Key Statistics for wards CD Frequently Asked Questions
These Frequently Asked Questions are intended to assist you when using the Key Statistics for wards in England and Wales Census CD released in June 2003. If your query is not resolved, contact details are provided below.
Users are advised to regularly review these Frequently Asked Questions which will be updated with details of any new issues as they become known.
Getting started How do I start using the CD?
Put the CD in your CD drive. It will start up automatically and you will be presented with a screen that asks you to either accept or decline the ONS conditions of supply. Before registering your acceptance, it is recommended that you click on the link to the Read Me (6kb) file that is just above the 'DECLINE' and 'ACCEPT' options, and available here. Within this Read Me file is The Guide to Getting Started. You are advised to read this thoroughly and follow the instructions closely before trying to use the CD.
Do I have to install the contents of the CD on my computer?
No, much of the contents can be accessed with the CD in the CD drive and with no software installed from the CD. However, you will need to install some software to access all the data and get the maximum from the CD. If you are connected to a network you may need to seek the assistance of your network administrator to install SuperTABLE and Adobe Acrobat. When you put the CD in your CD drive, the first screen that you see shows you the conditions of supply, a link to a Read Me (6kb) file which provides a guide to installing the software, and provides you with the options to either accept or decline the conditions. If you accept the conditions, a second screen will appear which provides you with options to install.
Conditions of supply Why am I frequently asked to accept the conditions of supply when I have already done so after first putting the CD in my disk drive?
This will occur if you are using the CD in your CD drive and have not chosen to install the contents of the CD on your PC. ONS cannot control the use and possession of the CD and this procedure ensures that the content of the CD is never viewed without the conditions of supply having been accepted. If you opt to install the contents of the CD on to your computer you will not be asked to accept the conditions again.
Installation I am encountering issues when attempting to install and use SuperTABLE. For example, either error messages appear at installation or, once installed using an administrator's account, users cannot start the application when they logon and have insufficient authority to access the appropriate folders. Can ONS help?
There are a number of reasons why an install of SuperTABLE may fail or prove difficult, and administration privileges applied to PCs can impede installation. Unfortunately ONS is unable to provide technical support regarding the installation of SuperTABLE, but further information can be found at the manufacturer's website in pages such as HERE or by contacting support@str.com.au. Note that ONS has been informed by one customer that McAfee anti-virus software would not accept SuperTABLE. Disabling the virus check enabled them to install successfully.
Loading data into databases The data on the CD is in HTML and SuperTABLE formats and neither of these are suitable for loading into a database. In addition, the Save as CSV option does not produce a comma separated file that I can use for this purpose. Is the data available in other formats?
All the tables on the CD are available in a csv format specifically designed by ONS for loading into database systems, and can be obtained free of charge by contacting Census Customer Services (contact details below).
I have received the CSV data from ONS and it includes area codes in the file. I need to know the names of these areas.
Information about names and codes can be found on the National Statistics website HERE, and later versions of the CSV CD will contain a look up file of areas and names.
How do I view the Census results?
Put the CD in your CD drive. It will start up automatically and you will be presented with a screen that asks you to either accept or decline the Census conditions of supply. Before accepting, it is recommended that you click on the link to the Read Me (6kb) file that is just above the 'DECLINE' and 'ACCEPT' options, and available here.
On acceptance of the conditions you may then choose to either browse the data or install the product from the CD on to a computer or network.
When you use the product, a screen is available which enables you to select Census tables for local authorities using either a list of these areas or navigation by maps. Detailed instructions are provide on the CD. On selection, a table will appear within a window in your browser. This window will display the data for the area you selected, along with neighbouring areas.
There are no wards shown on the 'List View' and 'Map View' options. How do I find results for them?
Results for wards in England and Wales are available in SuperTABLE files. You can find the results you want by choosing a SuperTABLE file and scrolling down the list of areas in the first column. Government Office Regions and local authorities appear in the same order as in the list view on the CD, and wards can be found listed beneath the local authority to which they belong.
How do I find out what tables are on this CD, and what topics are covered?
A facility to browse the topics and table titles is provided in the product, and the titles can be listed according to summary classifications or in table number order. Table titles are also provided on the main table selection screens.
How do I find an area?
The CD enables you to select results (expressed as percentages) for all local authorities from a list or from maps. Detailed instructions are on the CD. To expand the list of areas, click on the red crosses to the right of the area name. The maps can be navigated by selecting those area names that are underlined in the map view. This requires some familiarity with the area being sought. In addition therefore, a search facility enables you to quickly find results for areas with which you may not be familiar. The CD presents results for the same areas and wards (expressed as counts) in SuperTABLE files, and these areas can be selected from a list within each SuperTABLE file.
Using SuperTABLE How do I manipulate or download the Census results?
When you use the CD, a screen is available which enables you to select Census tables for local authorities using either a list of these areas or navigation by maps. Detailed instructions are provided on the CD. On selection, a table will appear within a window in your browser. This window will display the data for the area you selected, along with neighbouring areas. On this screen there is an option to 'manipulate or download data'. To use this option you must first have installed SuperTABLE, and instructions for doing so are provided in the Read Me (6kb) file which can be accessed from the screen displayed after the CD is put into the CD drive, and is available here. The SuperTABLE files contain results for the areas that appear in the lists and maps, and also for wards.
How do I get the results from SuperTABLE into Excel?
Choose the table of interest and select the option "manipulate or download data" to open the SuperTABLE file. You can transfer this data into Excel in two ways. Firstly you can use the File/Save as menu commands, and specify Save as type Excel (.XLS) with an appropriate file name. This will create an Excel file containing all the data in the SuperTABLE file. Alternatively, use the Edit/Select All then Edit/Copy menu commands in SuperTABLE, switch to an open Excel workbook and select Edit/Paste.
Why does nothing happen when I click on the icon that offers to let me 'manipulate or download data'?
To use this facility of the CD you must first have installed some software called 'SuperTABLE', which is available on the CD. Advice on installing SuperTABLE is available in the Read Me (6kb text file) file, a link to which can be found just above the 'DECLINE' and 'ACCEPT' options in the screen displaying the conditions of supply, and which is available here. (If you are uncertain that you can find the screen that displays the conditions of supply, remove the CD from the CD drive and put it back in. This will cause the screen to be redisplayed automatically. Accept the conditions, and then select the installation option).
If you have already installed SuperTABLE it is possible that the install has not fully completed. This can be easily resolved by opening up SuperTABLE and then closing it. Details of how to carry out this simple procedure are in the Read Me (6kb text file) file, available here.
How do I use SuperTABLE?
A Census specific tutorial is available from the Help option within the SuperTABLE application.
How do I return back to the original screen showing results after downloading or manipulating data using SuperTABLE?
SuperTABLE is a stand alone application and there is no facility within it to return to the browser you used to view the CD. Closing or minimising SuperTABLE will return you to your browser.
Using maps How do I view a reference map?
When you browse the CD, a screen is available which enables you to select Census tables for local authorities. On selection, a table will appear within a window in your browser. This window will display the data for the area you selected, along with neighbouring areas. On this screen there is an option to click an icon enabling boundary maps to be viewed. On selection, a screen appears with options to use SuperTABLE, or view maps as PDF files, or view maps on the web via the Neighbourhood Statistics Service on the National Statistics website. To use the PDF option you must first have installed Adobe Acrobat, and it is recommended that you use the version provided on this CD. Instructions for installation are provided in the Read Me (6kb text file) file which can be accessed from the screen displayed after the CD is put into the CD drive, and here. All areas shown in the table are presented on the associated map, and as the table and the map appear in the same window you can toggle between the two screens (using Back and Forward buttons) to compare results and locations of these areas. If you wish to view maps for other areas, such as wards, please select the option to use the Neighbourhood Statistics Service on the National Statistics website.
Why does the PDF map appear discoloured or incomplete?
It is recommended that you install Adobe Acrobat from the CD. If you have another version on your computer it may not be compatible with the map files on the CD.
Why, when I close a PDF map after viewing it, does the screen showing the associated Census results close as well?
The map appears in the same window as the Census results, so in closing the map you have also closed the results. Rather than close the screen, use the Back and Forward buttons on your browser to toggle between the two. This will enable you to view results for your selected area and its neighbouring areas, and also locate these areas on the map.
General I think that I have found some errors on the CD, how do I confirm this and find out if they have been corrected?
It is possible that some errors have been discovered on the CD since it was published. Any such errors will be noted in the Census product error log available HERE which is regularly updated. As well as explaining any errors, the log contains details of how the error has been corrected; how the corrected information can be obtained; and, where applicable, links to further information If the error log does not list the specific error you have found, please contact Census Customer Services using the contact details listed below.
Contact Details National Statistics Customer Enquiry Centre
Government Buildings
Cardiff Road
Newport NP10 8XG
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