Creating a New Instrument

To create new instruments, you must have Administrator privileges. (If you do, on the Main Menu screen, you will see the Super and Admin button and a 'Magnifying Glass' button.) When you create a new Instrument from nothing you give it a name and give users permission to use it. At this time you will also create a new Module that is, in fact, a questionnaire file.

On the Main Menu screen:

1. Select the Setup tab.
2. Click on the Instrument List button.

The Instruments window should appear and with the Admin privileges you will see an Add Instrument button, Add Module button, Delete Instrument...etc.

3. Click on the Add Instrument button, a gray "New Instrument #' will appear in the tree.
4. Click on the gray 'New Instrument #' and it should turn blue. You may edit the name by typing in the field. Type in the name. At the same time 'generic' information should appear in the right window box pertaining to the highlighted instrument.

Source Files Tab

5. Fill out the following information in the right box:

Host Name drive on a local PC (e.g. 'e:' without quotes), computer name on a network.

Directory path of the instrument directory. (e.g. \directory)

Support Files paths of the files listed. Press the little rectangle button to the right of each file name. This creates the file if it doesn't exist.

6. With the instrument name highlighted in the 'tree' on the left, click on the Add Module button. A gray "New Module #" will appear in the tree under the highlighted instrument.
7. Click on the gray 'New Module #' and it should turn blue. You may now edit its name by typing in the field. Type in the name of the module. At the same time 'generic' information should appear in the right window box pertaining to the highlighted module.
8. In the Question File field, fill in name of the file that will hold the database, like 'Youth' or 'School.' The application will add the .MDB extension if necessary. Click the little rectangle button to the right of the Question file name to create it. (Make sure you have FIRST created a directory and path in Windows Explorer or File Manager.)

Repeat the 3-8 for each additional module. Press the Add Instrument button again to create a new instrument. The Delete Instrument and Delete Module buttons delete the highlighted instrument or module. Close will close the Instrument window and return the user to the Main Menu.

Only people with Administrator privileges may assign and re-assign permissions to other users. To assign permission to users of a specific instrument, the instrument or one of its modules must be highlighted in the left box.

1. Click on the Permissions tab. If you do not have Administrator privileges you will see nothing but gray under the Permissions tab.
2. Click on the blank (*) User Name field. A name should appear with a drop-down menu available.

3. Click on the drop-down menu arrow () to view a list of users.
4. Select a user by highlighting it. Assign permissions by clicking, slowly, once, twice in the proper permission field.

This tab specifies the paths and file names for the directory to which the Manager records will be 'exported'. When the records are exported they are in formats that the Survey program can read. Normally, the target directory should be the folder where the field instrument will reside, e.g., C:\Win_Surv\[instrument_folder]. The files exported are the Questions file, Alternate Languages file and the support files.

In versions of the Manager before the 2.1.53 release, the records are not in a format that the Survey can read so a two-step process is used. The Manager records are exported to the same general directory and then the Import utility is used to create records that the Survey can read. In this case, the export directory will be used by the Import utility as the Source path from which the files will be imported and the Target path will be the folder where the field instrument will reside.

• The Load Defaults button will supply the Manager default path, C:\Win_Surv\Export\*.txt

TIP: This is the easiest way to load a pattern. Then, if necessary, edit the path in the Question File box and copy the edited portion. Then paste it in the other locations.

Do not change the file names. The Survey program will recognize these names during import. The path and directory for these files should remain uniform, as they will be specified in the Vbimport.ini file as the Source Path.

1. Click the Refresh button to renew the instrument list and include any changes.
2. Look in the drop-down menu () to find the new instrument.
3. Select it by clicking on it.
4. Look in the drop-down menu () to find the new Module.
5. Select ii by clicking on it.
6. Press Connect. (If the paths are not correct the Manager will let you know. Reassign the paths in Setup/Instrument List.)

Begin creating records in the new instrument. See Creating New Records, Chapter 7 - Quick Start.