements before loading into TempoTreadle.

File Name Requirements

Maximum File Name Length (not including the .WIF extension):

• Original TempoTreadle - 8 characters

• TempoTreadle II - 15 characters (if over 22, the file will not display on project load)

Avoid using these special characters in the file name: < > : " / \ | ? *

Do not create and place WIF files in folders on the Micro-SD card

For more information about files on the micro-sd card, see File Types on the SD Card

The Notes field in WIF files is not support if over 32 characters.

There is one feature used in many of the weaving design programs that allows the typing of notes that can cause an issue. If the text is longer than 32 characters, TempoTreadle cannot load the WIF. Various weave design programs refer to this field, which is a standard field in the WIF format, with a few different names. Here are some examples of where these notes are found:

Fiberworks - Cloth | Notes and Records

PixeLoom - File | Properties | Notes

WeavePoint - Toolbar - Notes

TempoWeave - Project | Project Information | Project Notes

other weave design software may have slightly different names for this field.

If you have project notes in your WIF design, remove the notes in the version that you save to your Micro-SD card.

If you are a TempoWeave user, there is a feature, effective June 10, 2023, that supports an "Export for TempoTreadle" that formats an appropriate WIF for the SD-Card and removes notes, performs other validation checks before saving the copy to the Micro-SD card. If using this feature, you do not have to worry about removing extra characters or clearing the Project Notes field.

If you use Fiberworks for the Mac, the feature that allows you to save your design as a WIF file may no longer work. There is a work around to copy the design elements in to a blank WIF file that does allow you to save your design as a WIF. This YouTube video demonstrates this process: Work Around to Save WIF files on Fiberworks for the Mac