Files of a certain type can be stored in an HEC-DSS database file. The allowable types are: .jpg files, .mp3 files, .pdf files, .xls files, and .doc files. This allows the storage of various metadata along with regular data. Photographs, fact sheets, sounds, and other metadata can be presented along with time series and paired data.
In HEC-DSSVue on Microsoft Windows computers, assessing these types of metadata will launch the native application associated with the extension of that dataset. For example, accessing a .pdf dataset will launch Adobe Acrobat, a .xls data set will launch Excel, and so forth. One exception is that an image file will launch a Java window with the image displayed.

Part A – Group

Part A for "file" data is used as a way to group records. Usually this information is a watershed name, study name, project, river, or basin name; a name that allows the user to group associated records.

Part B – Location

Part B is the basic location identification of the "file" data If the "file" is a photograph, it is the location of the picture.

Part C – File Name

Part C contains the filename of the "file" data and excludes directory information.

Part D – Meta Data Type

This part of the pathname can only be either FILE or IMAGE to reflect what the metadata is.

Part E – File Extension

Part E contains the original extension of the file.

Part F - General Descriptor

The F part identifies a unique descriptor about what the file contains.

Example pathnames that include "file" data are listed below:
/SACRAMENTO/SHASTA/IMG_0009.JPG/IMAGE/JPG/SPILLWAY – AUG 2006/
/LOWER COLORADO/TRAVIS/TRAVIS.PDF/FILE/PDF/FACT SHEET/
/STONES/NO SECURITY/GIMME SHELTER.MP3/FILE/MP3/CARLS FAVORITES/