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Open (convert) an ATLAS.ti project

 

ATLAS.ti projects (versions 5.2, 5.5, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2 and 7.0) can be exported to XML and then opened (and converted) in NVivo.

You will get best results, if you prepare the ATLAS.ti project for conversion before you export it to XML.

What do you want to do?

 

Prepare an ATLAS.ti project for conversion to NVivo

Before you export your ATLAS.ti project, you need to do the following:

  1. Check that Primary Documents (PDs) use 'absolute' file paths— for example, 'C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\PrimaryDocument1.doc'. Change any relative file-paths (HUPATH or TBPATH) PDs with relative paths, will be converted to NVivo  'externals', coding will be discarded and the file path will be recorded in the external properties.

NOTE  For ATLAS.ti 7, if the Primary Documents are stored in 'My Library' or 'Team Library', you do not need to do the above step.

  1. Check that PDs use supported file formats. Any PDs in unsupported formats will be converted to 'externals' in NVivo. Supported file formats are:

  • Text files ( .doc, .docx, .rtf, .txt, .pdf)

  • Audio files ( .mp3, .wma, .wav);

  • Video files (.mpg, .mpeg, .mpe, .wmv, .avi, .mov, .qt., mp4);

  • Image files( .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .tif, .tiff).  

  1. If the Hermeneutic Unit (HU) contains .avi or .mpeg videos, check whether the HU was created in ATLAS.ti 5.2 and then opened in a later version—if so, you should open and play a segment of each video.  This will ensure that the quotations for videos are converted correctly in NVivo.

  2. Export the Hermeneutic Unit (HU) as an XML file (*.xml), including its Primary Documents (PDs) and Quotations (meta info only). The exported XML file can be opened in NVivo.

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Open (and convert) an ATLAS.ti XML file in NVivo

Once the ATLAS.ti project has been exported, it can be opened (and converted) in NVivo.

IMPORTANT  Use the same computer (and user account) to export the XML file, and then to open and convert it in NVivo—so that NVivo can locate PDs that are stored in the file system.

  1. Click the File tab, and then click Open.

Keyboard shortcut To display the Open Project dialog box, press CTRL+O

The Open Project dialog box opens.

  1. Select ATLAS.ti XML Export (*xml) from the File or Project type list.

  2. Locate and select the project you want to open.

  3. Click Open. The Convert Project dialog box opens.

  4. Click the Browse button, and then choose where you want to save the converted project.

  1. Do one of the following:

  • To save as a standalone project, select NVivo Projects (*.nvp ) from the Save as type list, and then enter a name for the converted project in the File name box.

  • To save as a server project, select NVivo Server Projects from the Save as type list, then select the server from the Connection name box, and then enter a name for the converted project in the Project name box.

  1. Click Save.

  1. (Optional) Select the Code sources at nodes check box, to create a node for each primary document (PD) that is converted to an NVivo source. The node name is based on the source name, and the source is coded at the node created for it.

  2. Click the Convert button.

A new NVivo project is created—ATLAS.ti PDs are converted to NVivo sources, free codes are converted to nodes, and quotations are converted to node references. Refer to Understand how ATLAS.ti project elements are converted to NVivo project elements for more information.

NOTE

  • The Connection name box is empty if you have not set up any server connections—click the Add button to create a new server connection using the Connection Properties dialog box.

  • If you cannot select NVivo Projects (*.nvp), check your connections. You need a standalone connection to create a standalone project saved to your computer or a network drive.

  • If you receive a message indicating that you do not have permission to create a project on the server, verify with your server administrator that you are in a server user group that has permission to create new projects.

  • Files that cannot be accessed will be imported into your NVivo project as 'externals'. However, paths to the files will still refer to their original location (for example, '\\All Users\\my_project_files\\'). Before you delete the ATLAS.ti project, you should copy these files to a different folder and update the file path or location within the NVivo externals. Refer to Create externals for sources you cannot import for more information.

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Understand how ATLAS.ti project elements are converted to NVivo project elements

Hermeneutic Unit properties

ATLAS.ti NVivo      Notes
Name  Project Title  
Comment

Project Description

The text will be truncated during conversion, if the comment is more than 512 characters.
Authors Users

Any Authors (all those in the co-authors list as well as those assigned to objects but not present in the co-authors list) in the HU will be created as users in NVivo.  

Primary documents (PDs)

PDs are converted to sources. However, in the following circumstances, PDs are converted to external sources:

  • PD cannot be found
  • PD has unsupported file format (for example, live Google Earth™ documents *.kml, or *.kmz)
  • PD has relative file path ( <HUPATH> or <TBPATH>)

Comments are converted to source descriptions and truncated if they contain more than 512 characters.

ATLAS.ti NVivo      Notes

Text files

 Document source

Line numbering is not available in NVivo.

If a text cannot be imported into NVivo for any reason, it is represented in NVivo by an external source.
PDF files

PDF source

If a PDF cannot be imported into NVivo for any reason, it is represented in NVivo by an external source.
Audio files

 Audio source

You will be able to play the media content within the created source but conversion does not embed the file within the NVivo project. The audio file will remain stored outside the NVivo project.

Only audio files in supported formats are converted. Files in other formats will be represented by an external in the NVivo project.

Video files

 Video source

You will be able to play the media content within the created source but conversion does not embed the file within the NVivo project. The video file will remain stored outside the NVivo project.

Only video files in supported formats are converted. Files in other formats will be represented by an external in the NVivo project.
Image files, including Google Earth™ snapshots

 Picture source

 Only image files in supported formats are converted. Files in other  formats will be represented by an external in the NVivo project.
Memo promoted to PD

 Memo

The promoted memo is not converted to a document in NVivo, even if it is considered a PD in the ATLAS.ti HU. It is converted as a memo in NVivo and retains any coding references.

Quotations

ATLAS.ti NVivo      Notes
Quotation  Node reference

Quotations created in PDs are converted to node references for the created sources in NVivo. The codes which they were linked to in ATLAS.ti are converted as nodes in NVivo.

Quotations in PDF files are not converted to node references. The quotations are provided in a linked memo, which lists the quotation and the approximate location of the quotation in the PDF.

Quotations in Google Earth™ documents are not converted to node references. The quotations (with longitude and latitude) are provided in the external which represents the Google Earth™ document in NVivo.
Quotation not linked to any code Node reference

If a quotation is not linked to any code in ATLAS.ti, then it will be converted as a node reference in a node named 'Unused Quotations'.
Comment in a quotation Annotation

Any comment created for the quotation is converted as an annotation for the source.
Memo linked to a quotation  'See also' link

If a memo is linked to a quotation, a 'see also' link is created from the quoted text in the source to the memo.

Codes and families

ATLAS.ti NVivo      Notes
Free code Node A node called 'Unused Quotations' is created for quotations not mapped to any code in ATLAS.ti.
Code color attributes are converted to node colors—the ATLAS.ti color is converted to the closest NVivo color (blue, green, purple, orange, red, pink, or yellow).
Coding relations Relationship Types  
Families Sets  

Memos

ATLAS.ti NVivo      Notes
Memo Memo  

ATLAS.ti elements that are not converted

The following ATLAS.ti family types are not converted:

  • Super Code Family

  • Super Memo Family

  • Super Primary Document Family

  • Network Views

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