November 2005 - EpiData-list - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

re: appending files properly
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 30 Nov '05

30 Nov '05

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Re: How to append datasets properly
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 29 Nov '05

29 Nov '05

To assist Kate with the appending problem we must know more: a. Are you using EpiData Entry or EpiData Analysis b. Which version and build See about box or in analysis: Version c. Show a listing of the variable types of the four variables in each of the two files. To do this: In EpiData Entry: Document - file structure In Analysis: read the file and then issue the command "var" Cut and paste into for the relevant four variables into a new mail to the epidata-list Regards Jens Lauritsen EpiData Association

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Appending
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 29 Nov '05

29 Nov '05

Kate: Could it be that one of the variables at some places has an illegal value? I observed it with dates: while EpiData will accept a year "203" for instance, it seems that if you append in EpiData Analysis, you could get this type of error message. You could go to the variable(s) in question in EpiData Analysis, sort on the variable, browse and look at the beginning an the end whether there is anything that could be fishy. This of course after you used the command "variables" in both datasets to ensure that the structure is indeed identical. Hans I have a question regarding appending files properly. I'm attemping to append 2 datasets, and the program states that 4 variables among the 2 datasets are incompatible. The variables appear to be consistent across both datasets, so I'm at a bit of a loss. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Kate -- Hans L Rieder, MD, MPH Jetzikofenstr. 12 3038 Kirchlindach Switzerland Tel: +41 31 829 4577 Mob: +41 79 429 9945 Web: http://www.tbrieder.org

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How to append datasets properly
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 28 Nov '05

28 Nov '05

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How to: Create SPC graphs with same x period axis value for two consecutive periods
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 23 Nov '05

23 Nov '05

Question to info at Epidata: I have two successive periods: 1 and 2 I wish a graph where the first 6 observations in each period are included and on the graph the x axis should say 1 2 3 4 5 6 in both of them Using the Ichart.rec example included in installation of EpiData Analysis: file: ichart.rec which has 27 observations variables: lege : counts for a given doctor (lege is doctor in Norwegian) dag : consecutive number of observations (values are 1 - 27) Assume that period 1 in the study was observation 1-14 and observation 15-27 was period 2. Read the data en calculate as indicated after the "//" is comments ................................................................................................ read ichart define d ## d = _n // _n is the same as recnumber the observation number of the data if d > 15 then d = d -15 // now d is the correct number withing each period select if d < 7 // only include first 6 observations from each period ichart dag lege // this would show x axis with values of variable dag ichart dag lege /break=7 /xlabel=d // this would make a break for the two periods and use d as label ................................................................................................ Similarly for date variables: ................................................................................................ ichart tid lege /break="01/01/2003" /xlabel=d // if the value of "tid" was "01/01/2003" for observation 7 ................................................................................................ The format of the break value should for dates be the same as the x axis variable. The graph above will show a gap btw. the two periods since the x-axis variable has values from 1 to 27 If one has consecutive numbers e.g. 1-12 and you wish to have larger separation of the two periods: ................................................................................................ define d1 ## d1 = _n if d1 > 6 then d1 = d1+2 // experiment a bit if you wish 1, 2 or more added ichart d1 lege /break=7 /xlabel=d // this would move the two parts of the graph apart ................................................................................................ Regards Jens Lauritsen EpiData Association ps. Unfortunately the /xlabel option is not in the current commands and functions reference. Will be added to next release.

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RE: [EpiData-list] new to epidata: 2 questions
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 20 Nov '05

20 Nov '05

1- CHK file size: I use to edit most of my chk files with an editor (metapad is the most convenient I could find, and it's freeware); I use to work with quite large chk files, and I never noticed anything wrong with opening it with an expernal text editor. 2- Variables deleted from the qes file: No, variables will not be removed from the check file. Here is what to do: 1st time you try to enter dada after the QES has been modified: Display: 'Revise data from revised revised QES file?' Click Yes Display: The revised QES file will cause loss of data in these fields... (list of fields that have been removed) click "Accept" Then, warning displays: "Could not apply checks (...)" click Yes. The CHK file opens on the left side of the screen, while a log file explaining where the detected errors are. Move (left) to the concerned area (ex: variable DATA1 has been removed. Go to the line containing checks for DATA1, and delete all lines from this block (from DATA1 to the last END of the block). You should also use the 'Find' feature to look for DATA1 within the whole chk file (in case other variables refer to it in their checks) and remove all DATA1 occurrences. Gilles Delmas InVS Paris -----Message d'origine----- De : epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca [mailto:epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca] Envoyé : vendredi 18 novembre 2005 22:26 À : epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca Objet : RE: [EpiData-list] new to epidata: 2 questions Many thanks to all of you who answered my questions. Here's another one. I need to removed a number of variables and revise the .chk file to correspond to the .rec file. The easiest thing to do would be to make the changes in an editor (notepad, e.g.). The Epidata documentation says that a .chk file may not be more than 64K (I believe) if it is being created in an editor. The .chk file is now about 108K. Does this mean I can't make the changes in an editor? Richard Herrell NIMH 2 I've discovered I need to delete a number of variables from the data file. This seems straightforward since I can simply delete them from the .qes file and they will be deleted from the .rec file. What happens to the .chk file when I open the new .rec file with deleted variables? Will Epidata revise the .chk file by deleting the checks for variables that no longer exist? --------------------------------- Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.

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RE: [EpiData-list] new to epidata: 2 questions
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 18 Nov '05

18 Nov '05

-----Message d'origine----- De : epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca [mailto:epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca] Envoyé : mardi 15 novembre 2005 21:14 À : epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca Objet : [EpiData-list] new to epidata: 2 questions I'm fairly new to Epidata and have a couple of questions: 1 In the file manager, the check file I've created has "recovered file fragments" as the file type. Is that correct? >>>> Recovered file fragments: Yes, this is normal, as Windows uses also the CHK suffix to name specific system files. Don't worry about it, as Epidata knows how to open these files. In case you want to open these files with an external text editor (to enter advanced check commands), right-click on the corresponding CHK file, select "Open with..." and browse to your favorite text editor (e.g. Wordpad, metapad...) 2 I've discovered I need to delete a number of variables from the data file. This seems straightforward since I can simply delete them from the .qes file and they will be deleted from the .rec file. What happens to the .chk file when I open the new .rec file with deleted variables? Will Epidata revise the .chk file by deleting the checks for variables that no longer exist? >>>> No, variables will not be removed from the check file. Here is what to do: 1st time you try to enter dada after the QES has been modified: Revise data from revised revised QES file? (Yes) The revised QES file will cause loss of data in these fields... (list of fields removed) click "Accept" Then, warning displays: "Could not apply checks (...)" click Yes The CHK file opens on the left side of the screen, while a log file explaining where the detected errors are. Move (left) to the concerned area (ex: variable DATA1 has been removed. Go to the line containing checks for DATA1, and delete all lines from this block (from DATA1 to the last END of the block). You should also use the 'Find' feature to look for DATA1 within the whole chk file (in case other variables refer to it in their checks) and remove all DATA1 occurrences. Many thanks for any help. Richard Herrell NIMH ______________________________________________ Gilles DELMAS Institut de Veille Sanitaire Dept. Maladies Infectieuses, Unité infections entériques, alimentaires et zoonoses 12 rue du Val d'Osne 94415 Saint-Maurice cedex - France + 33 1 41 79 67 27 g.delmas(a)invs.sante.fr ______________________________________________

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How to: Select observations based on string variables
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 17 Nov '05

17 Nov '05

To work efficiently with string variables a few techniques are needed: To work with string variables some functions are needed: Length of a string: length("Abcde") = 5 Convert to upper: upper("Abcde") = "ABCDE" Remove blanks: trim("Abcde ") = "Abcde" Look for a given text in a string: pos("Abcde","cd") = 3 A. How do I select those with empty contents of a variable S (string). In person language this would mean: 1. Remove all blanks/spaces from my variable 2. Is the trimmed length of the variable greater than zero ? Yes: The string is NOT empty No: The string is empty So in analysis language this is: 1: trim(S) 2: length(trim(S)) and to use this as select : "YES" from above: Select if (length(trim(S)) > 0) "NO" from above: Select if (length(trim(S)) = 0) alternative: "YES" from above: Select if ( trim(S) <> "") "NO" from above: Select if ( trim(S) = "") The user will notice the many parenthesis ( ). The reason I add an outer parenthesis is to be sure that the whole sentence is handled correctly. B. How to select observations with a certain string value: In person language this would mean: 1. Make sure not to confuse lower and upper case entry of the text 2. Identify the string I wish to search on 3. Does the variable contain the string ? And in analysis language this is: 1: upper(S) 2: e.g. "DOG" 3: pos(upper(S),"DOG") and to use this as select : "YES" from above: Select if (pos(upper(S),"DOG") > 0 ) "NO" from above: Select if (pos(upper(S),"DOG") = 0 ) C. Complicated string values: Assume you wish to select all text strings with content DOG, but not if these also contained the word "WHITE" - that is find all dogs, but exclude the white ones. Select if ( (pos(upper(S),"DOG") > 0 ) and (pos(upper(S),"WHITE") = 0 )) If you wished to find all DOGs or CATs: Select if ( (pos(upper(S),"DOG") > 0 ) or (pos(upper(S),"CAT") = 0 ) ) It is often difficult to get the correct number of parenthesis. But start with the innermost one and build from there. Handling all types of strings with different national characters is difficult, therefore it is good practice to use upper() and many parenthesis to assist the programme in working correctly. Jens Lauritsen EpiData Association

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RE: [EpiData-list] : 2 questions
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 17 Nov '05

17 Nov '05

hi. in my experience: 1. "recovered file fragments" is a MS naming of .chk files. and probaly other rhings it doesn't know about. 2. if you remove a variable from the .QES and try to enter data the error message will appear saying that the variable name you have in the .CHK is an UNKNOWN COMMAND. 3. so, the answer to your question is: no, Epidata will not remove from the .chk variables which have been removed from the .QES. you'll have to do this yourself...at least it's what I have to do. -----Original Message----- From: epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca [mailto:epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca] Sent: Tue 11/15/2005 3:14 PM To: epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca Cc: Subject: [EpiData-list] new to epidata: 2 questions I'm fairly new to Epidata and have a couple of questions: 1 In the file manager, the check file I've created has "recovered file fragments" as the file type. Is that correct? 2 I've discovered I need to delete a number of variables from the data file. This seems straightforward since I can simply delete them from the .qes file and they will be deleted from the .rec file. What happens to the .chk file when I open the new .rec file with deleted variables? Will Epidata revise the .chk file by deleting the checks for variables that no longer exist? Many thanks for any help. Richard Herrell NIMH --------------------------------- Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.

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re: 2 questions from Richard
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 16 Nov '05

16 Nov '05

| 1 In the file manager, the check file I've created has "recovered file fragments" as the file type. Is that correct? A: .chk is also the file type used by Windows when it checks your disk and finds orpha bits of files. You'll rarely, if ever, use or care about these files. I suggest you go to EpiData's options (File, Options), select the 'File Associations' tab, check all the boxes and click on 'Associate File Types'. Then all of your EpiData files will be properly described. > >2 I've discovered I need to delete a number of variables from the data file. This seems straightforward since I can simply delete them from the .qes file and they will be deleted from the .rec file. What happens to the .chk file when I open the new .rec file with deleted variables? Will Epidata revise the .chk file by deleting the checks for variables that no longer exist? > > You have two choices here. You may edit the chk file using File, Open. In the file dialogue, select the 'Files of type' to be 'EpiData check file (.chk)'. This brings up the full .chk file in EpiData's text editor. Just block the lines that begin with the name of the field you deleted and ending with its matching 'END' - this will be just before the next field name. Or you can click on 'Check' in the workflow buttons. EpiData will ask you if you want to delete the lines for the fields you removed (respond 'No') or comment them out (respond 'Yes'). However, EpiData won't actually do these things unless you change something, or pretend to change something, so that the 'Save' button becomes active. So you can just click on 'Edit' for any field, click on 'Accept changes' and then click on 'Save'. It is useful to get to know what .chk files look like inside, so I suggest the first option unless you are uneasy about editing files. Jamie Hockin Public Health Agency of Canada

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string variables
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 16 Nov '05

16 Nov '05

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new to epidata: 2 questions
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 15 Nov '05

15 Nov '05

I'm fairly new to Epidata and have a couple of questions: 1 In the file manager, the check file I've created has "recovered file fragments" as the file type. Is that correct? 2 I've discovered I need to delete a number of variables from the data file. This seems straightforward since I can simply delete them from the .qes file and they will be deleted from the .rec file. What happens to the .chk file when I open the new .rec file with deleted variables? Will Epidata revise the .chk file by deleting the checks for variables that no longer exist? Many thanks for any help. Richard Herrell NIMH --------------------------------- Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.

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EpiData Entry and EpiC - new build/release (14nov2005)
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 14 Nov '05

14 Nov '05

(141105): Bug fix and modifications to EpiData Entry has been released for all languages: * o New startup parameter /FINDvarname=text e.g. EpiData.exe mydata.rec /FINDid=45 would start epidata.exe, look for number 45 in field id. If not found then add a new record and put the value 45 into field id. o If EpiDatastat.exe is found in same folder as EpiData.exe, then show tools with Analysis. o Adding of verified End Of Record status marker ^ (verified) in double entry o Bugfixes: Find-record did not respect filter AutoSearch error fixed (affected if same value as last record was entered) Save Record will not save an empty record Type statusbar error when autosearch and type statusbar was in same field Double Entry could not save records marked for deletion * In the next few days we will further check on the reported errors with double entry (lack of moving to new records) Kind regards Jens Lauritsen EpiData Association

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Version 1.1 of Analysis ready for testing
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 14 Nov '05

14 Nov '05

V1.1 of analysis is ready for testing. Major news is: * Modified Output file principle - default file will open on start of programme * New commands o aggregate (abbreviation agg) - create aggregated statistics o stattables (abbreviation stattab) - tabulate aggregated statistics o label variables (label "text" ) * Modifications to set o "Set window font size" defines size of "F3/F2/F7" windows on right side of screen o "Set editor font size" defines size of font in editor o "Set graph colour" defines bar chart colouring (default value: 123456) o Variable label addition to tables, graphs etc. controlled with "set var label" and "set var name" * Modified Commands o SPC charts: Test1 modified for Run Charts o SPC charts: Missing in count variable allowed o temporary select "if" must be placed at the end of a command except: select and count "if" must follow select/count o Variable label added to frequency tables o Link to introduction pdf file added to help menu o Right mouse click on variable (F3 window) shows all variable definitions o Default colouring of bar charts: Each bar separate colour o Graphs addition of Y axis text: /Ytext= and /Xtext= (default is variable label of x-variable) * Bugs fixed: o error with parsing of if command - which could replace data o Means group error with one observation in a group Please see all changes on: http://www.epidata.dk/analysisinfo/docs/versioninfo.htm The stattables / aggregate command will produce summary statistics based on grouping of the dataset and optionally save the results as a file or shift from current file to the aggregated file. A number of statistics are available, see command reference for further information. For Epi Info v6 users the Stattables is a replacement for the sumfreq and sumtab command. regards Jens Lauritsen

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RE: [EpiData-list] Reserved words
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 04 Nov '05

04 Nov '05

there must be a misunderstanding. i said that when EpiAnalysis encountered the reserve word DATE in the .REC database there was no error message provided. all Analysis did was stop functioning properly. countless hours of searching for the problem and seeking assistance from others would have been avoided if Analysis had provided an error message about reserve words. thanks for the info on screen format. i eventually used the editor in EpiAnalysis and kept everything to the left of the shaded 80 column line provided....just another way. -----Original Message----- From: epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca [mailto:epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca] Sent: Fri 11/4/2005 2:23 AM To: epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca Cc: Subject: [EpiData-list] Reserved words and a warning on using "if constructs" 1)A member commented on the use of date as a reserved word and the use of chk and dbf files. CHK files are only read with REC files. If you read CSV (delimited files) or DBF files no CHK file of the same name as the csv or dbf file will be used. If you wish to add labels (comment legal) for data in dbf or csv files then do: read myfile.dbf savedata xname * create a chk file with the name xname.chk read xname // obviously any name can be used xname is just an example On the topic of reserved names it is difficult because so many different languages exist. But in general do not use names of functions. E.g. avoid year, date and month use instead Y, d , m or vyear vdate vmonth 2. Using if the use of temporary select is a strong facility, e.g.: count if age > 50 tab sex agegrp if HbA1c > 6 tab sex agegrp if Country = 1 but currently DO NOT USE IF in combination with options for any command, e.g.: tab sex agegrp /Missing if Country = 1 this would be read as: tab sex agegrp /Missing Country = 1 meaning that all data was recoded for variable country. With next release this will be fixed. A new build is on the way fixing this and the other known (few) bugs. But I wish to finalize the aggregate (summary output statistics) command first. 3. Screen fonts in EpiData dataentry can be defined with options and a combination of the use of @ and blanks. See the help file. Screen fonts in analysis are defined with the "Set viewer font name", see the documentation on output formats installed with the programme. Regards Jens Lauritsen EpiData Association

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Reserved words and a warning on using "if constructs"
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 03 Nov '05

03 Nov '05

1)A member commented on the use of date as a reserved word and the use of chk and dbf files. CHK files are only read with REC files. If you read CSV (delimited files) or DBF files no CHK file of the same name as the csv or dbf file will be used. If you wish to add labels (comment legal) for data in dbf or csv files then do: read myfile.dbf savedata xname * create a chk file with the name xname.chk read xname // obviously any name can be used xname is just an example On the topic of reserved names it is difficult because so many different languages exist. But in general do not use names of functions. E.g. avoid year, date and month use instead Y, d , m or vyear vdate vmonth 2. Using if the use of temporary select is a strong facility, e.g.: count if age > 50 tab sex agegrp if HbA1c > 6 tab sex agegrp if Country = 1 but currently DO NOT USE IF in combination with options for any command, e.g.: tab sex agegrp /Missing if Country = 1 this would be read as: tab sex agegrp /Missing Country = 1 meaning that all data was recoded for variable country. With next release this will be fixed. A new build is on the way fixing this and the other known (few) bugs. But I wish to finalize the aggregate (summary output statistics) command first. 3. Screen fonts in EpiData dataentry can be defined with options and a combination of the use of @ and blanks. See the help file. Screen fonts in analysis are defined with the "Set viewer font name", see the documentation on output formats installed with the programme. Regards Jens Lauritsen EpiData Association

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EpiData editor, set tables
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 03 Nov '05

03 Nov '05

greetings. (1)the problem with the set command NOT working was because when the .DBF data set was imported and then saved as a .REC the 'new' data set contained the var. name DATE. EpiDataStat went crazy, sorta. no error message about reserved words or anything so helpful. so, it wasn't the .CHK constuct. (2) how does one control the EpiData editor? i spent considerable time creating a data collection instrument and the result was less than desirable when trying to print the form either at Data Entry or from the editor. so there must be something in the fine print which i haven't seen. how to get it to wrap at 80 cols., what about type size, etc. page length etc. thanks

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