How Do I Process My Database?

Batch Procesing Overview

Overview

Batch Procesing Steps

Step 1) Upload your database

To begin using the free online batch database point-in-polygon Census intersection tool, you must first upload a database of coordinate data.

This is done by clicking on the Start-Step 1>> button. If you have not yet uploaded your database, clicking "Add New Database" will bring you to the portion of the site where you can upload, validate, share, and download your personal database. Details on uploading and validating your databases are available here.

Example input data files are available here.

This step is shown in the following image:

Supported database formats

Database type File extension

Microsoft Access 2003 and Microsoft Access 97* *.mdb

Microsoft Access 2007 *.accdb

Comma separated values *.csv

Text delimited *.txt

* Access 97 does not support the decimal datatype, so you will run into problems if/when you click on the auto generate button to create output fields in your database. Access 97 users will need to create the output fields before uploading databases for use in the batch processing.

Database fields

The database you upload should include the following fields that contain information about the coordinates you want to get Census variables for:

Required input fields

Field name* Field type Field description

UniqueID Number The unique identifier for the record

Latitude double The latitude of the records

Longitude double The longitude of the records

State Text The state abbreviation address of the records

* These fields can have any name, you will identify them in the third step

In addition to the input fields, your database can also contain existing fields for the Census variables that will be produced after you work with the service. These fields are optional because they can be created for you automatically in the third step.

Optional output fields

Field name* Field type Field description

Census2000Block Text Census 2000 block for the input point

Census2000BlockGroup Text Census 2000 block group for the input point

Census2000Tract Text Census 2000 tract for the input point

Census2000CountyFips Text Census 2000 county fips for the input point

Census2000StateFips Text Census 2000 state fips for the input point

Updated Number Indicates non/processed records

* These fields can have any name, you will identify them in the third step

Step 2) Choose your database and table: After you have uploaded your database you must select the table you want to work on. This is shown in the following image:

Step 3) Identify your database fields: After you have uploaded your database and selected the table you want to work on you have to identify the required input fields in your database. Each of the fields you select from these drop down lists must be unique, meaning that you should only select a column in your database in just one drop down. If you select the same database column in more than one drop down, you will get an error when you try to run your database that says Duplicate output destination 'columnName'.

If your database contains the output fields, you can identify them as well. If not, you can click the Auto Generate button to have the fields created and assigned for you*. This is shown in the following image:

* Access 97 does not support the decimal datatype, so you will run into problems if/when you click on the auto generate button to create output fields in your database. Access 97 users will need to create the output fields before uploading databases for use in the batch processing.

Step 4) Start the process: After you have uploaded your database, selected the table you want to work, and identified and/or created the fields, you finally click the start button to begin processing your database. This is shown in the following image:

Step 5) Review your Census intersection processes

After you click the start button, your process is started and added to the list on next tab as in the figure.

Processes in this list will be in one of four states. Processes which are running can be cancelled, paused and resumed.

Process States

State Description

Running The process is running and parsing/normalizing your database

Completed The process has finished parsing/normalizing your database

Cancelled The process has been cancelled by the user

Aborted The process has aborted because an error occurred

Step 6) Download your processed database: Once your process has been run, you can click on the database name in the processes table to view the results. This brings you to the page shown in the next image from which you can click the download button to save your processed database back to your hard drive.

Batch Procesing Overview

Batch Procesing Steps

How do I process my database?

Supported database formats

Database fields