ACASI Data Files

Every time you conduct an ACASI interview, QDS automatically creates a data file and a log file (*.LOG). The log file contains interviewer comments, if any were entered. If no comments were entered, the file will be empty. An .RTF summary report file will be created if the summary reports option was enabled under ACASI Build Options, Summary Report.

ACASI will save data files in one of two ways, depending upon ACASI Build Options, Operation settings:

  1. Non-unique data files (default setting)
  2. Unique data file for each interview: When this option is checked on the ACASI Build Options, Operation tab, each ACASI interview is saved in a separate .QAD file. The filename format is: <control-file-name> <identifier variables> <date> <time>.QAD, where <date> contains current date in short format based on user locale, e.g. mm_dd_yyyy if system locale is English (US) and <time> contains current time using 24-hour clock.

For both methods, data, report and log files are always saved into the same folder where the control file resides. Data files are brought into the QDS Warehouse Manager Module for further processing and export. See ACASI Control File Locations for tips on where to maintain your control files.

Non-unique Data Files

ACASI data files are always saved into the same folder as your control file with an extension of .QAD. Data collection will work as follows:

  1. You have a control file “C:\My Documents\UserName\Research Folder\Questionnaire En ACASI.QPI”.
  2. Following the first interview your saved data file will be “C:\My Documents\UserName\Research Folder\Questionnaire En ACASI.QAD”.
  3. The next time you conduct an ACASI interview with the “Questionnaire En ACASI.QPI” control file, QDS will check to see if a data file with the corresponding filename already exists:
  4. If the file already exists (“C:\My Documents\UserName\Research Folder\Questionnaire En ACASI.QAD”), the new interview will be appended to the end of the existing data file.
  5. If the file does not exist, a new data file (named “C:\My Documents\UserName\Research Folder\ Questionnaire En ACASI.QAD”) will be started.

Unique Data Files

ACASI data saved as unique data files for each interview are also saved into the same folder as your control file with an extension of .QAD. Data collection will work as follows:

  1. You have a control file “C:\My Documents\UserName\Research Folder\Questionnaire En ACASI.QPI” with the build option “Generate unique data file for each interview” selected.
  2. For example, an interview for ID number 36 conducted on May 26, 2016 at 17:43:53 will be saved as “C:\My Documents\UserName\Research Folder\Questionnaire En ACASI 36 5_26_2016 17_43_53.QAD”.
  3. The next interview for ID number 37 conducted on May 26, 2016 at 18:01:30 will be saved as “C:\My Documents\UserName\Research Folder\Questionnaire En ACASI 37 5_26_2016 18_01_30.QAD”.

ACASI Files and Extensions

There are multiple types of files related to and created by the ACASI module.

Tip: Having file extensions turned on in your Windows operating system is the best way to quickly distinguish different file types. For example, data files can be distinguished from report files by looking at the file extension. ACASI data files end with the .QAD extension; ACASI report files end with the .RTF extension.

ACASI Module

QSI.EXE

ACASI Control File *.QSI
ACASI Data File *.QAD
ACASI Data File (using Key Encryption) *.QED
ACASI Summary Report Files *.RTF
ACASI Custom Report File *.RTF

ACASI Log File (Interviewer Comments )

*.LOG