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,
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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