Display BLS Dataset Overview
bls_overview.RdFetches and displays the overview text file for a BLS dataset. This provides a convenient reference within the R environment without needing to manually find and review the text file on the BLS website.
Usage
bls_overview(
series_id,
display_method = "viewer",
base_url = "https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series"
)Value
Invisibly returns the text content. Function is called to use the viewer, console, or as a popup, depending on the 'display_method' argument.
Examples
# \donttest{
# Display labor force statistics overview
bls_overview("ln")
# Display consumer price index overview
bls_overview("cu")
# Display in console instead of viewer
bls_overview("ln", display_method = "console")
#>
#> === BLS Dataset Overview: LN ===
#> Source: https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/ln/ln.txt
#> ==================================================
#>
#> LABOR FORCE STATISTICS FROM THE CURRENT POPULATION SURVEY (LN database)
#> ln.txt
#>
#> Section Listing
#>
#> 1. Survey Definition
#> 2. Flat files listed in the survey directory.
#> 3. Time series, series file, data file, & mapping file definitions and relationships
#> 4. Series file format and field definitions
#> 5. Data file format and field definitions
#> 6. Mapping file formats and field definitions
#>
#>
#> ================================================================================
#> Section 1 - Survey Definition
#> ================================================================================
#>
#> The following is a definition of: LABOR FORCE STATISTICS FROM THE CURRENT POPULATION SURVEY (LN)
#>
#> Survey Description:
#>
#> The Current Population Survey (CPS) is a sample survey of the population 16 years of age and over.
#> The survey is conducted each month by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics and provides
#> comprehensive data on the labor force, the employed, and the unemployed, classified by such characteristics
#> as age, sex, race, family relationship, marital status, occupation, and industry attachment. The information
#> is collected by trained interviewers from a sample of about 60,000 households. Sample areas are chosen to
#> represent all counties and independent cities in the United States, with coverage in 50 States and the District of
#> Columbia. The data collected are based on the activity or status reported for the calendar week including the
#> 12th of the month.
#>
#> Summary Data Available: CPS data are available for the civilian, noninstitutional population age 16
#> and older and various detailed groups, with estimates available by age, race, sex, Hispanic or Latino
#> ethnicity, employment status, occupation, industry, class of worker, educational attainment, telework status,
#> and other characteristics.
#>
#> Frequency of observations: CPS data are collected each month, and monthly estimates are presented in the Employment
#> Situation News Release. Some data series are available as quarterly or annual averages.
#>
#> Data characteristics: Data include counts (presented in thousands) and rates such as the unemploment
#> rate, labor force participation rate, and employment-population ratio.
#>
#> Updating schedule: Updates are available with the issuance of the monthly
#> Employment Situation news release.
#>
#>
#> ================================================================================
#> Section 2 - Flat files listed in the survey directory.
#> ================================================================================
#>
#> The following CPS labor force files are on the BLS internet in the
#> sub-directory pub/time.series/ln:
#>
#> ln.absn - Absence codes mapping file
#> ln.activity - Activity codes mapping file
#> ln.ages - Age group codes mapping file
#> ln.born - Nativity/Citizenship codes mapping file
#> ln.cert - Certification codes mapping file
#> ln.chld - Presence of children codes mapping file
#> ln.class - Class of worker codes mapping file
#> ln.data.1.AllData - All data data file
#> ln.disa - Disability codes mapping file
#> ln.duration - Duration codes mapping file
#> ln.education - Education codes mapping file
#> ln.entr - Entrance to labor force codes mapping file
#> ln.expr - Work experience codes mapping file
#> ln.footnote - Footnote codes mapping file
#> ln.hheader - Head of household codes mapping file
#> ln.hour - Hours worked codes mapping file
#> ln.indy - Industry codes mapping file
#> ln.jdes - Want a job codes mapping file
#> ln.lfst - Labor force status codes mapping file
#> ln.look - Job seeker codes mapping file
#> ln.mari - Marital status codes mapping file
#> ln.mjhs - Multiple jobholder codes mapping file
#> ln.occupation - Occupation codes mapping file
#> ln.orig - Hispanic or Latino origin codes mapping file
#> ln.pcts - Percentage codes mapping file
#> ln.periodicity - Periodicity codes mapping file
#> ln.race - Race codes mapping file
#> ln.rjnw - Absence reason codes mapping file
#> ln.rnlf - Job search codes mapping file
#> ln.rwns - Part time reason codes mapping file
#> ln.seasonal - Seasonal adjustment codes mapping file
#> ln.seek - Job seeker codes mapping file
#> ln.series - All series with beginning and end dates
#> ln.sexs - Sex codes mapping file
#> ln.tdat - Data type codes mapping file
#> ln.tlwk - Telework codes mapping file
#> ln.txt - General information
#> ln.vets - Veteran status codes mapping file
#> ln.wkst - Work status codes mapping file
#>
#> ================================================================================
#> Section 3 - Time series, series file, data file, & mapping file definitions and relationships
#> ================================================================================
#> The definition of a time series, its relationship to and the interrelationship
#> among series, data and mapping files is detailed below:
#>
#> A time series refers to a set of data observed over an extended period of time
#> over consistent time intervals (i.e. monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, annually).
#> CPS time series data are available as monthly estimates, or as quarterly or annual averages.
#> Not seasonally adjusted data are considered final when published. At the end of each calendar
#> year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reestimates the seasonal factors for the CPS series
#> by including another full year of data in the estimation process. Following this annual reestimation,
#> BLS revises the historical seasonally adjusted data for the previous 5 years.
#>
#> The flat files are organized such that data users are provided with the following
#> set of files to use in their efforts to interpret data files:
#>
#> a) a series file (only one series file per database)
#> b) mapping files
#> c) data files
#>
#> The series file contains series identification codes that serve to uniquely identify
#> time series within the database, along with their titles and attributes (age, sex, race,
#> occupation, industry, etc.). Additionally, the series file also contains the following
#> series-level information:
#>
#> a) the period and year corresponding to the first data observation
#> b) the period and year corresponding to the most recent data observation
#> c) characteristics of the series corresponding to values in the mapping files
#>
#> The mapping files are definition files that contain explanatory text
#> descriptions that correspond to information contained within the series file.
#>
#> The data file contains one line of data for each observation period pertaining
#> to a specific time series. Each line contains a reference to the following:
#>
#> a) a series identification code
#> b) year in which data is observed
#> c) period for which data is observed (M01 to M12 indicate monthly data,
#> A01 and M13 indicate annual averages, and Q01, Q01, Q03, Q04 indicate quarterly averages)
#> d) value
#> e) footnote code (if available)
#>
#> For series that have monthly data, M13 indicates annual averages. For series that do
#> not have monthly data, A01 indicates annual averages.
#>
#> ================================================================================
#> Section 4 - Series file format and field definitions
#> ================================================================================
#> File Structure and Format: The following represents the file format used to
#> define ln.series. Note that the Field Numbers are for reference only; they do
#> not exist in the database. Data files are in ASCII text format. Data elements
#> are separated by tabs; the first record of each file contains the column headers
#> for the data elements stored in each field. Each record ends with a new line
#> character.
#>
#> Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example)
#>
#> 1. series_id varies LNU04000000
#>
#> Description of the components in the series ID
#>
#> 2. prefix 2 LN
#>
#> 3. seasonal code 1 U
#>
#> 4. series code 8 04000000
#>
#>
#> In the LN database, series ID codes cannot be decoded to refer to specific data types by looking at
#> the value of different components of the series code. Series in the LN database have many characteristics
#> and representing them all within the series code would result in extremely long ID codes. The only meaningful
#> values are the initial positions where LNS identifies a seasonally adjusted series and LNU identifies a not
#> seasonally adjusted series. The other values in the series ID code cannot be broken down into meaningful
#> components. You must use the ln.series file to identify series.
#>
#> Additional fields in the Series file correspond to each of the mapping files and
#> information about the period for which the data series are defined.
#>
#> begin_year 4 1947
#>
#> begin_period 3 M13
#>
#> end_year 4 2023
#>
#> end_period 3 M10
#>
#>
#>
#>
#>
#> ================================================================================
#> Section 5 - Data file format and field definitions
#> ================================================================================
#> Data File Structure and Format: The following represents the file format used to
#> define each data file. Note that the field numbers are for reference only; they
#> do not exist in the database. Data files are in ASCII text format. Data
#> elements are separated by tabs; the first record of each file contains the
#> column headers for the data elements stored in each field. Each record ends
#> with a new line character.
#>
#> The ln.data file is stored in one file:
#>
#> 1. ln.data.1.AllData - All data
#>
#> The above data file has the following format:
#>
#> Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example)
#>
#> 1. series_id varies LNU04000000
#>
#> 2. year 4 2023
#>
#> 3. period 3 M10
#>
#> 4. value 12 3.6
#>
#> 5. footnote_codes 10 It varies
#>
#>
#> =================================================================================
#> Section 6 - Mapping file formats and field definitions
#> =================================================================================
#> Mapping File Structure and Format: The following represents the file format used to
#> define each mapping file. Note that the field numbers are for reference only; they
#> do not exist in the database. Mapping files are in ASCII text format. Data elements
#> are separated by tabs. The first record of each file contains the column headers
#> for the data elements stored in each field. Each record ends with a new line character.
#>
#> Each mapping file follows a similar format:
#>
#> Field #/Data Element Length Value (Example)
#>
#> 1. characteristic code varies varies
#>
#> 2. characteristic text varies varies
#>
#>
#> For example, the ln.ages mapping file contains
#>
#> 1. ages_code 2 00
#>
#> 2. ages_text 17 16 years and over
#>
#>
#>
#>
# }