Subject Matter Items Files

The Subject Matter Items file (SMF) specifies the subject matter items to be used in the current operation. The SMF is required for ACS and Census operations; it is not used for the Establishments data operations.

The user can create these files using the procedure described below. Alternatively the user can select from one of the predeveloped SMFs included with the installer. Available ACS SMFs include:

Source: api_items_acs_yearmovedinB25026_tenure_units_in_structureB25032_yearbuiltB25034.txt

    api_items_acs_base.txt -- default

    api_items_acs_hsgrentB25056.txt

    api_items_acs_hsgvalueB25075.txt

    api_items_acs_movers_b07204.txt

    api_items_acs_hh_fam_inc.txt

    api_items_acs_age49.txt

 

The default SMF (api_items_acs_base.txt) content is shown below. It is a text file that can be modified with any text editor.

B01001_001E TotPop Total Population

B01001_002E MalePop Male

B01001_026E FemalePop Female

B02001_002E White1 White alone

B02001_003E Black1 Black or African American alone

B02001_004E AIAN1 American Indian and Alaska Native alone

B02001_005E Asian1 Asian alone

B02001_006E NHOPI1 Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone

B02001_007E OtherRace1 Some other race alone

B02001_008E TwoUpRaces Two or more races

B03002_012E Hispanic Hispanic (any race)

B09020_001E Pop65up Population 65 years and over

B11002_001E PopHshlds Population in Households

B11001_001E Households Total Households

B11001_002E Families Family Households

B15002_001E Pop25up Population 25 years and over

B15002_011E HSGradM High school graduate (Male, age 25+)

B15002_028E HSGradF High school graduate (Female, age 25+)

B25003_001E TotHsgUnts Total housing units

B25003_002E OwnOccUnts Owner occupied units

B25003_003E RntOccUnts Renter occupied units

B25002_003E VacUnits Vacant units

B19013_001E MedHHInc Median Household Income

B19113_001E MedFamInc Median Family Income

B25077_001E MedHsgVal Median housing value

B25064_001E MedRent Median gross rent

 

Creating a Subject Matter Items File

    At least one subject matter item is required.

    The subject matter item starts in column 1.

    The subject matter item value must be the exact subject matter item as described in the Census API

   .. unless not a Census-sourced item.

   .. 2019 ACS Detailed Tables Variables provides a list of these items.

    As an example, note that the item B01001_001E as shown above is shown in the above web page in the name column.

 

Note that SMFs are named in the manner "api_items_ ..." and located in the execution folder (c:\dede). This is not required but makes the documentation compatible and file management easier.

 

Create an SMF using for Vacancy by Type

One question might be what are the variable names for Vacancy Status

While the above link can be used to obtain that answer, here is an alternative:

More general details are explained elsewhere.

With DEDE running, enter this query in the ACS Metadata Query edit box:

 table='1' .and. at('VACANCY',stub)>0

The click the View ACS Metadata button. The Grid refreshes with the metadata.

The query says .. show only table titles (table='1' )

 and only those rows where the description contains the characters VACANCY (at('VACANCY',stub)>0)

This graphic illustrates the query result:

The preferred table might be BB25004.

Replace the query with "at('B25004',tableid)>0" (no quotes) and click View ACS Metadata Query

.. the grid now shows all items in table B25004.

copy these items from the grid and paste into empty notepad (notepad++ preferred) file:

B25004_001 Total:

B25004_002 For rent

B25004_003 Rented, not occupied

B25004_004 For sale only

B25004_005 Sold, not occupied

B25004_006 For seasonal, recreational, or occasional use

B25004_007 For migrant workers

B25004_008 Other vacant (make sure the tab is removed)

now edit this list to show (note total population has been added):

B01001_001E TotPop Total Population

B25004_001E VacUnits Vacant Housing Units

B25004_002E Vforrent For rent

B25004_003E VRntdunocc Rented, not occupied

B25004_004E Vforsale For sale only

B25004_005E VSoldunocc Sold, not occupied

B25004_006E Voccuse For seasonal, recreational, or occasional use

B25004_007E Vmigwkr For migrant workers

B25004_008E Vother Other vacant

Save this file as c:\dede\api_items_acs_vacancystatus

Click Close button to close metadata grid.

With DEDE running, open this SMF and click start.

The table displays for California tracts.

Click Filter Output button ... discuss.