ACASI: Operations

Under Options|Build ACASI Operations, you can refine input and file saving settings. The following options can be modified for ACASI applications (the grayed out option is only applicable to CAPI):

ACASI Build Options: Operations

Tip: It is generally best to always use the Hide disallowed buttons, Save interviews without prompting, and Exit password options. To have each interview saved in its own file, use the Generate unique data file for each interview option. Use Pause between screens to shorten the time between screens for testing and review. Use Restrict use of "Refuse to Answer" to hide this button unless activated by staff.

  • Support keyboard input: Specify whether to allow keyboard input. By default, this box is not checked for ACASI interviews (requiring input using a mouse or touchscreen). This option is overridden (i.e., keyboard support is always enabled) for items with the keyboard support option checked on the response set tab and elements with No Audio entered for the audio filename.
  • Restrict "Refuse to Answer": Check this box to disable the Refuse to Answer button for all questions during an ACASI interview. The button can be re-enabled by simultaneously clicking the left and right mouse buttons in the upper right corner of the ACASI screen. If using a touch enabled tablet, press and hold in the upper right corner of ACASI. Default setting is not checked.
  • Hide disallowed buttons: Check this box to hide buttons for disallowed special codes (i.e., Don’t Know, Refuse to Answer, or Not Applicable). If this option is not checked, buttons for disallowed codes will appear grayed out (i.e., not enabled). Default setting is not checked.
  • Replace entered values: Leave this box checked to replace previously entered values with a skip code if a response is changed that triggers a new skip pattern. When a response is changed, it can affect subsequent branching paths and may cause previously answered items to be skipped. Uncheck this box to retain prior values. The default setting is to replace previously entered values. This setting will be overridden by settings on individual Skip Elements.
  • Disallow resumption: Check this box to prohibit access to completed interviews. Interrupted (incomplete) interviews can still be resumed, but once an interview has been completed, the user will not be able to reopen it using the ACASI program.
  • Disallow Interviewer Comments: Check this box to disable Interviewer Comments during an ACASI interview.
  • Save interviews without prompting: Check this box to have ACASI automatically save the current interview without asking the user if they wish to save. When this box is unchecked (default), ACASI will issue the “Do you want to save the data for this interview?” dialog box at the end of an interview. If an exit password has been defined, the user will still see the password dialog box at the end of the interview. Once the correct password is entered, the program will automatically save the interview when the box is checked.
  • Automatically load default keyboard layout for associated language: When checked, ACASI will automatically activate the keyboard layout or IME that has been defined for the survey language in Windows’ Control Panel Regional and Language Options settings; the IME toolbar is also visible. Default is unchecked.
  • Format dates, times, and numbers according to associated language: Check this box to have ACASI format these response types according to the survey language instead of the system locale. See System Language Settings.
  • Generate unique data file for each interview: When checked, 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. See Saving ACASI Interviews.
  • Calculate Automatic Variables When Skipped: When this option is unchecked (default setting), an Automatic Variable that is skipped over via a branching instruction, Skip Edit, or Edit Element will be set to empty (NULL) or, if previously calculated, will retain the previous value unchanged. When this option is checked, ACASI will calculate a value for Automatic Variables that are skipped over; if the variable had been calculated previously, the original value will be replaced. See Calculating Skipped Automatic Variables.
  • Pause between screens: This option determines the length of time a Data Element will remain on screen after a response has been entered (default=500 milliseconds). If zero is entered, the screen may be cleared before the interviewer has time to verify the value entered.
  • Exit password: To prevent a respondent from exiting an ACASI interview and working with other applications on the computer, enter a password in this option box that will be prompted for and required before the interview can be terminated. See Saving ACASI Interviews.