PART FIVE - USING THE DATA © 2002 by CRC Press LLC CHAPTER 18 DATA SELECTION An important key to successful use of an EDMS is to allow users to easily find the data they need. There are two ways for the software to assist the user with data selection: text-based and graphical. With text-based queries, the user describes the data to be retrieved using words, generally in the query language of the software. Graphical queries involve selecting data from a graphical display such as a graph or a map. Query-by-form is a hybrid technique that uses a graphical interface to make text-based selections. TEXT-BASED QUERIES There are two types of text-based queries: canned and ad hoc. The trade-off is ease of use vs. flexibility. Canned queries Canned queries are procedures where the query is prepared ahead of time, and the retrieval is done the same way each time. An example would be a specific report for management or regulators, which is routinely generated from a menu selection screen. The advantage of canned selections is that they can be made very easy to use since they involve a minimum of choices for the user. The goal of this process is to make it easy to quickly generate the output that will be required most of the time by most of the users. The EDMS should make it easy to add new canned queries, and to connect to external data selection tools if required. Figure 85 shows an example of a screen from Access from which users can select pre-made queries. The different icons next to the queries represent the different query types, including select, insert, update, and delete. The user can execute a query by double-clicking on it. Queries that modify data (action queries), such as insert, update, and delete, display a warning dialog box before performing the action. Other than with the icons, this screen does not separate selection queries from action queries, which results in some risk in the hands of inexperienced or careless users. © 2002 by CRC Press LLC Figure 85 - Access database window showing the Queries tab Ad hoc queries Sometimes it is necessary to generate output with a format or data content that was not anticipated in the system design. Text selections of this type are called ad hoc queries (“ad hoc” is a Latin term meaning “for this”). These are queries that are created when they are needed for a particular use. This type of selection is more difficult to provide the user, especially the casual user, in a way that they can comfortably use. It usually requires that users have a good understanding of the structure and content of the database, as well as a medium to high level of expertise in using the software, in order to perform ad hoc text-based queries. The data model should be included with the system documentation to assist them in doing this. Unfortunately, ad hoc queries also expose a high level of risk that the data retrieved may not be valid. For example, the user may not include the units for analyses, and the database may contain different units for a single parameter sampled at different times. The data retrieved will be invalid if the units are assumed to be the same, and there is no visible indication of the problem. This is particularly dangerous when the user is not seeing the result of the query directly, but using the data indirectly to generate some other result such as statistics or a contour map. In general, it is desirable to formalize and add to the menu as wide a variety of correctly formatted retrievals as possible. Then casual users are likely to get valid results, and “power users” can use the ad hoc queries only as necessary. Figure 86 shows an example of creation of an ad hoc text-based query. The user has created a new query, selected the tables for display, dragged the fields from the tables to the grid, and entered selection criteria. In this case, the user has asked for all “Sulfate” results for the site “Rad Industries” where the value is > 1000. Access has translated this into SQL, which is shown in the second panel, and the user can toggle between the two. The third panel shows the query in datasheet view, which displays the selected data. The design and SQL views contain the same information, although in Access it is possible to write a query, such as a union query, that can’t be displayed in design view and must be shown in SQL. Some advanced users prefer to type in the SQL rather than use design view, but even for them the drag and drop can save typing and minimize errors. © 2002 by CRC Press LLC Figure 86 - A text-based query in design, SQL, and datasheet views GRAPHICAL SELECTION A second selection type is graphical selection. In this case, the user generates a graphical display, such as a map, of a given site, selects the stations (monitoring wells, borings, etc.), then retrieves associated analytical data from the database. © 2002 by CRC Press LLC Figure 87 - Interactive graphical data selection Figure 88 - Editing a well selected graphically © 2002 by CRC Press LLC Figure 89 - Batch-mode graphical data selection Geographic Information System (GIS) programs such as ArcView, MapInfo, and Enviro Spase provide various types of graphical selection capability. Some map add-ins that can be integrated with database management and other programs, such as MapObjects and GeoObjects, also offer this feature. There are two ways of graphically selecting data, interactive and batch. In Figure 87 the user has opened a map window and a list window showing a site and some monitoring wells. The user then double-clicked on one of the wells on the map, and the list window scrolled to show some additional information on the well. In Figure 88 a well was selected graphically, then the user called up an editing screen to view and possibly change data for that well. The capability of working with data in its spatial context can be a valuable addition to an EDMS. In Figure 89 the user wanted to work with wells in or near two ponds. The user dragged a rectangle to select a group of wells, and then individually selected another. Then the user asked the software to create a list of information about those wells, which is shown on the bottom part of the screen. In this case the spatial component was a critical part of the selection process. Selection based on distance from a point can also be valuable. The point can be a specific object, such as a well, or any other location on the ground, such as a proposed construction location. The GIS can help you perform these selections. Other types of graphical selection include selection from graphs and selections from cross sections. Some graphics and statistics programs allow you to create a graph, and then click on a point on the graph and bring up information about that point, which may represent a station, sample, or analysis. GIS programs that support cross section displays can provide a similar feature where a user can click on a soil boring in a cross section, and then call up data from that boring, or a specific sample for that boring. © 2002 by CRC Press LLC Figure 90 - Example of query-by-form QUERY-BY-FORM A technique that works well for systems with a variety of different user skill levels is query- by-form, or QBF. In this technique, a form is presented to the user with fields for some of the data elements that are most likely to be used for selection. The user can fill out as many of the fields as needed to select the subset that the user is interested in. The software then creates a query based on the selection criteria. This query can then be used as the basis for a variety of different lists, reports, graphs, maps, or file exports. Figure 90 shows an example of this method. © 2002 by CRC Press LLC Figure 91 - Query-by-form screen showing selection criteria for different data levels In this example, the user has selected Analyses in the upper right corner. Along the left side the user selected “Rad Industries” as the site, and “MW-1” as the station name. In the center of the screen, the user has selected a sample date range of greater than 1/1/1985, and “Sulfate” as the parameter. The lower left of the screen indicates that there are 16 records that match these criteria, meaning that there are 16 sulfate measurements for this well for this time period. When the user selected List, the form at the bottom of the screen was displayed showing the results. To be effective, the form for querying should represent the data model, but in a way that feels comfortable to the user. Also, the screen should allow the user to see the selection options available. Figure 91 shows four different versions of a screen allowing users to make selections at four different levels of the data hierarchy. The more defined the data model, the easier it is to provide advanced user-friendly selection. The Access query editor is very flexible, and will work with any tables and fields that might be in the database. However, the user has to know the values to enter into the selection criteria. If the fields are well defined and won’t change, then a screen like that shown in Figures 90 and 91 can provide selection lists to select values from. Figure 92 shows an example of a screen showing the user a list of parameter names to choose from. © 2002 by CRC Press LLC Figure 92 - Query-by-form screen showing data choices One final point to be emphasized is the reliance of data quality on good selection practices. This was discussed above and in Chapter 15. Improper selection and display can result in data that is easy to misinterpret. Great care must be taken in system design, implementation, and user training so that the data retrieved accurately represents the answer to the question the user intended to ask. © 2002 by CRC Press LLC CHAPTER 19 REPORTING AND DISPLAY It takes a lot of work to build a good database. Because of this, it makes sense to get as much benefit from the data as possible. This means providing data in formats that are useful to as many aspects of the project as possible, and printed reports and other displays are one of the primary output goals of most data management projects. This chapter covers a variety of issues for reports and other displays. Graph displays are described in Chapter 20. Cross sections are discussed in Chapter 21, and maps and GIS displays in Chapter 22. Chapter 23 covers statistical analysis and display, and using the EDMS as a data source for other programs is described in Chapter 24. TEXT OUTPUT Whether the user has performed a canned or ad hoc query, the desired result might be a tabular display. This display can be viewed on the screen, printed, saved to a file, or copied to the clipboard for use in other applications. Figure 93 is an example of this type of display. This is the most basic type of retrieval. This is considered unformatted output, meaning that the data is there, but there is no particular presentation associated with it. Figure 93 - Tabular display of output from the selection screen © 2002 by CRC Press LLC [...]... 3 15 270 90 0 2 4 6 2 25 8 45 270 90 10 0 1 35 10 20 30 2 25 40 1 35 180 180 Rose diagram Polar plot 0 60 1 0.8 0.2 Lit hic s 0.6 0.4 r pa lds Fe 40 0.4 0.6 20 0.2 0.8 1 0 0 7 B-6 B 5 B3 B-2 B 1 -1 W M -1 0 W M -8 W M -7 W M -6 W M -5 W M -3 W M -2 W M -1 W M 0 0.2 0.4 Box plot Quarz 0.6 0.8 1 Trilinear plot Figure 108 - Examples of several graph types created with Grapher from Golden Software Cation Concentration... 3/23/90 12/ 15/ 8 9/16/87 Stacked area graph Figure 107 - Examples of several graph types created with Microsoft Excel © 2002 by CRC Press LLC 5/ 21/86 11/13/8 7/ 15/ 83 4/27/82 0 2/26/81 11/2/93 200 8 /5/ 92 6/19/91 400 3/23/90 12/ 15/ 88 9/16/87 5/ 21/86 11/13/84 Sulfate 7/ 15/ 83 4/27/82 2/26/81 4/27/82 2/26/81 11/21/ 85 5/13/ 85 9/14/84 2/8/84 7/ 15/ 83 1/18/83 7/20/82 1/27/82 6/19/81 0 2/26/81 0 0 0 3 15 45 3 15 270... 400 5/ 18/94 5/ 19/93 5/ 12/92 6/4/90 6/19/91 6/21/89 5/ 31/88 5/ 26/87 5/ 21/86 2/8/84 5/ 13/ 85 1/18/83 200 1/27/82 400 0 2/26/81 200 0 0 100 200 Line (time sequence) graph 300 400 50 0 600 X-Y scatter plot 1600 1600 1400 1400 1200 1200 1000 1000 Sodium 800 800 Sulfate 600 Scatter plot with lines showing change with time 5/ 18/94 5/ 19/93 5/ 12/92 600 6/4/90 50 0 6/19/91 400 6/21/89 300 5/ 31/88 200 5/ 26/87 100 5/ 21/86... explanations of the data on the graphic itself Label important events in the data Show data variation, not design variation In time-series displays of money, deflated and standardized units of monetary measurement are nearly always better than nominal units The number of information-carrying (variable) dimensions depicted should not exceed the number of dimensions in the data Graphics must not quote data out of. .. this type of interactive display The software is showing the environmental data in a TreeView display This display, which is similar to the Windows Explorer display, shows sites at the highest level, then stations, samples, and analyses At each level, the most pertinent data is displayed This type of display lets the user “drill down” to find a particular result quickly, even in a large database ©... similar area-based studies Figure 1 15 - Example of the Four-Color Problem in graph theory © 2002 by CRC Press LLC CHAPTER 21 CROSS SECTIONS, FENCE DIAGRAMS, AND 3-D DISPLAYS Environmental data, and geologic data in general, is inherently three dimensional A number of graphical tools have been developed to assist with visualizing the 3-D configuration and relationships contained in the data These range... feature to turn the display of the time on and off as appropriate for the data being displayed Reports can be formatted to display the date and time field in different fields if desired © 2002 by CRC Press LLC MW-1 2/26/1981 MW-1 4/20/1981 Field pH s.u 7.8 Iron (Ferrous) mg/l 0. 35 Nitrate mg/l 1.7 Potassium mg/l 6.9 Sulfate DW 400 mg/l 1 255 Reg Limits: DW - Federal drinking water standards 7.9 0.10 bj... limits, and takes 1 .5 seconds In data management (as in most everything else) nothing is free INTERACTIVE OUTPUT In the past, nearly all of the focus of data management has been on generating printed reports As data management software evolves, it is now becoming possible to work interactively with the data in ways that before were either not possible or not time-effective Figure 1 05 shows an example of. .. spatial relationships at the site © 2002 by CRC Press LLC Figure 122 - Block diagram created automatically from relational data BLOCK DIAGRAMS AND 3-D DISPLAYS Another type of three-dimensional display is the block diagram Block diagrams can be made from two- or three-dimensional grid models of a particular volume of rock Some block diagram software allows certain stratigraphic or lithologic units to be... thousand words In many situations, presenting data in a graphical display makes the information much more understandable A well-designed graph of the data in a table can be many times more informative than the table alone This chapter and the next two describe and show a variety of graphic displays that can be used to present environmental data This chapter discusses traditional graphs Other graphic displays, . many aspects of the project as possible, and printed reports and other displays are one of the primary output goals of most data management projects. This chapter covers a variety of issues for reports and. possible or not time-effective. Figure 1 05 shows an example of this type of interactive display. The software is showing the environmental data in a TreeView display. This display, which is similar. units The issue of date and time formatting is related to the way that the data management software stores dates and times, and how you want them displayed. For example, Access combines dates and times