What's New in the CVS-EEP Entry Tool

1. What's New in theCVS-EEP Entry Tool This document points out some the new features and improvements we've made in recent versions. version 2.2.5 by Michael Lee May 22, 2008 Don't have a copy of the tool? Get it here: http://cvs.bio.unc.edu/methods.htm

2. Download data when you need it • The Entry Tool is designed to support a wide variety of plots, from level 1 to 5. • Some information, such as the list of community types or soil taxa, are not commonly used at all levels. • These data have been removed from the entry tool to decrease its file size, but can be downloaded from our server if needed…

3. Downloading Data • From the Main Menu | Extras, click the "download data" button. • Click "download" next to any type of data you want to add. • If the download doesn't connect (internet or firewall issues), you will be prompted to download the data manually, unzip and save it in the same folder as the entry tool, and import it.

4. A stem isn't planted after all • Sometimes stems are added in the Planted Stems Form, but later someone determines that it should be included as a natural stem instead. • Previously, you had to delete this stem and add it in the Natural Stems Form. • Now, you can change a stem to "natural" with a couple of clicks….

5. A planted, no wait, a natural stem! • At the bottom of the Planted Stems Form, click the button: Change stems to "natural" or undo • A new green box appears with "N" for natural stems and "P" for planted. Double-click on the "P" to change the stem from planted to natural. Double-click the "N" to return the stem to a planted stem. • Click the button at the bottom of the screen again to change all stems on the plot to natural or to planted (you'll be prompted to confirm that). • Natural stems will still be shown on the Planted Stems Form, with the flag "Natural STEM: NOT PLANTED" and will not be included in planted stem density in Excel reports or when printing monitoring reports.

6. New Fields • For each project, you should specify whether the project code came from EEP or CVS. • You may specify a reach name for each plot on the Plot Form. • On level-4 plots and higher, you should specify whether stems were: a) not sampled, b) present (and sampled), or c) absent.

7. New Field Form • There is a new "hybrid" field form that allows entering planted and natural stems on the same piece of paper. • This prevents flipping pages back and forth as you record stems. • Download this form as a PDF file on the CVS website: http://cvs.bio.unc.edu/methods.htm

8. Adding new people (parties) • Adding new people in the Plot Form is now much simpler. • Type a person's name; they are added, without confirmation messages. • Click the new message at the top of the form to edit all new people and/or delete any. • If you added a person accidentally, first change the name on the Plot Form, then click the message and delete them in the Party Form. • Press the blue x to close the message.

9. Bug fixes and minor updates • Fixed errors in calculation of stem density when reports are written to Excel.* • Fixed stability issues with Access 2007 and the tool alerts you about remaining potential problems. • More on Access 2007 and the Entry Tool:http://cvs.bio.unc.edu/protocol/entry-tool-doc/entry-tool-access2007.html • More logical error checking. • Pressing tab skips a field? Now, you can use Ctrl-tab to move to that field (e.g., unknown sp. note, sub-seedling, sub-sapling). *Thanks to J.O.