diff --git a/slsReceiverSoftware/src/MasterAttributes.h b/slsReceiverSoftware/src/MasterAttributes.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..976d2e4f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/slsReceiverSoftware/src/MasterAttributes.h
@@ -0,0 +1,208 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "ToString.h"
+#include "logger.h"
+#include "sls_detector_defs.h"
+#include <chrono>
+using ns = std::chrono::nanoseconds;
+
+// versions
+#define HDF5_WRITER_VERSION   (6.1) // 1 decimal places
+#define BINARY_WRITER_VERSION (6.1) // 1 decimal places
+
+class MasterAttributes {
+
+  public:
+    slsDetectorDefs::detectorType detType{slsDetectorDefs::GENERIC};
+    uint32_t imageSize{0};
+    slsDetectorDefs::xy nPixels{};
+    uint32_t maxFramesPerFile{0};
+    uint64_t totalFrames{0};
+    ns exptime{0};
+    ns period{0};
+    uint32_t dynamicRange{0};
+    uint32_t tenGiga{0};
+    ns subExptime{0};
+    ns subPeriod{0};
+    uint32_t quad{0};
+    uint32_t adcmask{0};
+    uint32_t analog{0};
+    uint32_t digital{0};
+    uint32_t dbitoffset{0};
+    uint64_t dbitlist{0};
+    slsDetectorDefs::ROI roi{};
+    ns exptime1{0};
+    ns exptime2{0};
+    ns exptime3{0};
+    ns gateDelay1{0};
+    ns gateDelay2{0};
+    ns gateDelay3{0};
+    uint32_t gates;
+
+    MasterAttributes(){};
+    virtual ~MasterAttributes(){};
+
+    virtual std::string GetBinaryMasterAttributes() {
+        time_t t = time(nullptr);
+        std::ostringstream oss;
+        oss << "Version                    : " << std::setprecision(2)
+            << BINARY_WRITER_VERSION << '\n'
+            << "TimeStamp                  : " << ctime(&t) << '\n'
+            << "Detector Type              : " << sls::ToString(detType) << '\n'
+            << "Image Size                 : " << imageSize << " bytes" << '\n'
+            << "Pixels                     : " << sls::ToString(nPixels) << '\n'
+            << "Max Frames Per File        : " << maxFramesPerFile << '\n'
+            << "Total Frames               : " << totalFrames << '\n';
+        return oss.str();
+    };
+
+    std::string GetBinaryFrameHeaderFormat() {
+        return std::string("\n#Frame Header\n"
+                           "Frame Number               : 8 bytes\n"
+                           "SubFrame Number/ExpLength  : 4 bytes\n"
+                           "Packet Number              : 4 bytes\n"
+                           "Bunch ID                   : 8 bytes\n"
+                           "Timestamp                  : 8 bytes\n"
+                           "Module Id                  : 2 bytes\n"
+                           "Row                        : 2 bytes\n"
+                           "Column                     : 2 bytes\n"
+                           "Reserved                   : 2 bytes\n"
+                           "Debug                      : 4 bytes\n"
+                           "Round Robin Number         : 2 bytes\n"
+                           "Detector Type              : 1 byte\n"
+                           "Header Version             : 1 byte\n"
+                           "Packets Caught Mask        : 64 bytes\n");
+    };
+
+    // hdf5
+};
+
+class GotthardMasterAttributes : public MasterAttributes {
+  public:
+    GotthardMasterAttributes(){};
+
+    std::string GetBinaryMasterAttributes() override {
+        std::ostringstream oss;
+        oss << MasterAttributes::GetBinaryMasterAttributes()
+            << "Exptime                    : " << sls::ToString(exptime) << '\n'
+            << "Period                     : " << sls::ToString(period) << '\n'
+            << "Roi (xmin, xmax)           : " << sls::ToString(roi) << '\n'
+            << GetBinaryFrameHeaderFormat();
+        return oss.str();
+    };
+};
+
+class JungfrauMasterAttributes : public MasterAttributes {
+  public:
+    JungfrauMasterAttributes(){};
+
+    std::string GetBinaryMasterAttributes() override {
+        std::ostringstream oss;
+        oss << MasterAttributes::GetBinaryMasterAttributes()
+            << "Exptime                    : " << sls::ToString(exptime) << '\n'
+            << "Period                     : " << sls::ToString(period) << '\n'
+            << GetBinaryFrameHeaderFormat();
+        return oss.str();
+    };
+};
+
+class EigerMasterAttributes : public MasterAttributes {
+  public:
+    EigerMasterAttributes(){};
+
+    std::string GetBinaryMasterAttributes() override {
+        std::ostringstream oss;
+        oss << MasterAttributes::GetBinaryMasterAttributes()
+            << "Dynamic Range              : " << dynamicRange << '\n'
+            << "Ten Giga                   : " << tenGiga << '\n'
+            << "Exptime                    : " << sls::ToString(exptime) << '\n'
+            << "Period                     : " << sls::ToString(period) << '\n'
+            << "SubExptime                 : " << sls::ToString(subExptime)
+            << '\n'
+            << "SubPeriod                  : " << sls::ToString(subPeriod)
+            << '\n'
+            << "Quad                       : " << quad << '\n'
+            << GetBinaryFrameHeaderFormat();
+        return oss.str();
+    };
+};
+
+class Mythen3MasterAttributes : public MasterAttributes {
+  public:
+    Mythen3MasterAttributes(){};
+
+    std::string GetBinaryMasterAttributes() override {
+        std::ostringstream oss;
+        oss << MasterAttributes::GetBinaryMasterAttributes()
+            << "Dynamic Range              : " << dynamicRange << '\n'
+            << "Ten Giga                   : " << tenGiga << '\n'
+            << "Period                     : " << sls::ToString(period) << '\n'
+            << "Exptime1                   : " << sls::ToString(exptime1)
+            << '\n'
+            << "Exptime2                   : " << sls::ToString(exptime2)
+            << '\n'
+            << "Exptime3                   : " << sls::ToString(exptime3)
+            << '\n'
+            << "GateDelay1                 : " << sls::ToString(gateDelay1)
+            << '\n'
+            << "GateDelay2                 : " << sls::ToString(gateDelay2)
+            << '\n'
+            << "GateDelay3                 : " << sls::ToString(gateDelay3)
+            << '\n'
+            << "Gates                      : " << gates << '\n'
+            << GetBinaryFrameHeaderFormat();
+        return oss.str();
+    };
+};
+
+class Gotthard2MasterAttributes : public MasterAttributes {
+  public:
+    Gotthard2MasterAttributes(){};
+
+    std::string GetBinaryMasterAttributes() override {
+        std::ostringstream oss;
+        oss << MasterAttributes::GetBinaryMasterAttributes()
+            << "Exptime                    : " << sls::ToString(exptime) << '\n'
+            << "Period                     : " << sls::ToString(period) << '\n'
+            << GetBinaryFrameHeaderFormat();
+        return oss.str();
+    };
+};
+
+class MoenchMasterAttributes : public MasterAttributes {
+  public:
+    MoenchMasterAttributes(){};
+
+    std::string GetBinaryMasterAttributes() override {
+        std::ostringstream oss;
+        oss << MasterAttributes::GetBinaryMasterAttributes()
+            << "Exptime                    : " << sls::ToString(exptime) << '\n'
+            << "Period                     : " << sls::ToString(period) << '\n'
+            << "Ten Giga                   : " << tenGiga << '\n'
+            << "ADC Mask                   : " << sls::ToStringHex(adcmask)
+            << '\n'
+            << GetBinaryFrameHeaderFormat();
+        return oss.str();
+    };
+};
+
+class CtbMasterAttributes : public MasterAttributes {
+  public:
+    CtbMasterAttributes(){};
+
+    std::string GetBinaryMasterAttributes() override {
+        std::ostringstream oss;
+        oss << MasterAttributes::GetBinaryMasterAttributes()
+            << "Exptime                    : " << sls::ToString(exptime) << '\n'
+            << "Period                     : " << sls::ToString(period) << '\n'
+            << "Ten Giga                   : " << tenGiga << '\n'
+            << "ADC Mask                   : " << sls::ToStringHex(adcmask)
+            << '\n'
+            << "Analog Flag                : " << analog << '\n'
+            << "Digital Flag               : " << digital << '\n'
+            << "Dbit Offset                : " << dbitoffset << '\n'
+            << "Dbit Bitset                : " << dbitlist << '\n'
+            << GetBinaryFrameHeaderFormat();
+        return oss.str();
+    };
+};
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