Chapter 12 - Step 2: Make a Table

Setting up the Table

In Step 2: DataBasket/Download/MakeATable select the MakeATable button to open the Ferrett Tabulation window. This will be a separate window that can remain open even when you go back to Step 1 or Step 2 to add and manipulate variables. The Ferrett Tabulation window will reflect your changes automatically.

The Ferrett Tabulation instructions popup as your window opens. Select the X to close.

The variables in your databasket are listed to the right of the tabulation grid. Left click on a variable to highlight and hold the mouse key down. The cursor will turn into a hand. Drag the highlighted variable, with your mouse key held down, over to the desired area on the spreadsheet as shown on the animation below. Repeat the process for the second variable.

If you wish to change the variable names on the table simply click on the appropriate cell and edit the text. You may always go back and add more variables to your databasket. (To view the Tabulation animation again, hit the F5 key on your keyboard.)

Once you have question marks ( ? ) in the columns and rows of your table, click on the [GO Get Data] button in the tool bar at the top of the Ferrett Tabulation window. to get numbers or select File > Get Data.

Ferrett Tabulation Tools

This version of DataFerrett has added many enhancements and functions. This section will go through these toolbar buttons and give descriptions of the functions and options.

1. The I button will return the table instruction box seen on first opening the Ferrett Tabulation.
2. The GO Get Data button is to GO Get Data. Selecting this button will replace the question marks (?) with data (numbers).
3. Make a Graph of selected cells on the spreadsheet
4. Certain types of geography will allow you to make a map of selected cells. This button will become active when cells are highlighted that are mappable.
5. With this button you can create a time series of the cell(s) that you have highlighted.
6. This is the Clear Spreadsheet button. It will remove all the variables that you have dropped onto the spreadsheet and you will be able to start the spreadsheet over.
7. For a selected column or row (click into the C# or R#) you will be able to sort, reverse sort, or cancel the sort and return to the normal state.
8. In order to see columns that have exceeded the horizontal view on the spreadsheet, select the Spreadsheet Only button. This works as a toggle (open/return). It will hide the list of variables from the screen.
9. Certain variables will have underlying data records that are available for viewing. Use the View Underlying Records button to see this data.
10. Use the Decimal Format button to format your data into decimal point places or show the data in tens, hundreds, thousands or as code (with no commas). This will apply to columns and/or rows only.
11. The show numbers is the off button for the next series of buttons. Those buttons will show the percent ( % ): of the first data column, of first data row, of first data cell.
12. Mini Movies are short snippets of assorted maneuvers and functions within the DataFerrett

Ferrett Tabulation Menus

FILE

1. You can start a new table.
2. Open a previously saved table.
3. Open a new table to start a new spreadsheet.
4. Save your table's layout, databasket and universe. The default location is TheDataWeb folder that was installed onto your C: drive when you installed DataFerrett. The file that is saved has the extension (dot) .ftf (Ferrett Tabulation File).
5. Save As: save your Ferrett Tabulation as an HTML file, Text Document (tab delimited or Comma delimited), or as the Ferrett Tabulation file format.
6. Get Data from the File drop down menu. Selecting this button replaces the question marks (?) with data (numbers).
7. Debug
8. Print your spreadsheet in portrait or landscape orientation,
9. Print the selected columns, rows or cells.
10. Table Properties will allow you to give all the properties relating to your table. Several are automatically filled.
11. Publish your table in Portable Document Format (.pdf).
12. Selected cells will produce a graph with this option.
13. Certain datasets and selected data cells will produce a map with this option.
14. Selected cells will create a TimeSeries Graph with this option
15. Rename is currently not activated
16. Exit will close the tabulation window

Edit Menu

1. Undo Dropping for the last variable dropped onto the grid.
2. Cut highlighted text.
3. Copy highlighted text.
4. Paste highlighted text.
5. Select All text.
6. Hide a selected row(s) or column(s).
7. Unhide the hidden row(s) or column(s).
8. Clear highlighted cell(s), row(s) or column(s).
9. Delete highlighted cell(s), row(s) or column(s).
10. Insert a blank row or column between a highlighted row or column.
11. Sort highlighted row or column in ascending or descending order or return to original order.
12. Insert column spanners using the column spanner wizard.

Format Menu

1. Format the highlighted type by changing the font, size or style.
2. Use the Decimal option to format your data into decimal point places or show the data in tens, hundreds, thousands or as code (with no commas). This will apply to columns and/or rows only.

View Menu

1. Show the Toolbar or Hide the Toolbar: toggles on or off.
2. Show the Formula Bar: toggles on or off.
3. View Spreadsheet only or spreadsheet and variable list.
4. The Ferrett progress animation can be sized to normal, small or hide. This may be beneficial to users with smaller screen sizes or resolutions.
5. Underlying records will be returned in a separate window with this is available and selected.
6. The rows or columns that are hidden can be viewed as a grayed out version.

Options Menu

1. Automatic Totals are by default inserted when a variable is dropped in the spreadsheet. Uncheck per variable dropping to restrict the automatic totals from appearing in the spreadsheet.
2. Automatic Cross Variable Explosion are inserted by default when a variable is nested and will explode all variables in the column or row with the new dropped variable.
3. List mode will allow for a variable that has the properties of breaking out a variable and instead drop as a list of the values. This is dataset/variable dependent.
4. You can show the average across time by selecting a single cell if you have selected multiple time periods. This is dataset dependent. The variable(s) will have to have been selected with multiple months or years and will correspond to these selected months or years to show the average time.
5. Cumulative works the same was as average across time. You can show the cumulative numbers if you have selecting a single cell and if you have selected multiple time periods. This is dataset dependent. The variable(s) will have to have been selected with multiple months or years and will correspond to these selected months or years to show the cumulative amounts.
6. Weighting is dataset dependent. The weighting for a dataset will automatically include the default weight when the variable is added to the databasket. If the user wishes to use other weights, they will be listed in the topics or as part of the variables returned from a search of variables in Step 1.

Creating New Columns Using Formulas

You can add, subtract, multiply, divide, sum, square root across or down, rank, If, three conditions Greater Than, Less Than and Equal To, compare columns to columns, rows to rows. Highlight a blank column or row by clicking at the R# or C# level.

In the formulas: Refer to rows as R1,R2..etc.
Refer to columns as C1,C2..etc.

There are three types of formulas:

Computational

Computational allows add, subtract, multiply, divide and square root. Simple conditions are allowed for columns or rows.

Here are some examples:

=comp(R2+(R2*R3))
=comp((C2/C3)*100.0)
=sum(C2,C3,C4,C5)

Ranking

Ranking allows nominal value significance of largest to lowest.

=rank(C#)

Simple Conditions =if(C2 > 0,C#,C#)
=if(C2 < 0 ) then C# else C#

DataFerrett computations are also capable of adding missing data, and is shown as [miss1]. It can adding missing data up to 5 instances: (miss1 - miss5) and they have specific values and specific meanings.

This is an example of nesting a variable within another variable. Microdata allows for this function to work.

You are also able to drop a variable(s) above or below a list of variables in the columns or next to a column. Columns and rows can have blanks between to show separation if desired.

Tables may be saved for later usage. Select File > Save As>: to save the file. The variables from the databasket and the layout of spreadsheet will be saved as an .ftf file (Ferrett Table File). The numbers will not be shown when you reopen the table, but the [GO] button will be active. The Table layout may also be saved and opened by clicking on the drop down menu under [File].

Copy the contents of your table from the DataFerrett Spreadsheet into other Spreadsheet Packages (i.e., Excel).

DataFerrett Applet users must install the DataFerrett Policy File in order to save, copy and paste data or create a user policy file.