def parse(self):
        """Parse our data file and return a :class:`DatFile` or raise :exc:`ParseException`."""
        log.debug("Parsing Compass .DAT file %s ...", self.datfilename)
        datobj = DatFile(name_from_filename(self.datfilename), filename=self.datfilename)

        with codecs.open(self.datfilename, 'rb', 'windows-1252') as datfile:
            full_contents = datfile.read()
            survey_strs = [survey_str.strip() for survey_str in full_contents.split('\x0C')]

            if survey_strs[-1] == '\x1A':
                survey_strs.pop()  # Compass may place a "soft EOF" with ASCII SUB char

            log.debug("Parsed %d raw surveys from Compass .DAT file %s.", len(survey_strs), self.datfilename)
            for survey_str in survey_strs:
                if not survey_str:
                    continue
                survey = CompassSurveyParser(survey_str).parse()
                datobj.add_survey(survey)

        return datobj
Parse our data file and return a :class:`DatFile` or raise :exc:`ParseException`.