Working with Codes

Modifying the Length of a Coded Segment

Select the quotation by clicking on the quotation bar or code in the margin area and move the handle in form of a little orange circles to the right, to the left, or up or down, depending on whether you want to shorten or lengthen the quotation.

Modifying the length of a quotation

Removing a Coding

This option is the reverse function of coding. It removes the links between codes and quotations. Unlike the delete function, neither codes nor quotations are removed; only the association between the code and the quotation is removed.

Removing a Coding in the Margin Area

Right-click on the code in the margin area and select the option Unlink from the context menu.

Removing a Coding in the Coding Dialogue

The ATLAS.to Coding Dialogue

Double-click on quotation in the margin area. This opens the Coding Dialogue. Click on Applied Codes to quickly see which codes have been applied to the quotation. Click on the button with the minus (-) to remove a code.

Applied Codes

Replacing a Code via Drag & Drop

If you want to replace a code that is linked to a data segment, you can drag and drop another code from either the Project Explorer, Code Browser, or the Code Manager on top of it.

Adding, Changing and Removing Code Color

Modify Code Color

To change the code color, select one or multiple codes in the Code Manager and click on the Change Color button in the Code tab. Select one of the offered colors.

To remove code color, select one or multiple codes in the Code Manager, click on the Change Color button in the Code tab and click on Remove color.

Code color can also be modified in a network. See Further Options in Networks.

Renaming a Code

Right-click on a code in the margin area and select the Rename option from the context menu.

Renaming a code

Other places where you can rename a code are:

In the Project Explorer, the Code Browser, or Code Manager, right-click on a code and select the Rename option. In the Code Manager, you can also click the Rename button in the ribbon. Another option is to click the F2 key.

Deleting One or Multiple Code(s)

In the Project Explorer, the Code Browser, or Code Manager, right-click on a code and select the Delete option. In the Code Manager, you can also click on the Delete button in the ribbon.

About Renaming, Deleting and Unlinking Codes

Renaming and deleting codes are operations that seem trivial, but let's take a closer look. For both operations, you need to understand that there is only ONE code, e.g. "Happiness Source: Children" in a given project, even if you have used this code many times.

As you scroll through your document, you may see this code many times. In fact, what you see is the coding for this code. Technically, these are links between the citation (represented by the blue bar) and the code represented by its name and symbol.

Removing a code in the margin (i.e. unlinking it) is like erasing a word in the margin of a paper document with an eraser. It only affects one encoding, i.e. one particular occurrence of the code. All other occurrences of the same code remain untouched. The effect of the operation is local.

If you rename or remove a code from a project, you affect every occurrence of the code in the entire project. The effect is global. If you rename the code, all code links in the margin are changed immediately. If you delete it, all occurrences in the margin and from all other contexts where the code is used, such as networks, groups, etc., are removed.

Duplicate a code

It is also possible to duplicate codes with all their links. The duplicated code is a perfect clone of the original code including colour, comment, code-quote links, code-memo links and code-code links. Duplicating a code can be a useful option to clean up or change a code system.

To duplicate a code, open the Code Manager, select one or more codes, right-click and select the Duplicate option from the context menu. Another option is to select the Duplicate Code(s) button in the ribbon. The clone has the same name as the original code plus a consecutive number, e.g. (2).

This option is also available in the network editor. See Further Options in Networks

Writing Code Comments

Code comments can be used for various types of purposes. The most common usage is to use them for a code definition. If you work in teams, you may also want to add a coding rule, or an example quote. If you work inductively, you can use code comments to write down first ideas of how you want to apply this code. You can also use it to write up summaries of all segments coded with this code and your interpretation about it. There are several ways to write a code comment.

Writing a code comment

  • In the Code Manager is open, you can use the comment field at the bottom of the window.

  • In the margin area, you can double-click on a code to open the comment editor. Another option is to right-click on a code and select the Edit Comment option from the context menu, or to click on the Edit Comment button in the ribbon of the contextual Code tab.

All codes that have a comment shows a little yellow flag, and display a tilde (~) at the end of the code name.

Creating a Code Book

The recommended option to create a code book is to use the Excel export:

Open the Code Manager, select all codes (e.g. Strg+A) and click on the Excel Export button in the ribbon.

Select all options that you want to include. Essential options for a code book are codes and comments. You may also want to include groundedness, density and code groups.

Recommended Options when creating a codebook

Example Outcome:

Codebook

Viewing Codes in Cloud View or as Bar Chart

Select the Views tab and from there either the Cloud or Bar Chart option.

Code Manager View options

Code Cloud

Click on the button Cloud to visualize your code list in form of a word cloud:

Code Manager Cloud View with code comments

If you right-click on a code, the same context menu opens as in 'Details' view. Thus, in the cloud view you can start the same actions as in the regular view. You can for instance rename codes, split or merge codes, or open a network on one or multiple codes.

Code Manager Cloud context menu

Code List as Bar Chart

Click on the button Bar Chart to visualize your code list in form of a bar chart.

Code Manager Bar Chart View with code comments

The codes in the bar chart view also have a context menu. Thus, also from here, you can start the same actions as in standard view. Select multiple codes if you want to merge codes.

Code Manager Bar Chart context menu

Printing the Code-Cloud or the Bar Chart View

You can print both the 'Cloud' view and the 'Bar Chart'. In order to do so:

Select the Image button from the main Codes tab.

Print Code Cloud or Bar Chart

The image will be saved as jpg file in HD resolution 1920 x 1080 and 96 dpi.