<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-13</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000770403</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ADVANCED DIGITAL INFORMATION CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ADIC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001205657</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>STONECIPHER CHARLES H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>P.O. BOX 97057</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>REDMOND</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>WA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>98073-9757</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>President &amp; COO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>10.165</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>30000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-08-13</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>30000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>30000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Options vest in four equal installments on August 13, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Not applicable to stock option grants.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Linda A. Schoemaker Power of Attorney for Charles H. Stonecipher</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-14</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

