---
title: Data ordering
framework: quicktime-file-format
role: article
role_heading: Article
path: quicktime-file-format/data_ordering
---

# Data ordering

Represent multiple representations of the same information, differing either by language or storage type or by the size or nature of the data.

## Overview

Overview Multiple values for the same tag represent multiple representations of the same information, differing either by language or storage type or by the size or nature of the data. For example, an artist name may be supplied in three ways: as a large JPEG of their signature as a smaller ‘thumbnail’ JPEG of their signature as text An application may then choose the variation of the the artist name to display based on the size it needs. Data must be ordered in each item from the most-specific data to the most general. An application may, if it wishes, stop ‘searching’ for a value once it finds a value that it can display (it has an acceptable locale and type).

## See Also

### Types and usage

- [Extensibility](quicktime-file-format/extensibility.md)
- [Localization list sets](quicktime-file-format/localization_list_sets.md)
- [Type indicator](quicktime-file-format/type_indicator.md)
- [Locale indicator](quicktime-file-format/locale_indicator.md)
- [Well-known types](quicktime-file-format/well-known_types.md)
- [Location metadata](quicktime-file-format/location_metadata.md)
- [QuickTime metadata keys](quicktime-file-format/quicktime_metadata_keys.md)
- [Direction definition](quicktime-file-format/direction_definition.md)
- [Metadata handling](quicktime-file-format/appendix_d_metadata_handling.md)