Questions

DatCol

• What is DatCol?
• How to enter data for disease classes in DatCol?
• What is Workabout Pro?
• DatCol Brochure (pdf)

What is DatCol?

ARM Data Collector (ARM DatCol) is software to use a small, handheld computer as an electronic notebook for recording trial assessments.  Data is keyed into the handheld computer when an assessment is made.  After returning to the office, assessment data is transmitted (uploaded) to a personal computer (PC) for permanent storage and analysis.

Data transmitted from ARM DatCol to a PC is formatted to use with ARM trial management software.  ARM (formerly Agriculture Research Manager) is sold separately by Gylling Data Management, Inc. (GDM).

For more information go to the DatCol page or the DatCol brochure (pdf).

How to enter data for disease classes in DatCol?

Use the subsample feature in DatCol to enter data in classes. DatCol can create the data columns of summarized class data while transmitting to ARM. Follow steps in the example listed below to familiarize yourself with this ARM DatCol feature.

Important Note: When defining a New rating on DatCol that is a class assessment, there is one step that is very important when setting up the new ratings. In order to do this step, the Option for "Multiple data headers" must be set to Yes. On the ARM DatCol main menu, press right arrow to display choices on the Settings tab, then select Options. The first option is whether to use Multiple data headers. Set this option to Yes. When the next prompt displays to "Use customized headers?", then press On/Esc to exit the Options menu, and select Yes to save the current option settings.

Example Step One: Set Up Class Assessment

1. On the DatCol File menu select New to start a new assessment.
2. This is a simple example, so for "Name from randomization file" select No
3. For New File name enter a name such as TEST.
4. For "Use headings from existing ratings?" Select No.
5. For Title just press Enter to leave title blank.
6. For Assessed On press Enter to accept today's date.
7. For Number of treatments enter a small value such as 3.
8. For Number of replicates enter a small value such as 2.
9. For Number of subsamples in this example enter a small value such as 10.
10. For Number of ratings, if you make only one assessment per plant then enter 1. If you are assessing each plant in 3 parts (top, middle, bottom) then enter 3. For this simple example we suggest only 1 rating per plot.
11. For "All ratings are whole numbers?" select Yes.
12. The screen starting with "Please select the headers to use ..." should be displayed. This screen only displays when the option for "Multiple data headers" is set to Yes (please see above important note) . Press a key (such as Enter) to proceed to the next screen.
13. This screen shows all the different assessment header fields that can be used for an assessment on DatCol. There is a mark at the left of fields that are selected by default.
14. This is the most important step when defining a class assessment on DatCol. The "DatCol Type" assessment header field must be included for a class assessment. Press down arrow until DatCol Type is highlighted, then press the SPACE key to mark DatCol Type as a header field to include. When DatCol Type is marked, then press Enter to proceed to the next screen.
15. Fill any prompts for standard header fields (such as Pest Code and Rating Type).
16. Notice that for DatCol Type there is a special menu on DatCol. When defining a new assessment the default is "None". Press the right arrow 2 times (or left arrow 1 time) until Classes is displayed, then press Enter.
17. After selecting Classes, at the Range prompt you now need to select the range for the assessment scale. Press the right arrow to see the available choices. After 12 times pressing right arrow there is a "S=0-5" choice. The "S" is a shortcut to select a 0-5 assessment, so next time you only need to press "S" to display this choice on the DatCol Type menu. When selecting a range, it is most important to select a range that begins with the value you use for "no infestation", either 0 or 1. If you cannot find a range with the high value you use, (for example a 0-7 scale), then select a range with a larger high value (such as "M=0-9"). When the desired range is visible then press Enter to select this range.
18. Finish answering the DatCol questions for the new assessment (at "Generate plot number" select Yes, then press Enter to select default choices for plot numbering and movement order).

Example Step Two: Enter Class Assessment Information

The steps above showed how to define the new assessment. DatCol next displays the data entry screen. Enter the class assessment for each of the 10 subsamples per plot.

One shortcut for moving between plots is to press the up arrow key until the cursor is in the plot number, then press up or down arrow to scroll between subsamples. Press the - and + keys on the number keypad to step between plots. When in the plot number field you can also type a different plot number to step to that plot. When in the plot number field you can also press the Tab key to move to the subsample number field, where you can also enter a specific sample number (such as 7) then Enter to move to that sample.

Press On/Esc in DatCol after data entry is finished for the entire assessment.

Example Step Three: Transmit Class Assessments to ARM

Follow the next steps to transmit summarized class assessments to ARM.

1. In ARM open a trial that is appropriate for the assessments on DatCol. (For this example, open a trial with at least 2 replicates and with plot numbering that matches the plot numbering used for the assessment on DatCol.)
2. In ARM select Tools - Data Collector - Read Data from. The "Data Collector Transfer" dialog should display. Do not select OK yet in ARM, but wait until DatCol is ready to send.
3. In DatCol on File menu select Transmit, then on Transmit Menu select Current Ratings.
4. In DatCol at the "Combine subsamples" dialog select either Average or Sum (it does not matter which when summarizing class assessments).
5. In DatCol at the "Summarize Classes" question select Count.
6. Next DatCol wants to confirm the total number of classes. If making a 0-5 class assessment using the S=0-5 Range then DatCol displays a 6. (The reason DatCol is asking again the total number of classes is in case DatCol did not offer exactly the needed range, such as step 17 above with the example of using M=0-9 when the actual scale is 0-7.) Press Enter when the correct number of classes is entered.
7. If there is more than one class assessment rating in the current assessment, then repeat steps 4-6 for class assessment in the rating. Continue until DatCol prompts to "Begin transmitting data".
8. In ARM click the OK button on the Data Collector Transfer dialog so ARM starts waiting for data from DatCol.
9. In DatCol at the "Begin transmitting data" dialog select Yes to begin transmitting data.
10. DatCol is now summarizing the class assessments to one value per plot, and is sending one data column for each class value. For example, with a S=0-5 range there are 6 data columns sent from DatCol to ARM. Data column 1 is the number of class 0 assessments per plot, and data column 6 is the number of class 5 assessments per plot.

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What is Workabout Pro?

The Psion Workabout Pro is a handheld Windows CE.NET computer made by Psion Teklogix.  The Psion is an excellent small, lightweight data collector with an easy to read screen and separate numeric keyboard.   The Workabout Pro also supports ARM rating shells, so is an excellent all-around portable data collection device.

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