Project Screen Help Information

This Help information is stored in the file Project.htm in the subdirectory - \Program Files\DataPoint\Help.  This file can be copied to, and viewed or modified on, the desktop computer.  If viewed on the PDA, it may be easier to view some of the following sections with word wrap turned off (i.e., toggle off or on by tapping View>Fit-to-Screen).

 

The Project Screen is used to:

1.  create new Projects, Areas and Samples,

2.  edit existing Samples within existing Projects and Areas,

3.  export data in a comma delimited format (.CSV),

4.  import data in a comma delimited format,

5.  purge data from the database.

The Project Screen has numerous data fields that describe a particular sample.  When the OK button is tapped, the next screen (called the Main Screen) will allow the entry of the vegetation sample data.

 

Command line details

Data attributes

Data format and location of the data on the PDA

 

QUICK START:

To begin entering data, follow these steps by tapping the command line options and entering information with the keyboard:

Project>New Project – Enter the project name

Tap in the Data File Box - Enter the Data File

Tap in the Species Box - Enter the Species lookup file as “colo05” no quotes, note that there is a zero before the 5.

Tap in the Area Box – Enter the Area name

Tap in the Sample Box – Enter the Sample ID (NOTE: sample ID’s may not end with the letters “D” or “U” – see below for explanation)

Tap in the Sampler Box - Enter the Sampler name or initials

Clear the keyboard by tapping the keyboard icon in the lower right corner

Tap OK to move to the Main Screen

For additional Help on the Main Screen Tap the Help Command.

Command line details

The command line is located at the bottom of the Project Screen and has the following Commands and Options:

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File subcommand:

File>Exit – this will permit exiting the program.  If any data have been entered in the Main Screen it will first return you to the Main Screen where you must also tap File>Exit and you will be prompted to save the data prior to exiting.

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Project subcommands:

Project>New Project – will create a new project

 

Project>New Area – will create a new area

 

Project>New Sample – will create a new sample - NOTE: sample ID’s may not end with the letters “D” or “U”.  This is because data are automatically assigned a suffix of “D”, “DWU”, or “U”. These suffixes are processing triggers for the Ecotone Data Table creation program.  If you must end samples with the letter D or U you can work around this by ending with another letter after the D or U such as “x”.   Point intercept data can be collected with an optical scope (CoverPoint ESCO) that will allow collecting Up (U) hits as well as Down (D) hits.  As a further refinement, all those down hits which occur immediately below an Up hit are recorded in the Down-With-Up (DWU) category.  This allows you to differentiate hits that occur below tree canopy from those that don’t.

 

Project>Edit Current Sample – will allow the Sampler, Easting, Northing, Elevation, Aspect, Slope°, Slope%, Orientation, and Comment to be edited.

 

Project>Purge>Current Project – will permanently delete the current project and  all of the areas and samples associated with the current project.  These data should be exported before purging or there will be no recovery of the data.

 

Project>Purge>Current Area – will permanently delete the current area and all of the samples associated with the current area.  These data should be exported before purging or there will be no recovery of the data.

 

Project>Purge>Current Sample – will permanently delete the current sample.  These data should be exported before purging or there will be no recovery of the data.

 

NOTE: Purging of data should only be necessary when the size of the database is so large that the program processing speed is significantly degraded or the data are using up too much memory.

 

Project>Import – will import data from a .CSV file (i.e., ProjectX.CSV), including the site information contained in a separate .CSV file that has the same initial name with the addition of the “Site” suffix (i.e., ProjectXSite.CSV).  This is especially useful for reusing the species lists from previous year’s samples.  By editing the sample .CSV file and site .CSV file from a previous year in EXCEL you can change the Project name (i.e., change ProjectX2005 to ProjectX2006), remove all of the dates, and replace all of the cover/hit values in the sample file with zeros. 

 

Project>Export>Current Project – This will export all of the Areas and Samples from the current Project to a comma delimited file (.CSV).  The specific subdirectory can be selected.  Care must be taken to insure that duplicate file names are not used.  The default export file name is the name that was entered in the Data File box on the Project Screen.  The safest place to export data is non-volatile RAM such as the IPAQ subdirectory or the external Storage Card.

 

Project>Export>Current Area – This will export all of the Samples from the current Project/Area to a comma delimited file (.CSV).  The specific subdirectory can be selected.  Care must be taken to insure that duplicate file names are not used.  The default export file name is the name that was entered in the Data File box with the addition of a hypen followed and the Area name (Datafile-Area).  This will export only one Area at a time to each file.  The safest place to export data is non-volatile RAM such as the IPAQ subdirectory or the external Storage Card.

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Species subcommands:

Species>Import Form Table – will import the file that has all of the growth form categories.  The growth form is recorded only as a numeric code on the sample data, and the growth form table links these codes with the specific growth form (i.e., 1 = Native annual and biennial forms, 2 = Introduced annual and biennial forbs).  The form file can not be exported, but a Form.CSV file can be found in the directory \Program Files\DataPoint\Help.  You can modify this file, but remember that the file Colo05 might have to be modified as well.

 

Species>Import Species Table – will import a comma delimited species list file in a specified format (see above).  Multiple species files may be accessed with DataPoint, but only one species file may be used for a single Project.

 

Species>Export Species Table – will export the current species table as a comma delimited file.  Since species can be added to the list in DataPoint, this allows the update of external species lists.

 

Species>Drop Species Table – will permanently remove the species table from the database.  This is only necessary if the size of the overall database is so large that unused species lists are degrading program processing speed or using up too much memory.  You will be prompted to save/remove all of the data files that are associated with the species file before you are allowed to purge the species file.  This prevents data files from being left on the PDA that require the presence of the species file that you are trying to purge.  Once you have purged all of the data files that needed to access the species file you must tap Project>New Project, then enter only the species file name, then tap Species>Drop Species Table.

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Help subcommands:

Help>Content – invokes this help file

Help>About – invokes the initial splash screen that describes the program version and contact information.

 

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Data Attributes

Project – Mandatory entry - Alphanumeric text – 40 characters max

Data File – Mandatory entry - Alphanumeric text – 40 characters max

Species – Mandatory entry - Alphanumeric text – 10 characters max

Area - Mandatory entry - Alphanumeric text – 40 characters max

Sample ID - Mandatory entry - Alphanumeric text- should not end with a “D” or “U” – 40 characters max

Sampler - Mandatory entry - Alphanumeric text – 40 characters max

Date - Mandatory entry – Date - auto-filled with the current system date, format dd/mm/yyyy.

Easting – Optional entry - Numeric integer – 10 places max

Northing – Optional entry - Numeric integer – 10 places max

Elevation - Optional entry - Numeric integer – 10 places max

Aspect - Optional entry - Numeric integer - 0 to 360

Slope° - Optional entry - Numeric, one decimal place – 0 to 90

Slope% - Optional entry - Numeric, one decimal place - 10 places max

Orientation - Optional entry - Numeric integer – 0 to 360

Comment - Optional entry - alphanumeric – 254 characters

 

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Data Format and Location

All data are stored internally in a single SQL CE database file called DataPoint.sdf found in the subdirectory - \Program Files\DataPoint\Data.

All data are stored in this file until purged by the user.  This data file is probably (may be different in newer PDAs) stored in volatile RAM and should be backed up regularly for security.

Data are imported and exported to a user-selected subdirectory (that can include non-volatile storage) via comma delimited files with a .CSV extension.  NOTE: Typically on Storage Cards, the only subdirectories that are “visible” are the subdirectories created under “My Documents”.

There are 4 types of .CSV files.  1. Project/Area Vegetation data, 2. Project/Area Site data, 3. Species List data, 4. Plant Growth Form data.   The first line in each .CSV file has the list of the field (column) names.

 

-Project/Area Vegetation data - When vegetation data are exported/imported they are always exported/imported as a single file that contains all of the sample data from a specific Project and Area.

Example:

PROJECT,AREA,SPEFILE,STAND,SAMPLERS,SPECIES,SCIENTIFIC,VALUE,DATE,FRST_HIT,FORM,REKORD

NewProject1,Area1,colo05, A7D,PM,2,LITTER ,1,2/18/2006,TRUE,51,1

NewProject1,Area1,colo05, A7D,PM,9,ACETOSELLA VULGARIS ,1,2/18/2006,TRUE,5,2

NewProject1,Area1,colo05, A7D,PM,125,AVENA FATUA ,1,2/18/2006,TRUE,4,3

 

The attributes for each of these fields are as follows:

PROJECT - Alphanumeric text – 40 characters max

AREA - Alphanumeric text – 40 characters max

SPEFILE - - Alphanumeric text – 10 characters max

STAND - Alphanumeric text- should not end with a “D” or “U” – 40 characters max

SAMPLERS - Alphanumeric text – 40 characters max

SPECIES – Numeric integer

SCIENTIFIC – Alphanumeric – 50 characters max

VALUE – Numeric – 10 places max including decimal point

DATE – Date format dd/mm/yyyy

FRST_HIT – Two text options “TRUE” or “FALSE”

FORM – Numeric integer

REKORD – Numeric integer = record number

 

-Project/Area Site data – When a vegetation data file is exported/imported, a companion site data file is exported/imported that has all of the site specific information and comments.  This file is given a name that is prefaced with the same name as the vegetation data and is given the text “Site” as a suffix.  For example, if the vegetation data file is called AreaX.CSV, the site data file will be automatically called AreaXSite.CSV.

Example:

PROJECT,AREA,SAMPLEID,SAMPLERS,EASTING,NORTHING,ELEVATION,ORIENTATION,ASPECT,SLOPEDGR,SLOPEPRC,COMMENT,DATE

NewProject1,Area1,A1,pm,,,,,,,,,2/18/2006

NewProject1,Area1,A2,pm,,,,,,,,,2/18/2006

NewProject1,Area1,A3,pm,123456,1234567,1234,234,180,23,42.4,”Text that is a comment”,2/18/2006

 

The attributes for each of these fields are as follows:

Project - Alphanumeric text – 40 characters max

Data File - Alphanumeric text – 40 characters max

Species - Alphanumeric text – 10 characters max

Area - Alphanumeric text – 40 characters max

Sample ID - Alphanumeric text- should not end with a “D” or “U” – 40 characters max

Sampler - Alphanumeric text – 40 characters max

Date– Date - auto-filled with the current system date format dd/mm/yyyy.

Easting - Numeric integer – 10 places max

Northing - Numeric integer – 10 places max

Elevation - Numeric integer – 10 places max

Aspect – Numeric integer - 0 to 360

Slope° - Numeric, one decimal place – 0 to 90

Slope% - Numeric, one decimal place - 10 places max

Orientation - Numeric integer – 0 to 360

Comment - Alphanumeric – 254 characters

 

-Species List data – This file is used as a species lookup file for the program.  Species can be added but not modified using the DataPoint Program.  This file can be easily modified externally and then reimported.  This file can be imported and exported, and there may be multiple species files imported and exported, to allow different species nomenclature to be used for different projects.

Example:

Code,SpeName,Genus,Species,SubCat,SubSpe,GrowthFormID,Modified

7,"AAA DUMMY SHRUB FOR EMPTY PLOTS  (DEAD)","AAA DUMMY SHRUB","FOR EMPTY PLOTS",,(DEAD),13,"1/28/2006 2:53:22 PM"

1040,"ABIES BIFOLIA",ABIES,BIFOLIA,,,15,"1/28/2006 2:53:22 PM"

903,"ABIES CONCOLOR",ABIES,CONCOLOR,,,15,"1/28/2006 2:53:22 PM"

902,"ABRONIA FRAGRANS",ABRONIA,FRAGRANS,,,5,"1/28/2006 2:53:22 PM"

 

The attributes for each of these fields are as follows:

Code – Numeric integer

SpeName – Alphanumeric – 50 characters max

Genus – Alphanumeric – 30 characters max

Species – Alphanumeric – 30 characters max

SubCat– Alphanumeric – 5 characters max

SubSpe– Alphanumeric – 30 characters max

GrowthFormID – Numeric integer

Modified – Date/time format dd/mm/yyy#hh:mm:ss#AM or PM

 

 

-Plant Growth Form data – This file is used as the lookup file for the species growth forms and can only be imported, not exported.  The complete template for this file is provided below and can be created and modified easily using EXCEL or similar spreadsheet program.

FORM,LONG,SHORT

1,NATIVE ANNUAL & BIENNIAL FORBS,NATIVE ANN. & BIEN. FORBS

2,INTRODUCED ANNUAL & BIENNIAL FORBS,INTRO. ANN. & BIEN. FORBS

3,NATIVE ANNUAL GRASSES,NATIVE ANN. GRASSES

4,INTRODUCED ANNUAL GRASSES,INTRO. ANN. GRASSES

5,NATIVE PERENNIAL FORBS,NATIVE PERENNIAL FORBS

6,INTRODUCED PERENNIAL FORBS,INTRO. PERENNIAL FORBS

7,NATIVE PERENNIAL GRASSES (cool),NATIVE PERENNIAL GRASSES (c)

8,INTRODUCED PERENNIAL GRASSES (cool),INTRO. PERENNIAL GRASSES (c)

9,NATIVE PERENNIAL GRASSES (warm),NATIVE PERENNIAL GRASSES (w)

10,INTRODUCED PERENNIAL GRASSES (warm),INTRO. PERENNIAL GRASSES (w)

11,NATIVE SUBSHRUBS,NATIVE SUBSHRUBS

12,INTRODUCED SUBSHRUBS,INTRODUCED SUBSHRUBS

13,NATIVE SHRUBS,NATIVE SHRUBS

14,INTRODUCED SHRUBS,INTRODUCED SHRUBS

15,NATIVE TREES,NATIVE TREES

16,INTRODUCED TREES,INTRODUCED TREES

17,NATIVE VINES,NATIVE VINES

18,INTRODUCED VINES,INTRODUCED VINES

19,FERNS,FERNS

20,MOSS,MOSS

21,LICHEN,LICHEN

22,SUCCULENT,SUCCULENT

23,EPIPHYTE(PARASITE),EPIPHYTE(PARASITE)

24,MUSHROOMS,MUSHROOMS

25,DOMESTICATED ANNUAL CROP,DOMESTICATED ANNUAL CROP

26,UNKNOWN SPECIES,UNKNOWN SPECIES

27,NATIVE PERENNIAL AQUATIC FORBS,NAT. PEREN. AQUATIC FORBS

28,TREES COMBINED,TREES COMBINED

29,SHRUBS COMBINED,SHRUBS COMBINED

30,FORBS COMBINED,FORBS COMBINED

31,GRASSES COMBINED,GRASSES COMBINED

50,STANDING DEAD,STANDING DEAD

51,LITTER,LITTER

52,BARE SOIL,BARE SOIL

53,ROCK,ROCK

54,WATER,WATER

55,NON-OVERLAPPING VEGETATION,NON-OVERLAPPING VEGETATION

 

The attributes for each of these fields are as follows:

FORM – Numeric integer

LONG – Alphanumeric  - 35 characters max

SHORT – Alphanumeric – 35 characters max

 

 

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