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Eric Griffin edited this page Jun 15, 2026 · 3 revisions

Import & Export

Move your dive data in and out of Submersion using industry-standard formats.

Supported Formats

Format Import Export Description
UDDF Yes Yes Universal Dive Data Format
CSV Yes Yes Spreadsheet format
Garmin FIT Yes No Garmin dive activity files
Subsurface XML Yes No Subsurface native format
HealthKit Yes No Apple Watch dive workouts (iOS only)
PDF No Yes Printable logbook
SQLite Yes Yes Full database backup

UDDF (Universal Dive Data Format)

UDDF is the industry standard for dive data exchange, used by most dive logging software.

Importing UDDF

  1. Go to Settings > Import/Export
  2. Tap Import
  3. Select UDDF File
  4. Choose the .uddf file
  5. Review imported dives
  6. Confirm import
What's Imported: Dives, profiles, sites, tanks, equipment references, and buddies.

Exporting UDDF

  1. Go to Settings > Import/Export
  2. Tap Export
  3. Select UDDF Format
  4. Choose date range (or all dives)
  5. Select destination
  6. File saved as .uddf

UDDF Compatibility

Submersion supports UDDF 3.2, compatible with:

  • Subsurface
  • MacDive
  • DiveLog
  • Most dive computer software

CSV Import/Export

CSV Import

For spreadsheet data or other sources:

  1. Go to Settings > Import/Export
  2. Tap Import
  3. Select CSV File
  4. Choose the .csv file
  5. Map columns to Submersion fields
  6. Review mapping
  7. Import

Column Mapping

The import wizard shows your CSV headers and lets you match them:

Your Column Maps To
"Date" Dive Date
"Max Depth (m)" Max Depth
"Duration (min)" Duration
"Location" Site Name
... ...
Tip: Save column mappings for repeated imports from the same source.

CSV Export

Export dives to a spreadsheet:

  1. Go to Settings > Import/Export
  2. Tap Export
  3. Select CSV Format
  4. Choose which fields to include
  5. Select date range
  6. Export

Exported CSV includes:

  • All standard dive fields
  • Tank information
  • Site details
  • Equipment links

PDF Export

Create printable logbook pages:

Full Logbook

  1. Go to Settings > Import/Export
  2. Tap Export
  3. Select PDF Logbook
  4. Choose date range
  5. Select style/template
  6. Generate PDF

Single Dive

From any dive detail page:

  1. Tap the share icon
  2. Select Export as PDF
  3. Share or save the PDF

PDF Contents

Each dive page includes:

  • Dive header (number, date, site)
  • Dive profile graph
  • Key statistics
  • Conditions
  • Notes
  • Equipment used

Database Backup

Creating a Backup

Full database backup for safety:

  1. Go to Settings > Import/Export
  2. Tap Backup
  3. Choose destination
  4. Backup saved as .sqlite file
Important: Create regular backups, especially before major updates or device changes.

Restoring from Backup

  1. Go to Settings > Import/Export
  2. Tap Restore
  3. Select backup file
  4. Confirm restoration
Warning: Restoring replaces ALL current data. Create a backup first if you have new data.

Cloud Sync vs Backup

Cloud Sync keeps devices in sync using an app-managed JSON file stored in your cloud provider. It is not a replacement for backups:

  • Cloud Sync keeps multiple devices aligned.
  • Backups are point-in-time snapshots you can restore later.

Use backups before major changes or when moving between devices.

Importing from Other Apps

From Subsurface

  1. In Subsurface: File > Export > UDDF
  2. Transfer file to your device
  3. Import UDDF in Submersion

From MacDive

  1. In MacDive: File > Export > UDDF
  2. Import UDDF in Submersion

From Dive Computer Software

Most manufacturers support UDDF export:

  • Shearwater Cloud - Export UDDF
  • Suunto DM5 - Export UDDF
  • Mares Dive Organizer - Export UDDF

From Spreadsheets

If you have dives in Excel/Google Sheets:

  1. Save as CSV
  2. Use CSV import with column mapping

Duplicate Handling

When importing, Submersion detects duplicates:

Detection Criteria

Dives are considered duplicates if they match:

  • Date/time (within 5 minutes)
  • Max depth (within 1m)
  • Duration (within 2 minutes)

Duplicate Options

When duplicates are found:

  • Skip - Don't import duplicates
  • Replace - Overwrite existing
  • Import Anyway - Create duplicates

Export Tips

Regular Backups

  • Schedule weekly backups
  • Store in multiple locations
  • Test restore occasionally

Before Major Changes

Always backup before:

  • Device migration
  • App updates
  • Bulk imports

Sharing Dives

To share individual dives:

  1. Open dive detail
  2. Tap share icon
  3. Choose format (PDF for non-divers, UDDF for divers)

HealthKit / Apple Watch Import

On iOS, Submersion can import dive data recorded by Apple Watch directly from HealthKit. The app fetches underwater diving workouts along with associated heart rate data.

Importing from HealthKit

  1. Go to Transfer > Apple Watch
  2. Grant HealthKit read permissions when prompted
  3. Select a date range to search for dives
  4. Review the list of discovered dive workouts
  5. Choose which dives to import
  6. Handle any duplicates (skip or import)
  7. Confirm import

Imported data includes start/end times, heart rate samples, and GPS coordinates when available. Depth and temperature depend on the watch model and sensor capabilities.

Garmin FIT File Import

Garmin dive computers (Descent series) store dive activities in the FIT binary format. Submersion can parse these files to extract dive profiles, depth, temperature, heart rate, and GPS data.

Importing FIT Files

  1. Go to Transfer > Garmin FIT Import
  2. Tap Select FIT Files and choose one or more .fit files
  3. The parser filters for dive activities and skips non-dive files automatically
  4. Review parsed dives and handle duplicates
  5. Confirm import

Each imported dive receives a unique source ID based on the device serial number and start time, which prevents duplicate imports.

Universal Import

The universal import wizard provides a single entry point for importing from many formats and applications. It auto-detects the file format and source application, then guides you through a six-step process.

Supported Formats

The universal import wizard currently supports CSV, UDDF, Subsurface XML, and Garmin FIT files. Additional formats (Suunto SML/DM5, Shearwater Cloud, DAN DL7, and others) are planned.

Using Universal Import

  1. Go to Transfer > Import from File
  2. Select a file -- the format and source application are detected automatically
  3. Confirm or override the detected source
  4. For CSV files, map your columns to Submersion fields
  5. Review and select which entities (dives, sites, buddies, etc.) to import
  6. Wait for import to complete
  7. Review the summary of imported items

Troubleshooting

Import Fails

  • Check file isn't corrupted
  • Verify format matches selection
  • Check file permissions

Missing Data

  • Some fields may not map between apps
  • Profile data requires UDDF format
  • Check column mapping for CSV

Encoding Issues

  • Ensure CSV is UTF-8 encoded
  • Special characters may need attention

Getting Started

Logging Your Dives

Your Dive World

Diver & Gear

Insights & Planning

Setup & Data

Reference

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