---
title: "Object Formats"
slug: "object-formats"
updated: 2026-09-09T13:58:55Z
published: 2026-09-09T13:58:55Z
canonical: "docs.discngine.com/object-formats"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.discngine.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Object Formats

Object formats are used to define matrixes. They are used to define a plate size in `Assay` and `Sample`, and optionally location masks in `Sample`. An object format is defined by:

- Number of rows
- Number of columns
- Number of stacks
- Is hidden flag

An object format used for a **plate size** must have a stack equal to 1.

## Access Object Formats

To see all the object formats, go in `Reference Data`, click on `Labware items` > `Object Formats` from the left panel.

On this page, all the object formats created in the application are displayed.

![Object formats list](https://cdn.document360.io/dde9293e-c107-4b3e-9774-9c9c296ed970/Images/Setting/refdata-object-format-list.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-10T22%3A17%3A01Z&se=2026-11-10T23%3A17%3A01Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=AYR8wSItVc7oopDKVgNW6GOo3Mz%2FF%2BoxGaH4KuOKDLQ%3D)

              
              

By default, all the object formats listed in the screenshot are installed in the application.

### Create a New Object Format

From the object formats list, click the `New Format` button. A window opens.

- Fill in the form with:
  - Number of rows
  - Number of columns
  - Number of stacks
  - Is hidden flag (if checked, the object format will not be displayed in the list of object formats)
- Click the `Create` button.

![Create object format](https://cdn.document360.io/dde9293e-c107-4b3e-9774-9c9c296ed970/Images/Setting/refdata-object-format-create.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-10T22%3A17%3A01Z&se=2026-11-10T23%3A17%3A01Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=AYR8wSItVc7oopDKVgNW6GOo3Mz%2FF%2BoxGaH4KuOKDLQ%3D)

### Hide or Show an Object Format

To retire or unretire an object format, from the report of all object formats, you can click the `Retire` or `Unretire` button at the right of the report.

![Retire object format](https://cdn.document360.io/dde9293e-c107-4b3e-9774-9c9c296ed970/Images/Setting/refdata-object-format-retire.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-10T22%3A17%3A01Z&se=2026-11-10T23%3A17%3A01Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=AYR8wSItVc7oopDKVgNW6GOo3Mz%2FF%2BoxGaH4KuOKDLQ%3D)

When an object format is retired, it is not available in the list of object formats, to create a new plate for example.