How to Use SOIC

How to open an Access table created in SOIC

Access stores tables in database files that have the extension .mdb. Several tables can be stored in each file. Thus, before opening a table, the appropriate database file must be chosen. For files created using SOIC, the default file is Userdata.mdb. You can use the “Open” option to open an existing SOIC table so that it appears on the data entry form.

1. From the menu bar, Click on File and then Open. (Alternatives: ALT+ F, O or Click the Open button on the button bar). The program displays the following dialog box.

2. If you know the table name:

a. Begin typing the name in the “Table Name” text entry box.

b. Click on the OK button. (Alternative: Press ENTER).

3. If you don’t know the table name:

a. Choose a table from the “Table Names” list box.

b. Once highlighted, the table name will appear in the “Table Name” text entry box.

c. Click on the OK button. (Alternative: Press ENTER).

Caution: You cannot open the untitled table that appears when the SOIC system is open. If you enter data into this table and open another table, the data will be lost. Use the “Save As” option to save any information in the untitled table before you do anything that closes it.

    How to open a non-SOIC Access table

Because SOIC was written using Microsoft Access, Access files not created in SOIC can also be open using the “Open” option. Unlike opening an SOIC table from the default file Userdata.mdb, you must choose the appropriate database file before opening a table.

1. From the menu bar, Click on File and then Open. (Alternatives: ALT + F, O or Click the Open button on the button bar). The program displays the following dialog box.

2. On the open table dialog box, Click on the “Data Source” field.

3. Click on Access 2000 to display the “Open Access” file management dialog box.

4. Use the controls in the file management dialog box to browse directories and locate a file.

5. Type or highlight the file name that contains the data table that you want to open.

6. Once you Click OK, the program displays the following box.

7. If you know the table name:

a. Begin typing the name in the “Table Name” text entry box.

b. Click on the OK button. (Alternative: Press ENTER).

8. If you don’t know the table name:

a. Choose a table from the “Table Names” list box.

b. Once highlighted, the table name will appear in the “Table Name” text entry box.

c. Click on the OK button. (Alternative: Press ENTER).

9. Once a table has been opened, the program displays the field mapping dialog box.

NOTE: When the dialog box is open, the tab card Industry/Occupation is displayed. This tab card contains the four required fields that you must map to open the table (Occupation Title, Occupation Code, Industry Title, and Industry Code).

10. If the external Access table format matches that of SOIC created data:

a. Click on the Options button, highlight the “Internal SOIC” option, then close the options box by pressing Enter.

b. Click OK to close the field mapping dialog box. (Alternative: Press ENTER).

11. If the external Access table format does not match that of SOIC created data:

a. Click on the data entry field to the right of the field label.

b. From the drop-down list, highlight the name of the field you want to map to the selected SOIC System field.

c. Repeat step b until each of the required fields is mapped.

d. Click OK. (Alternative: Press ENTER).

NOTE: Using the Identification, Personal Information, and General Information tab cards, optional fields can be mapped and displayed in the same way the required fields are mapped.

    How to open an Xbase file

In addition to Access tables, the SOIC system can also open files created by dBase, FoxPro, and other database management systems (Xbase). One difference between Access and Xbase is that Xbase tables are always stored one table to a file.

1. From the menu bar, Click on File and then Open. (Alternatives: ALT + F, O or Click the Open button on the button bar). The program displays the following dialog box.

 

2. On the open table dialog box, Click on the “Data Source” field.

3. Click on one of the four types of Xbase files (FoxPro 2.0, FoxPro 2.5, dBase III, or dBase IV) to display the file management dialog box.

4. Use the controls in the file management dialog box to browse directories and locate a specific file.

5. Type or highlight the name of the file that you wish to open.

6. Once you Click Open, the program displays the field mapping dialog box.

NOTE: When the dialog box is open, the tab card Industry/Occupation is display. This tab card contains the four required fields that you must map to open the table (Occupation Title, Occupation Code, Industry Title, and Industry Code).

7. If the external Access table format matches that of SOIC created data:

a. Click on the Options button, highlight the “Internal SOIC” option, then close the options box with Enter.

b. Click OK to close the field mapping dialog box. (Alternative: Press ENTER).

8. If the external Access table format does not match that of SOIC created data:

a. Click on the data entry field to the right of the field label.

b. From the drop-down list, highlight the name of the field you want to map to the selected SOIC System field.

c. Click OK. (Alternative: ENTER).

NOTE: Using the Identification, Personal Information, and General Information tab cards, optional fields can be mapped and displayed in the same way the required fields are mapped.

Caution: Control over Xbase files is limited. Because Xbase records cannot be moved to the Trashcan, all deletions are final. Many of the features that are available for Access files are not available for files in Xbase format.

    How to suppress fields

SOIC gives you the option to suppress the display of one or more fields that normally appear on the data entry form. The four required fields (“Industry Title,” Occupation Title,” “Industry Code,” and “Occupation Code”) cannot be suppressed.

1. From the menu bar, Click on Field and then Suppress. (Alternative: ALT + I, S).

2. Suppress the fields that you do not want shown by clearing the checks next to the appropriate field names.

3. Click on Reset to restore previously suppressed fields.

4. Suppressed fields are restored when you quit the SOIC system or open a new table or file.

    How to find a record

By using specific search criteria, you can find a record in the currently open table or file.

1. From the menu bar, Click on Record and then Find. (Alternatives: F2 or ALT + R, F).

2. The find dialog box gives you the option to search for records by any of nine criteria.

3. To select a criteria, Click on one of the list items.

4. Type the information you are searching for into the text entry box, and then press ENTER or Click on Find First.

5. If you want to close the find dialog box, Click on Cancel or press ESC.

NOTE: The SOIC Find option supports “wild card” searches. The text that you type into the text entry box can contain an asterisk (*) that stands for any combination of characters. For example, if you type “farm*” into the box, the program will find “farm,” “farmer,” and “farming.”

    How to code a single record

The SOIC system allows you to generate industry and occupation codes one record at a time.

1. On the menu bar, Click on Code and then Record.(Alternatives: ALT + C, R or Click the Code Record button on the button bar).

NOTE: If codeable information exists, industry and occupation codes should be assigned almost immediately.

Caution: Because “Code Record” saves the record as it is coded, the record cannot be restored to an earlier state with “Undo Field” or “Undo Record.”

    How to code a table

The SOIC system allows you to generate industry and occupation codes in batch mode for all the records in a table at once. Because coding a large table can take some time, the program displays a “Coding Progress” bar on the left-hand side of the “Status” bar.

1. On the menu bar, Click on Code and then Table.(Alternatives: ALT + C, T or Click the Code Table button on the button bar).

2. To interrupt the coding process, Click on the Stop button. (Alternative: CTRL + X).

3. If the coding process is interrupted, Click on Code and then Code Rest of Table. (Alternative: CTRL + O or ALT + C, O).

Caution: Because “Code Table” and “Code Rest of Table” saves each record as it is coded, records cannot be restored to an earlier state with “Undo Field” or “Undo Record.”

    How to sort data

Records in an SOIC data table can be sorted using any of the fields on the Data Entry Form as criteria.

1. On the menu bar, Click on Tools and then Sort. (Alternatives: ALT + T, O).

2. To choose a primary criterion:

a. Click on the “Primary” data entry box.

b. Highlight the criterion and then Click OK.(Alternative: Highlight the criterion and then press ENTER).

3. To choose a primary and secondary criterion:

a. Click on the “Primary” data entry box and highlight the primary criterion.

b. Click on the “Secondary” data entry box and highlight the secondary criterion.

c. Click OK (Alternative: Press ENTER).

NOTE: Non-SOIC Access tables or Xbase files cannot be sorted.

Caution: Because the sort option saves the active record, records cannot be restored to an earlier state with “Undo Field” or “Undo Record.”

    How to show coding statistics

Once a table or file has been coded, coding statistics for the records in the currently open table can be shown. The number of records that have industry codes assigned, the number that have occupation codes assigned, and the number that have both codes assigned are shown along with their corresponding percentages.

1. On the menu bar, Click on Tools and then Coding Stats. (Alternatives: ALT + T, C).

2. To print the statistics (including the bar graph), Click on Print.

3. To close this window, Click OK. (Alternative: Press ENTER).

NOTE: These statistics also include the number of records coded ‘998.’ During software development, this code was selected to identify narratives with insufficient information to reliably assign a code. ‘998’ is assigned to either industry or occupation.