December 2004 - EpiData-list - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Re: error in line 640 (field definition)
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 31 Dec '04

31 Dec '04

> I sent past message related to "field definition error in line > 640" message. > I tried to retype the QES form. So each five questions, I > switched the > QES file into REC file and did "checks" for it. I kept doing the > same > procedure, and I passed the line 640. We should know more about the contents of the qes file to answer, e.g.: 1. How many lines in total 2. Hovw many fields are you planning 3. Are you using the "first word" or automatic options for creation of fields. 4. which build and version of EpiData 5. Have you tried also with the v3.1 release candidate ? 6. Does preview of the same file work If you have as many fields as you indicate the error is either because you have more than 1000 lines in the qes file (which v3.1. will issue a warning for) or the automatic numbering of fields with similar names ran out of possible combinations. Happy new year to everyone Jens Lauritsen

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RE : [EpiData-list] Field definition error
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 29 Dec '04

29 Dec '04

Limits: * EpiData is a single user program. Workaround: Enter data on one PC and distribute copies for reading of data to other PC's. * Number of Records in a file (currently around 200.000). * All fields must fit within 999 lines of text. - but: You can combine files which each has that many lines (RELATE function -------- Message d'origine-------- De: epidata-list-bounces(a)lists.umanitoba.ca de la part de epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca Date: mer. 29/12/2004 09:33 À: epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca Cc: Objet: [EpiData-list] Field definition error Hello again! I sent past message related to "field definition error in line 640" message. I tried to retype the QES form. So each five questions, I switched the QES file into REC file and did "checks" for it. I kept doing the same procedure, and I passed the line 640. Later on, the message showed up again, and please note here that I was at line 1007, which means EpiData read line 640 already before and there was no problem. What happened now? Help!! Thank you and best regards /Ziad -- Ziad El-Khatib Clinical Cancer Epidemiology Z5:01, Karolinska Institutet 17 176 Stockholm Sweden Telephone: +46-8-517 72 946 Fax: +46-8-517 79 621 Mobile: +46-73-776 48 59 _______________________________________________ EpiData-list mailing list EpiData-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca http://lists.umanitoba.ca/mailman/listinfo/epidata-list

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Field definition error
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 29 Dec '04

29 Dec '04

Hello again! I sent past message related to "field definition error in line 640" message. I tried to retype the QES form. So each five questions, I switched the QES file into REC file and did "checks" for it. I kept doing the same procedure, and I passed the line 640. Later on, the message showed up again, and please note here that I was at line 1007, which means EpiData read line 640 already before and there was no problem. What happened now? Help!! Thank you and best regards /Ziad -- Ziad El-Khatib Clinical Cancer Epidemiology Z5:01, Karolinska Institutet 17 176 Stockholm Sweden Telephone: +46-8-517 72 946 Fax: +46-8-517 79 621 Mobile: +46-73-776 48 59

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Error message
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 27 Dec '04

27 Dec '04

Hello! I tried to run a REC file, I was getting this error message: "The field definition in line 593 could not be read or interpreted" This does not show when I "preview" the QES file. The field mentionned above is a number field (##).Everything looks ok for me. Any tips? Thank you in advance! Happy & Safe 2005! /Ziad -- Ziad El-Khatib Clinical Cancer Epidemiology Z5:01, Karolinska Institutet 17 176 Stockholm Sweden Telephone: +46-8-517 72 946 Fax: +46-8-517 79 621 Mobile: +46-73-776 48 59

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Troubleshooting data file error message
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 20 Dec '04

20 Dec '04

The first thing to do when getting messages such as "Error in the data file <filename>" Would be to check if the latest backup copy you made gives the same answer (I assume everyone are taking regular backups). If you have no backup copy of the file in question and you have exported the data to SAS, just make SAS save the file as a delimited file and get it back via the qes file, which you have hopefully a copy of. An error often occurring is that users are saving other filetypes on top of data due to Windows NOT showing complete file name, but excluding extensions. Therefore one can by mistake think that there "save as .not file " (e.g. yourfile.not), but it was actually a .rec file (e.g. yourfile.rec). To exclude that possibility set up your windows to always show extensions for all types, also known files. Ask someone if you do not know how to- it is an option in explorer for folders. regards Jens Lauritsen EpiData initiator and coordinator.

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EpiData Analysis v0.9 build 16 released
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 17 Dec '04

17 Dec '04

Build 16 of analysis has been uploaded. Added or modified update shows which values are changed with if statements. if started with a pgm file, that file will be executed. internal representation of float variable changed from double to extended Testsystem improved (e.g. try startnist.pgm) Bug removal and modification: String variables of length 1 are saved correctly negative values in result variables fixed lre() function corrected for negative values Calculation of 10,25,75 and 90 percentiles corrected recode function corrected to include limits btw. groups Various interface problems Adapted Commands.htm and Howto.htm file. Download from Http://www.epidata.dk/testing.php Remaining issues before release as v1 are: Implementing a system to handle incorrect data when reading (e.g. years like 0203) Some aspects of reading dbf files - report errors. Table command - simplifying output for stratified tables Printing can be a problem accross printers - report problems. Defining Boolean variables impossible (<Y>) due to interference with html language, use integer instead. But for many standard types of analysis and basic graphs it works quite well. Regards Jens Lauritsen Coordinator and initiator of EpiData EpiData Association, Odense, Denmark

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Re: EpiData-list Digest, Vol 14, Issue 8 (Out of office)
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 17 Dec '04

17 Dec '04

I will be back at my desk on Tuesday 22/12/2004 morning. Until then I will have little opportunity to access my E-mail. Anything regarding the: Inter-Agency EMERGENCY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FORUM Please send your message again to interagency(a)lshtm.ac.uk If there is anything other requiring urgent attention, please contact: Rebecca.Collins(a)lshtm.ac.uk +44 020 7927 22 14 or Rachel.Clarke(a)lshtm.ac.uk +44 020 7927 22 14 Kind regards Kristof >>> epidata-list 12/17/04 18:20 >>> Send EpiData-list mailing list submissions to epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.umanitoba.ca/mailman/listinfo/epidata-list or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to epidata-list-request(a)lists.umanitoba.ca You can reach the person managing the list at epidata-list-owner(a)lists.umanitoba.ca When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of EpiData-list digest..."

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Troubleshooting data file error message
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 17 Dec '04

17 Dec '04

I am a new user of EpiData and I have successfully created data files and exported to SAS for analysis. One of the .rec files I recently created will not open and I get the following error message: Error in the data file <filename> The field definition in line 3 could not be read or interpreted. Any advice on how to correct this problem is appreciated.

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FW: [EpiData-list] EpiData guideline - released for testing
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 14 Dec '04

14 Dec '04

Dear Ziad, Could you please email me a copy? - My email address is NWilson(a)iuatld.org. Thanks and regards Nevin Dr.Nevin Wilson, M.B., B.S., Junior TB Consultant International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) 68, Boulevard Saint-Michel 75006 Paris, France Mobile : +91 94430 26848 Tele/Fax: +91 4262 266022 email: NWilson(a)iuatld.org website: www.iuatld.org -----Original Message----- From: epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca [mailto:epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca] Sent: Friday, November 26, 2004 1:15 PM To: epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca Subject: [EpiData-list] EpiData guideline - released for testing Hello! The file is done now and I am sending it to test it. If someone is interested to have a copy, please write me back with your email address so I can email it to you (it is around 5.5Mb size) in PDF format. It is free for distribution as well! And anyone is welcome to write back with questions and/or suggestions! Note: I have intention to go further in guidelines development in case there is interest and fund (maybe?) to keep the work on? Best regards! /Ziad Karolinska Institute Stockholm - Sweden

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Avoiding "jumps reset 9" in string fields.
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 13 Dec '04

13 Dec '04

To handle "jumps reset 9" for string fields this would have to be settled after the values are filled in. That is if the jump is to field "endnote1", then there could be a endnote1 before entry >IF (Q14=55) THEN > CLEAR Q15B > CLEAR Q16B >ENDIF end end Jens M. Lauritsen The EpiData Association, ps. The list does not disclose users e-mail adresses to minimise spam. If someone wishes to have direct comments you must add the e-mail directly in the text - as some did yesterday, but I suggest to do it in a way spam systems will not (should not) catch, e.g. "info at epidata.dk" that is put " at " instead of @

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New introductory guide to EpIData
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 13 Dec '04

13 Dec '04

Ziad has sent me the pdf file of the notes for distribution. Look on Http://www.epidata.dk/documentation.php for downloading. The e-mail for correspondance to ZIAD is placed on the frontpage of the note. Thanks for the contribution. Jens M. Lauritsen, Consultant,MD. PhD. The EpiData Association,

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Definition of Values, Jumps Reset
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 13 Dec '04

13 Dec '04

Jens, Thank you very much for your help. From reading the help file, I didn't realize that "JUMPS RESET 9" would actually fill in each variable with the full length. That actually works better for me. Is there anyway that I can reset only my numeric values to 9? I would prefer to keep my char variables clear when they're skipped. I tried writing: IF (Q14=55) THEN CLEAR Q15B CLEAR Q16B ENDIF I thought this might overwrite the "JUMPS RESET" for those variables, but it didn't work that way. Is there any other way to do this, aside from writing a bit of code (Q15A=99, CLEAR Q15B, etc...) for each variable between Q14 and ENDNOTE1? Also, regarding the message "Definition of values (comment legal, missingvalue, range ...)": In my program, I have code like in your example: v1 mustenter missingvalue 99 comment legal use label_q01 after entry if (v1 <> 8) and (v1 <> 14) and (v1 <> 21) and (v1 <> 99) then help "Wrong value entered" goto v1 endif end end The reason I did this is because I wanted the users to be able to override the legal values if they felt it was necessary to type in something other than 8, 14, 21, or 99 -- sometimes valid codes are added to our variables. Yet I wanted the users to still get a warning if they didn't use one of the legal values. I also had to add "range -9 99" in order for this to work with "comment legal use". As far as I understand, users cannot override legal values or range values. Please correct me if I am wrong. As a result, I stay away from using legal and range in my EpiData programs, unless I want to have value labels. While the after entry block above is seemingly unnecessary, it at least allows the user to click in the next appropriate field with their mouse and force the program to accept the value. Thank you, Katie Thornton Programmer Institute for Research on Poverty

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EpiData guideline - released for testing
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 13 Dec '04

13 Dec '04

Hello! The file is done now and I am sending it to test it. If someone is interested to have a copy, please write me back with your email address so I can email it to you (it is around 5.5Mb size) in PDF format. It is free for distribution as well! And anyone is welcome to write back with questions and/or suggestions! Note: I have intention to go further in guidelines development in case there is interest and fund (maybe?) to keep the work on? Best regards! /Ziad Karolinska Institute Stockholm - Sweden

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Definition of values (comment legal, missingvalue, range ....)
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 12 Dec '04

12 Dec '04

Often when users of EpIData send in files to epidata.dk for help it turns out that chk files are created more complex than actually needed. One example of this: From a chk file (opened in the editor, not in "Add/revise") example: labelblock LABEL label_q01 8 dog 14 Horse 21 "lazy tiger" end end v1 missingvalue 99 comment legal use label_q01 end In this situation only the values 8 14 21 and 99 plus "blank=missing" can be entered. If the v1 block is changed to: v1 mustenter missingvalue 99 comment legal use label_q01 end Only the values 8 14 21 and 99 can be entered. So there would be no reason to test in a "after entry .... end" block like this: v1 mustenter missingvalue 99 comment legal use label_q01 after entry if (v1 <> 8) and (v1 <> 14) and (v1 <> 21) and (v1 <> 99) then help "Wrong value entered" goto v1 endif end end One other aspect of this is that sometimes people define the same values in a RANGE and LEGAL and COMMENT LEGAL and MISSINGVALUE Any value should only be in one of these definitions. regards Jens Lauritsen

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Definition of values (comment legal, missingvalue, range ....)
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 12 Dec '04

12 Dec '04

Often when users of EpIData send in files that are giving problems it turns out that the chk files are created more complex than actually needed e.g.: LABEL label_q01 8 dog

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Re: Jumps reset
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 12 Dec '04

12 Dec '04

The command "jumps reset value", e.g. Q14 TOPOFSCREEN JUMPS RESET 9 55 ENDNOTE1 END will do: after entry in field q14 EpiData will check "Is q14 = 55" if so then jump to field endnote1, but before "landing in endnote1" : RESET all numerical variables from Q14 to ENDNOTE1 to missing ("." or ""). and furthermore : RESET 9 : fill all variables from q14 to ENDNOTE1 with as many 9's as the width of each field. That is if you have a field of width 2 the value will be 99, a field of length 10 will be filled with all 9's. So you cannot do: jumps reset 99. Only one digit is allowed, but the variables passed with the jump will get 99 if these fields are of width 2. Regards Jens Lauritsen Initiator and Coordinator of EpiData

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MISSINGVALUE / JUMPS RESET commands
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 09 Dec '04

09 Dec '04

Send the chk + qes file to info(a)epidata.dk and we will check if it is a limit problem or what could be the cause. Also check that you are using most recent version, which is 3.02, but v3.1 is on the test page (www.epidata.dk/testing.php) - we are lacking final. In general it is a good suggestion to partition a study such that each type of data is in a particular file connected with relate. Also if you press F2 twice a small "debug" window will be shown with current file, variable and memory status. This can give further information. E.g. if you are working on the correct folder. Regards Jens Lauritsen Initiator and Coordinator of EpiData

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MISSINGVALUE / JUMPS RESET commands
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 08 Dec '04

08 Dec '04

Hello, I've really enjoyed using EpiData, and I have to say that the application I am creating will be a HUGE improvement over what our data collectors had been using. They're excited to start using EpiData. I am having problems using some check file commands, however. When I use the command "Jumps Reset 99", this code mysteriously disappears from my .chk file without warning after I save and exit. If I use "Jumps Reset 9", it stays. I need to use 99, though, because 9 is a valid code for some of my variables. I am also having trouble using the Missingvalue command. When I type in "MISSINGVALUE 98" in a field, this code will also mysteriously disappear from my .chk file, though not always immediately, like "Jumps Reset 99" does. I have tried using the missingvalue command in the before file block, but I've had no luck with this. I am wondering if the size of my .chk file has anything to do with these problems. I saw in the help file that there is a limit of 64Kb if you work in the editor, but I use the add / revise checks feature so I'm not sure if this affects me. My .chk file is 90Kb, and over 4200 lines long. If I can't use Jumps Reset 99, this will increase the size of my .chk file even further. Besides the above problems, everything is working OK. Any advice that you can give would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Katie Thornton Programmer Institute for Research on Poverty

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Labels in stata after export from epidata
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 07 Dec '04

07 Dec '04

Correct. Thanks! However, in order for the value label to work properly in Stata, it seems that the value label must be written in ascending order, i.e. 0 No_Adjuv 1 Adjuv not the other way around. Halvor Sommerfelt At 00:28 07.12.2004 +0100, you wrote: >Most likely the problem is a Stata matter of how labels are shown in the >data browser > >Try in stata: >use xxxxxxxx (your file) >d >* check the formats >* set format for the variable with problems : >format %9.0g x (assume name is x) >browse > >Works here for me. If the display format is too narrow for a given >variable, then the label is not showing correctly in browse, but does show >correctly at : >label list >or >tab >or >freq >of that variable. > >If you still have problems send the rec+chk file as an attachment to >info(a)epidata.dk or indicate adress for download. > >regards > >-- >Jens Lauritsen >Coordinator and initiator of EpiData Project >http://www.epidata.dk > > >_______________________________________________ >EpiData-list mailing list >EpiData-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca >http://lists.umanitoba.ca/mailman/listinfo/epidata-list

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Re: labels in stata after export from epidata
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 06 Dec '04

06 Dec '04

Most likely the problem is a Stata matter of how labels are shown in the data browser Try in stata: use xxxxxxxx (your file) d * check the formats * set format for the variable with problems : format %9.0g x (assume name is x) browse Works here for me. If the display format is too narrow for a given variable, then the label is not showing correctly in browse, but does show correctly at : label list or tab or freq of that variable. If you still have problems send the rec+chk file as an attachment to info(a)epidata.dk or indicate adress for download. regards -- Jens Lauritsen Coordinator and initiator of EpiData Project http://www.epidata.dk

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Problems with variable labels after transferring data from Epidata to Stata
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 06 Dec '04

06 Dec '04

Hi: I'm a newcomer to Epidata and am holding a course on Data entry and analysis for our Masters students this week. I have a problem in that variable labels that seem to work well in Epidata 3.02 are not maintained properly after exporting the data to Stata. It works fine when exporting to SPSS. The pictures under http://www.cih.uib.no/presentations/hsommerfelt/EpidataLabels.JPG illustrate the problem. I would greatly appreciate advice on how to solve the problem. Yours sincerely Professor Halvor Sommerfelt, MD, PhD, DTM, Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Armauer Hansen Building, N-5021 Bergen, Norway Ph: +47 5597 4987 Fax: +47 5597 4979 http://www.cih.uib.no

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RE: STATA labels
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 30 Nov '04

30 Nov '04

Jens Thanks what you advise does fix the problem. However even if the uncompressed STATA file is used and Epidata wants 1.000 in stead of 1, 1.000 is stillnot recognised as a legal value, if you put in 1.000 it says illegal entry. However the whole problem is circumvented when compressing the file as you suggest. Thanks paul Rheeder -----Original Message----- From: epidata-list-bounces(a)lists.umanitoba.ca [mailto:epidata-list-bounces@lists.umanitoba.ca]On Behalf Of epidata-list-request(a)lists.umanitoba.ca Sent: 30 November 2004 20:03 To: epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca Subject: EpiData-list Digest, Vol 13, Issue 9 Send EpiData-list mailing list submissions to epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.umanitoba.ca/mailman/listinfo/epidata-list or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to epidata-list-request(a)lists.umanitoba.ca You can reach the person managing the list at epidata-list-owner(a)lists.umanitoba.ca When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of EpiData-list digest..."

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