diff --git a/docs/conf.py b/docs/conf.py
index e69de29bb2d1d6434b8b29ae775ad8c2e48c5391..165fd6428570f99068dee24a34a309e03aa3fb8a 100644
--- a/docs/conf.py
+++ b/docs/conf.py
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+# Configuration file for the Sphinx documentation builder.
+#
+# For the full list of built-in configuration values, see the documentation:
+# https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html
+
+# -- Project information -----------------------------------------------------
+# https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html#project-information
+
+project = 'ebas-io'
+copyright = '2024, Paul Eckhardt, NILU, ATMOS'
+author = 'Paul Eckhardt, NILU, ATMOS'
+release = '4.03.08'
+
+# -- General configuration ---------------------------------------------------
+# https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html#general-configuration
+
+extensions = []
+
+templates_path = ['_templates']
+exclude_patterns = ['_build', 'Thumbs.db', '.DS_Store']
+
+
+
+# -- Options for HTML output -------------------------------------------------
+# https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html#options-for-html-output
+
+html_theme = 'sphinx_rtd_theme'
+html_static_path = ['_static']
diff --git a/docs/fileformat_nasaames/index.rst b/docs/fileformat_nasaames/index.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..5053b4129362c0de97e3df28f2fe5bae72616f42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/fileformat_nasaames/index.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+
+=========================
+EBAS Nasa Ames Fileformat
+=========================
+
+The best form of documentation of the EBAS Nasa Ames fileformat can be found in
+the `EBAS Data Submission Manual <https://ebas-submit.nilu.no>`_.
diff --git a/docs/fileformat_netcdf/01_intro.rst b/docs/fileformat_netcdf/01_intro.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..4660b65ed10010565a01c2062bff41fca10f2b39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/fileformat_netcdf/01_intro.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+Introduction
+------------
+
+ACDD
+NasaAMES
+CF 
diff --git a/docs/fileformat_netcdf/02_metadata.rst b/docs/fileformat_netcdf/02_metadata.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..6e0e37f6605d2c7b883fe1f9e4ffa08fe7331d9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/fileformat_netcdf/02_metadata.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+Metadata
+--------
+
+       * General metadata, 
+           * everything before ebas_something
+       * EBAS metadata
+           * ebas_something 
+           * link to template page. 
+           * comment (phase out)
+       * Structure of metadata
+           * global, variable, time dependent 
diff --git a/docs/fileformat_netcdf/03_dimensions.rst b/docs/fileformat_netcdf/03_dimensions.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..d9db92bd569d6ab42bf4a478e26805c0d6f7bda4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/fileformat_netcdf/03_dimensions.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+Dimensions
+----------
+       * time 
+       * metadata time 
+       * additional dimensions
+           * Location (instrument inlet etc..)
+           * Wavelength
+           * D
diff --git a/docs/fileformat_netcdf/04_variables.rst b/docs/fileformat_netcdf/04_variables.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..8113bb4d60b7e788e774c45eace6397517f99bc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/fileformat_netcdf/04_variables.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+Variables
+---------
+
+       * time_bnds
+       * metadatatime_bnds
+       * general  - amean, gc, ebasmetadata 
+       * statistics - precentiler, std etc. 
diff --git a/docs/fileformat_netcdf/05_examples.rst b/docs/fileformat_netcdf/05_examples.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..c4c55b365c45b0e72f6de3001bf7f620b040f51d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/fileformat_netcdf/05_examples.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Examples
+--------
+       * code, VRE etc?  
diff --git a/docs/fileformat_netcdf/index.rst b/docs/fileformat_netcdf/index.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..c784a1388628aaa4fedcf15fc8e49865abf05586
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/fileformat_netcdf/index.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+======================
+EBAS NetCDF Fileformat
+======================
+
+.. include:: 01_intro.rst
+.. include:: 02_metadata.rst
+.. include:: 03_dimensions.rst
+.. include:: 04_variables.rst
+.. include:: 05_examples.rst
diff --git a/docs/index.rst b/docs/index.rst
index 9c8d883206c23bff4349936bc59fc02f7c2a3b9d..3008e5ff36ec9542f6eafa483553c5e215c9bb77 100644
--- a/docs/index.rst
+++ b/docs/index.rst
@@ -1,31 +1,10 @@
-Intro 
-    ACDD
-    NasaAMES
-    CF 
+=======
+ebas-io
+=======
 
-Metadata
-    General metadata
-        everything before ebas_something
-    EBAS metadata
-        ebas_something 
-        link to template page. 
-        comment (phase out)
-    Structure of metadata
-        global, variable, time dependent 
+.. toctree::
+   :maxdepth: 1
 
-Dimensions 
-    time 
-    metadata time 
-    additional dimensions
-        Location (instrument inlet etc..)
-        Wavelength
-        D
+   fileformat_nasaames/index
+   fileformat_netcdf/index
 
-Variables 
-    time_bnds
-    metadatatime_bnds
-    general  - amean, gc, ebasmetadata 
-    statistics - precentiler, std etc. 
-
-Examples
-    code, VRE etc?