17 Feb
2012
17 Feb
'12
3:17 p.m.
The best way to get a specific data set is to
select it by clicking on topics, then
dataset. Then all the tables you bring up are
restricted to those in that one dataset.
The ACS labor force/age/sex table is
B23001. After selecting the dataset, you can
type the table number into the selection box and
click go, and then it will bring up the one table
and you can click the box and "view." It's still
way too many clicks If you want 2000 data,
select 2000 SF3 as a dataset and then just type
"labor force" in the box. You'll get an
assortment of tables and you can choose the one you want.
We all hate AFF2, although our lists of pet
peeves may vary in content. Mine are (1) you can
only retrieve one table at a time, and (2) the
download options are horrible. The simple csv
option to be opened in Excel does not exist. When
you select the xls option, you get a table which
has left-justified numbers and weird columns. You
can fix this, but it's a burden. If instead you
choose to get a csv table for use as a database,
the rows and columns transpose. This is fine if
you have a lot of geographic areas and a table
with few cells, but lousy otherwise. If you try
to transpose it back the "estimate" and "margin
of error" rows are interleaved. There simply are no good download options.
Patty Becker
At 03:29 PM 2/17/2012, you wrote:
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0036_01CCED80.96637900"
Content-Language: en-us
Ms. Gemignani:
Thanks for the tips with AFF2. I tried, but
failed. Ill share this with the list serve
because it may be instructive to others. Im
probably missing something simple, but this may
help reveal the (multiple) fallacies of AFF2.
After selecting the county geography, I did as
you said in the message below: I typed in labor
force age sex. This was great. I got a long
list of 2010 ACS tables, but at least they
resembled what Im looking for. Then I typed in
2000 SF3 and got: No tables, files or
documents were found that match
blah blah
What am I doing wrong here? When I try scrolling
through the multiple pages of results, I go
through two pages of 2010 ACS. Then I run into
2009 ACS. How many dozens of pages must I scroll through to get Census 2000?
I also cant help but use this as commentary on
AFF2. Im a data user with years of experience
and training. If I cant easily find what I
need, what hope does the general public have?
Very little of Census 2000 is available in
printed form. Will it become the dark age Census, that nobody can get to?
Again, thanks for taking the time. I would like
nothing more than to be able to make full use of AFF2.
Jonathan Lupton
From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net
[mailto:ctpp-news-bounces@chrispy.net] On Behalf Of Gemignani, Nancy
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 1:22 PM
To: ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net
Subject: Re: [CTPP] Census/ACS data downloads
Jonathan, Sounds like you have found
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Patricia C. (Patty) Becker 248/354-6520
APB Associates/SEMCC FAX 248/354-6645
28300 Franklin Road Home 248/355-2428
Southfield, MI 48034 pbecker(a)umich.edu