Transcript CVS-EEP Data Entry - Carolina Vegetation Survey

Guide to the
CVS-EEP Data Entry Database
February 5, 2007
Michael Lee
CVS-EEP Data Entry Database Author
Written for version 2.0.4,
though broadly applicable to all versions.
Summary Slide
• How it works
• CVS-EEP Data Entry
Database
• Getting the Entry
Database
• Unzipping the Database
• You're Ready to Start
• Confirmation Messages
• Who are you?
• The Main Menu
– Main Menu: Planning
– Main Menu: Choose Level
– Main Menu: Data Entry
• Plot Data
– New 2.0.3 Picklists:
Selecting Multiple Items
• Intro to Stem / Cover
Forms
• More tips
Continued on next slide...
Summary Slide (cont.)
• Planted Woody
Stems (level 1-2)
• Natural Woody Stems
Faster Natural
Stem Entry
– New 2.0.4
• Cover Data
Faster Cover
Data Entry (level 5)
– New 2.0.4
• Sorting
• New Species
•
Improved 2.0.4
Error
Checking
• Main Menu: Extras
• Main Menu: Reports
– New 2.0.4
Reports by
Project
• Options
• New 2.0.4 Upgrade your
old Entry Database
• More Stuff
How it works
• Field Work recorded onto paper
datasheets
• Paper datasheets are used to enter data
into similar forms in the data entry
database
• Data Entry Database gets sent to CVS
and/or EEP to have the contents included
in the Central Archive Database
CVS-EEP Data Entry Database
• What is it?
– A Microsoft Access database
– Based on VegBank (www.vegbank.org) data
structure
– Modified to fit our needs – we can continue
modification
– It is a single file on your computer, with the
extension .mdb. This file can be downloaded,
copied as a backup, and sent to others so that
they can see or use your data
CVS-EEP Data Entry Database
• What does it do?
– Menu that guides you through the process
– Forms allow data entry efficiently – no
redundant keystroking; quick lookups
– Data validation ensures that problems are
flagged and dealt with
– Reports summarize the final data
– Reports also are printed to provide a basis for
Monitoring (VMD)
– Quality Assurance, Advanced Features
Getting the Entry Database
• It can be downloaded from the website
• http://cvs.bio.unc.edu/
• Check to make sure you have the newest
version if someone requires a certain
version.
• The database is named with the version in
it, i.e. version 2.0.4 is
CVS_EEP_dataEntry_v204.mdb
Unzipping the Database
• If you know how to unzip files, unzip the database and
skip this slide, otherwise, continue...
• The database file is zipped. This saves disk space and
also provides a backup copy.
• Unzip the file with WinZip if you have it ...
• OR Unzip the file with Windows Zipped Folder
–
–
–
–
Double click the .zip file
Select the .mdb file within that folder
DO NOT DOUBLE CLICK the .mdb file
Copy the file, then paste it into a non-compressed folder (a folder
without ".zip" at the end of the name)
• Make sure the zipped folder or WinZip is closed
You're Ready to Start
• Double Click the database file icon in
Windows Explorer
• This opens it in MS-Access
• First, in Access 2003, you may get up to
two messages:
– Do you want to open a file with Macros?
• CLICK "OPEN"
– Do you want to block unsafe expressions?
• CLICK "NO" [this doesn't apply in this lab]
Confirmation Messages
• Confirmation Messages are part of Access that
asks you to be sure you want to edit data in
certain ways.
• These need to be turned off to use the database
• The database can do that for you automatically,
click "Yes, turn off confirmation messages" if
prompted.
• They will be turned back on after closing the
database.
• You can have it remember this preference.
Who are you?
• The Entry Database keeps track of when
records are added or updated, and by whom.
• This may help to track down weird changes by
administrators
• Thus, you have to tell the system who you are
• Select your name if it's on the list, or enter your
initials and name (there are no passwords)
• You can check the box to have it remember who
you are.
• Make sure the date and time are correct.
The Main Menu
• The Tabs show the order in which steps
should be taken
• The Help boxes are by default turned on to
the right.
– Can be turned off with the "X" icon.
• You can change who is logged in, view tips
on using the database, hide the Main
Menu, and quit the database
Main Menu: Planning
• All plot data is associated with a Project
• You should receive a project code or
number from EEP or CVS
• You will probably need to add this project
to the database (click "add a project")
• If you want to calculate the required
number of plots for your project based on
its size, there is a link to calculate this
• Go to the next tab
Main Menu: Choose Level
• There are 5 levels of plots.
– The project director should specify the level
• The level chosen will change the
appearance of later forms and the Main
Menu options
• More information is available with the link
at the bottom of the tab
• Go to the next tab
Main Menu: Data Entry
• Plot Data
– This is information about the whole plot, i.e. who
sampled, its location, date sampled
• Planted Woody Stems (Level 1 and 2)
– Individual planted stems are recorded with location
• Natural Woody Stems (if Level 2)
– Stems tallied by size classes
• Cover Data (for Levels 3 and higher)
– Cover values estimated by species
• Some options may be hidden depending on the
plot level chosen.
Plot Data
• You can make new plots
– You must specify project, team, and plot, and CVS sampling
level for all new plots
• Or view/edit existing ones (choose from the picklist)
• The Plot Form matches the Plot Data Sheets closely
• Use the tab button on your keyboard to move between
boxes (Use Ctrl-Tab out of sub-forms like Party and
Place Names)
• "Add Value" lists in Party, Place Name
– Just start typing a new name in these boxes and it will be added
to the database
– Party Names can be typed "LastName, first" or "first lastName"
(without quotes)
New 2.0.3
Picklists: Selecting Multiple Items
• For some picklists in the Plot Data form, you can select
more than one option.
– Soil Drainage, Plot Placement, Salinity, Topography, Hydrology,
Homogeneity, Stand Size, Season, Physiognomy
• Initially, double click in the picklist or select [multiple].
• Then in a pop-up white box, use ctrl on your keyboard
and click any number of values.
– Press Escape on your keyboard to cancel.
– Press Enter, Tab, or click another field to save selected values.
• The field will show [multiple] after you are finished
entering, but if you double click that field again, it will
show you which values are selected.
Intro to Stem / Cover Forms
• Species picklists are "magic"
• By this I mean that you can enter the first two
letters of genus (configurable) and the first two
letters of the species and the first 1 letter of
variety/subspecies (or space if no var/ssp) and
the list alters to show you all available species
that match what you entered
• Use CAPS to disable this, and enter an asterisk
(*) if the list is not resetting and you want it to.
– e.g. for the genus Carex, you can enter "Carex"
instead of "carex" which would look for genus starting
with "ca" and species with "re" and variety with "x".
More tips
• Typically, use the tab button to move between
fields on a form. Use shift tab to move
backwards
• Use Ctrl-Tab to get out of a subform, which is a
box with more fields in it (Plot Data)
• Use arrow keys on stems/cover forms to get
around after doing some entry*
• Use the enter key on stems/cover to move to the
beginning of the next line*
*Enter and arrow keys don't work in picklists because up and
down and enter can be used to move around in the list
Planted Woody Stems (level 1-2)
• There's a link directly from the Plot Data
– Or you can link from the Main Menu (2nd tab)
• You can add new stems on the blank bottom line
• You can edit species and other information
– Magic Species List
– Species Lookup
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•
•
•
•
•
You can edit plot header information (date)
Notes are available for uncertainty and internal comments
Ctrl-' (like the ditto mark: " ) copies from the field above
Arrow keys work, as does "Enter" key*
Can adjust order of plants with blue up/down buttons
Help is available. You have to turn it on, though
*Enter and arrow keys don't work in picklists because up and down and
enter can be used to move around in the list
Natural Woody Stems
• Level 2 and higher. It isn't an option at level 1.
• Very similar in function to the Planted Woody Stems
Form, but matches the Natural Woody Stems Form
• Magic Species List, Species List Lookup, Arrow Keys,
Help
• Using Tab to move to the next field is helpful, and hit
Enter on your keyboard to go to the beginning of the next
line*
• "Sp." field for unknowns
*Enter and arrow keys don't work in picklists because up and down
and enter can be used to move around in the list
New 2.0.4
Faster Natural Stem Entry
• Space bar moves to next field (easier than tab)
• Often, there is just one size category, or the smaller
categories are absent
• To jump to a particular size:
– Press and hold ctrl, then enter the size of the stem class (lower
bound, e.g. 30 or 45), then release ctrl
– Or, press + or =, then the size, then + or =
• If you enter a size less than 40cm, the default of 1 stem
is filled in (you can change the number if not 1)
• If you enter a size of 40cm or greater, that size is entered
in the first box for stems at least 40cm
Cover Data
• Also known as "Herb Data"
• For levels 3 and 4, you enter cover-by-strata, species,
and cover for each module
• For level 5, you enter cover-by-strata, species, and
presence/cover values under module/corner headings.
• "Auto-tab" is on, meaning that entering a cover value
moves the cursor to the next box.
• The Form attempts to figure out what you are doing and
skips unneeded columns.
• Use Enter to go to the beginning of the next line*
*Enter and arrow keys don't work in picklists because up and down
and enter can be used to move around in the list
New 2.0.4
Faster Cover Data Entry (level 5)
• Space bar moves to next field (easier than tab)
• Often, you want to skip to the next module:
– Ctrl-Space or
Ctrl-(right arrow) or
Ctrl-tab move to
next MODULE
– Ctrl-(left arrow) or Ctrl-Shift-Tab move to
previous MODULE
Sorting
• To move a record in stem or cover entry,
use the blue up and down arrows in the
header section
– This moves the current row up or down
relative to the others
• If you sort manually using access
functions, you can restore the normal
order by pressing the (A-Z sort) button
next to the up and down arrows.
New Species
• You can search for species in the cover and
stem forms using the "Search for species"
button.
– Then you can search for a species by entering some
part of the name and searching in the new form.
– When you find the one you want, press "Get Species"
at the bottom.
– Press cancel if you don't find what you want, or add a
new species with the button at the bottom. (You can
also add new species from the Extras tab on the Main
Menu.)
Improved 2.0.4
Error Checking
• You can check a plot for errors after
entering data (plot data form, cover form,
stems forms) by pressing the "(Re)Check
for Errors" button in the upper right
• You can check all plots for errors by
pressing the "Check For Errors" button on
the Data Entry Tab of the Main Menu.
Main Menu: Extras
• The extras tab is used to view or add new data
that isn't routine, such as party (people),
reference, species, or projects.
• Some of the data in the linked forms is "locked"
meaning that these were already in the
database when you got it and you can't edit the
information there. Instead, add a new item in
the bottom row of the form, or press the ">*"
button at the bottom.
Main Menu: Reports
• Simple Reports exports directly to Excel as a
new Excel file. This gives you all you will
normally need for level 1 sampling.
• Advanced Customizable Stats also available
– Can be copied and pasted into a Word document and
used in larger written reports
• Resampling plots for monitoring (VMD)
– Select plots to resample and print datasheets
– Add these plots to the database as templates to fill
out in VMD
– Enter update info for VMD
New 2.0.4
Reports by Project
• In earlier versions of this database, you
could only get quick reports based on all
plots.
• Now, you can get a report based on a
project, or whichever plots you like.
• Start at the Main Menu, Reports Tab
– Then select Customizable Statistics...
– Then select plots you want in step 1
– Then push the button in step 2b (skipping 2a)
Options
• Messages (do you want a few questions that
may help you enter data better?)
• Error checking as you finish plots
– Error checking can also be done on all plots by an
administrator
• Advanced Options (Database Admin)
–
–
–
–
Protect Page with Password
Configure "Magic" Species Picklists
Plot Deletions
Compact/Backup the database (automatically)
New 2.0.4
Upgrade your old Entry DB
• You can upgrade your old CVS-EEP Entry
Database by importing data into a new database
(version 2.0.4 or later)
• Useful if you have data in an older format and
want to use the new functionality
• Start at the Main Menu | Options Tab
– Then press "Advanced Features"
– Scroll down to "Import data into this db..."
– Browse for the old file (put it in the same folder as the
new one for ease of finding it)
– This will DELETE everything in the new database and
replace it with the data in your old database!
More Stuff
• Use Alt-Down Arrow on your keyboard to see the
contents of a picklist without using the mouse.
• Just start typing in a picklist to zoom to a letter (i.e. a
quadrangle starting with "R" is way down the list).
• As soon as you see the triangle next to a field, the record
is saved. Power outage won’t erase it.
• If you don’t know the species name, filling
“DONTKNOW” as the species name (using caps
disabled magic picklist).
– Someone will have to come back and look at this species again
to try and fill in the name. If it is completely unknown, use the
"Unknown" species name.