v26 BMS and Fieldbook v5.6.5 data transfer via file export/import

Owned by Corina Habito
Last updated: 16 Apr, 2024
6 min read

 

About KSU Fieldbook app

KSU Fieldbook is an Android based app that can be installed on tablets and phones. It was developed to work primarily on a tablet, but its performance on phones is very good.

It can be freely downloaded from GooglePlay or from Phenoapp web ( http://phenoapps.org/apps/ ).

Citation : Rife, T.W.and J.A.Poland (2014) Field Book: An Open Source Application for Field Data Collection on Android. Crop Sci.54(4): 1624 – 1627.

Exporting a studybook from BMS in KSU Fieldbook format

The study files in the BMS can be exported and loaded into the KSU Fieldbook App.

  1. Open the trial in the Study Manager.

  2. Click on Actions, go to Data collection options and click on Export study book.

  3. Choose the dataset to work with.

  4. Choose KSU Fieldbook CSV (Or Excel) as export format, choose Data Collection Order and Study Environment/s. Click Export.

  5. The BMS creates a zip folder containing a CSV (or Excel) file for each selected Study Environment, and a TRT file containing variables (traits) definitions.

 

 

 

 

Transferring files to data capture device

Files can be transferred to the Android device via apps like Dropbox, Google Drive, email or manually with a USB cable.

When “Fieldbook” is installed, several folders are created including “field import” and “trait”.

  1. Copy CSV Fieldbook to “field_import” folder on the Android device.

  2. Copy TRT file to the “trait” folder.

 

 

Loading BMS studybook files on KSU Fieldbook App

A particular Environment (Instance) Study Book is known in KSU Fieldbook as Field. 

  1. Launch the KSU Fieldbook App on your Android device.

  2. Click on Fields

  3. Select the study book to work with i.e. the previously imported Fieldbook CSV file. If it is the first time to work in this field, you need to add it by clicking the +  icon (top right corner).

  4. Import field from Local storage. Select the CSV (or Excel) file transferred from BMS in the previous section.

  5. Select OBS_UNIT_ID as Unique identifier. If the experimental design or field layout has Range and Column, select Range as the Primary order, and Column as the Secondary order. Alternatively:

    1. REP_NO as Primary order and PLOT_NO (or Block) as Secondary order, or

    2. PLOT_NO as Primary order and DESIGNATION as Secondary order if there is neither REP nor BLOCK information

 

6. Go back to the main menu, and click on Traits

7. Click on the icon with the 3 dots.

 

8. Delete all traits for a fresh start. Answer ‘Yes’ when asked if you are sure to delete.

9. Click on Import/Export, then Import.

Answer ‘No’ when asked to “Export current trait list?”

 

10. Import traits from Local storage. Select the TRT file describing variables to be recorded in the study.

 

 

Settings

Some useful settings may be enabled to facilitate data collection.

General :: “Move to entry via barcode” to move automatically to the specific observation unit (plot or plant) by clicking on the barcode icon, then scanning the barcode label attached to the plot or plant using the camera of the Android device

 

General :: “Datagrid” for a birds eye view of which observation units in your field already have data or not

 

Sounds :: “Primary order sound” to get an auditive notification when changing observation unit (plot or plant)

KSU Fieldbook App is ready for data capturing. For information on other settings, consult the KSU Fieldbook manual.

 

Data capture

 

Note 1: On the Plot screen you can display two Germplasm descriptors, for example Designation and Cross.

Note 2: TRT file can be common across several studies, also user can always make any trait active or hidden from the KSU Fieldbook App and select the traits to be recorded on a field visit session.

Note 3: The search function on the top enables you to locate all reps of an entry at one time.

Consult the “Fieldbook” Manual for details about the app..

 

Data can be captured in a variety of ways depending on how the trait is measured.

 

 

 

A most useful added trait is the Categorical for note taking where you can have words or phrases that can be picked in a single click.

 

Data export from KSU Fieldbook App

  1. Go back to the main menu, click Export

  2. Export Data from Local

  3. Select Table for “Format”, All imported columns for “Field columns” and Only active traits for “Traits”.

  4. KSU Fieldbook App will suggest a file name, click Save.

  5. Select an application to use for sharing the file (e.g. Dropbox, Google drive, email) and proceed. A copy is saved on the device in "field_export" folder.

 

Tip: user can export audio and photos captured in the field with the KSU Fieldbook App by accessing “plot_data”/trial folder and copying and pasting folders/files.

 

Data upload on BMS

The export file from KSU Fieldbook App can now be uploaded into the BMS.

 

  1. In the BMS, open the study in MANAGE STUDIES.

  2. Click on Actions, Data collection options, then Import Observations.

  3. Specify KSU Fieldbook CSV (Or Excel).

  4. Browse Fieldbook file and click import.

  5. Review imported data. Save or discard imported measurements.

 

More KSU setting tips

Tip1: For taking pictures, you must create a trait in KSU with Photo format, for example "PlotPhoto", "PlantPhoto" and "FruitPhoto".

The picture will be in a file labelled as Plot_ID_Trait name_Sequence number_time stamp, for example:   FH27Py7S9nLGJ_Plant_Image_1_2017-11-29-03-42-51

Tip2: For recording audio notes, you must create a trait with Audio format, for Example "PlotAudioNote".

The audio will be in a file labelled as Plot_ID+Time Stamp, for example:  FH27PZuaX1mcZ 2017-11-23-10-53-05 and stored in the "plot_data" folder of Fieldbook.

Tip3: KSU Fieldbook App allows you to bring on screen scoring diagrams, disease symptoms pictures and other resources that can be helpful when out in the field. Drop these files into the “resources” folder.