These terms are unfortunately all used interchangeably by sloppy tuners, but here are the precise definitions:
* DAMOS: Older file format generated by the manufacturer defining every single memory address and map location. A real one is a .DAM file. This format was not used for a long time and real ones are extremely rare. Unfortunately tuners have taken to calling all definition files "DAMOS" so the term is useless now.
* A2L: Newer file format (ASAP2) generated by the manufacturer defining every single memory address and map location. These are the "gold standard" file for each ECU, they are generated by the compiler during the creation of the application software and are what the factory use to calibrate the ECU. They are also unwieldy and giant so they are usually converted and filtered down.
* OLS: WinOLS format. Can include both binary data and map definition data. Really can include whatever someone wants to put in it. These are usually populated with a sub-set of the A2L which is actually useful for tuning.
* KP: WinOLS mappack format. This includes just map definitions. It's the WinOLS version of an XDF. Again, it can include whatever maps someone wants to put in it.
* XDF: TunerPro definition format. Can include only map definitions. Includes whatever maps someone wants to put in it.
* BIN, HEX, S19: Binary data formats. Calibration and sometimes code that's actually read/written to ECU flash.
A "mappack" is a colloquial term usually referring to a filtered down set of maps useful for making a tune, and provided in OLS format, sometimes with a pre-calibrated tune binary included as well (since again, OLS files can contain whatever someone wants them to, binary data, maps, memory addresses, the whole nine yards).
great info. I would have thought .bin files would be more important because that's litterally what my ecu spits out when I read it with nefmoto.
I'm also assuming that all the other stuff is just used to modify the .bin file, then you write that modded .bin file back to the ecu as a tune/flash?