Building an ACASI Control File

The ACASI control fileClosedA Control File translates your design specifications into commands that the Data Entry, CAPI, ACASI, or Web module uses to administer or collect data during interviews or data entry. is used by the ACASI Data Collection Module to administer an ACASI interview or form. Staff do not need access to the Specifications File of the Design Studio to conduct interviews.

Create an ACASI Control File

  1. Select Build|ACASI Application.

Design Studio Build|ACASI Application menu selection

  1. In the Save In drop-down box, select the folder where you want the control file saved.
  2. In the File name box, enter the filename. (The default is the Specifications filename + En ACASI.QSI.)
  3. Click on the Options button in the lower right corner to refine settings for your application (Alternatively, options may be set under Options|Build from the main menu).
  4. Click Save.
  5. A dialog box will pop up: "A Script File has been produced. Would you like to open the RTF document now?" Click Yes to view the Audio Script file. Click No to continue.
  6. You will be prompted: "The requested product has been built. Would you like to try out the control file now?"

Prompt: "The requested product has been built. Would you like to try out the control file now?"

  1. Click Yes to try out your ACASI Application. Click No to return to the Design Studio. Note: If a Read password has been defined in the Design Studio, you will need to add it before conducting an interview (see Adding Passwords).
  2. If you select Yes, QDS will launch the ACASI program and go to the first screen of the interview.

Tip: A copy of the ACASI control file (*.QSI) must reside on each interview computer, which will need to have the ACASI Data Collection Module installed.

ACASI Control File Locations

Because ACASI data files are always saved into the same folder where the ACASI control file resides (see ACASI Data Files), they should always reside in a user document area, where you have full Read and Write access.

They should not be located in a Windows protected folder, such as "Program Files". Windows 7, 8, and 10 do not allow QDS to save user files in those locations and will automatically move them to your user account's virtual directory.

It is also preferable to not have them reside on a network or other type of external drive; if the connection is interrupted this could cause the interview to the terminated incorrectly. In some instances, the data file could become corrupted (see Causes and Recovery of Corrupted CAPI Data Files). The causes are identical to those for CAPI data files.

If you wish to launch your survey from the desktop, it is better to create a Windows shortcut than to save your control file directly on the desktop.