- EpiData-list - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Comments about SET and OPTIONS
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 08 Oct '06

08 Oct '06

Jens wrote: "Another intention is to have more options and fewer commands, but to assist users by more intuitive dialogs. E.g. as now where graph commands can be specified with a structured dialog where most options are available." I am not sure what you mean. In my opinion the only unnecessary command, right now in EpiData Analysis is EPiTables, because you can modify very easily the TAB command using an option /Epi (for instance) if you want to add calculation of RR, OR ,etc. In addition, including dialogs can be very useful for beginners, but still try to keep it as simple as possible. In my experience the one already for graphs is a little bit confuse, you have lot of options you dont know how to use and most users are not going to explore it. " The problem with the current way of implementation is that there is a non-unified approach to what is defined at command level and what at "set" level. Mostly due to the way it was done in Epi6. And this confuses users." Thats clear and it is better to have a defined approach. .................................................................................................................. " option: A specification for a given command. These are a combination of / and letters or numbers All options are made as short as possible and there is no intention to try to make the option name understandable, but in the documentation they should all be explained." But at least you must try to follow a rule: e.g. the first letter of the meaningful word affected by the options. If options are case sensitive then a rule should be followed, e.g. always in CAPITAL LETTERS. "A given designation for an option should mean the same in all commands if possible. e.g. /m is always allow missing values" Agree. Options affect the current command and only this instance of the command. Options should affect only: 1.- what kind of records are affected by the command (e.g. those including missing values; or those marked as deleted); 2.- what information is included in the output (e.g. Row percents, CI, Statistics, etc..); 3.- the way the output is sorted (e.g. by labels, by count, by RR) Options shall be also part of the set group, so that the default option is the one defined by the SET parameters (e.g. SET MISSING=ON will affect all the commands as if in the command a /m were included). "set: a general specification for running the programme or setting formats. The first word of a "set" tells what this specifies. General which cannot obey this rule should be avoided. e.g. set display databrowser = on/off (will always show data browser in the background). .................................................................................................................. "All showing of labels, values etc are defined by these "set" commands:" Agree "Creation and display of statistical tests, percentages etc are moved to each command:" Agree (See above) "Format of Confidence Intervals are TABLE CI HEADER (95% CI) TABLE CI FORMAT C2-()" Dont understand. Do you mean: CI-( )? I hope other users want to share their experiences and opinions about these topics. Saludos, and thank you Jens for your efforts and this wonderful program. Pedro Arias Epidemiologist Co-Translator of EpiData into Spanish

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RE: EpiData-list Digest, Vol 36, Issue 6
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 08 Oct '06

08 Oct '06

Scatter Graph Is it possible to show "linear regression" line in options graph like Epi-Info command scatter var1 var2/r Thank you B. Branger, Nantes, France

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Design decision and information (EpIData Analysis)
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 07 Oct '06

07 Oct '06

In the design of v2.0 of EpiData Analysis I wish to simplify and clarify the use of options and "set" definitions to a unified approach. And this principle is more important than backwards continuation of an unclear principle. The reason is among other that v2.0 will include more statistics, e.g. gamma coefficient for ordinal data and exact statistics for tables in general. Another intention is to have more options and fewer commands, but to assist users by more intuitive dialogs. E.g. as now where graph commands can be specified with a structured dialog where most options are available. The intention is that : v2.0: will include more functionality at the command level, but the dialogs helping beginners will come later. The problem with the current way of implementation is that there is a non-unified approach to what is defined at command level and what at "set" level. Mostly due to the way it was done in Epi6. And this confuses users. When the first release of v2.0 is ready all users will be able to comment on the actual implementation of the principles. The release of v2.0 for test will be made when we have reached a certain level of clarification. We are not quite there yet. But good progress is being made. I would like users to comment on these decisions: ................................................................................................................. option: A specification for a given command. These are a combination of / and letters or numbers All options are made as short as possible and there is no intention to try to make the option name understandable, but in the documentation they should all be explained. A given designation for an option should mean the same in all commands if possible. e.g. /m is always allow missing values set: a general specification for running the programme or setting formats. The first word of a "set" tells what this specifices. General which cannot obey this rule should be avoided. e.g. set display databrowser = on/off (will always show data browser in the background). ................................................................................................................. All showing of labels, values etc are defined by these "set" commands: set var label = on/off ( show or hide variable label) set var name = on/off (removes name of var if the same as first word in variable label) set var value = on/off (controls whether actual numerical value are shown) set var label = on/off (controls showing of "comment legal/value labels") e.g. set var value = off: show only value labels in tables (but show values if no value labels are defined) ................................................................................................................. Creation and display of statistical tests, percentages etc are moved to each command: e.g. means age sex (only descriptive summaries are shown) means age sex /t (will display t test if one group and f test +Bartletts test with more groups) tables agegrp sex (only showns counts) tab agegrp sex /chi (shows chi square values) tab agegrp sex /r /c (would add row and column percentages) tab agegrp sex /t (would add total percentages with no decimal points) ................................................................................................................. Format of estimates and confidence intervals and table column headers are defined as "set": e.g. TABLE PERCENT HEADER ROW % TABLE PERCENT FORMAT ROW P1{} ................................................................................................................. Format of Confidence Intervals are TABLE CI HEADER (95% CI) TABLE CI FORMAT C2-() ................................................................................................................. Regards Jens Lauritsen EpiData Association

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Invalid date error
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 07 Oct '06

07 Oct '06

Dear Epidata Listserve, The function on Epidata that only allows valid dates is not allowing me to save data after the append command. The data entry keyers sometimes enter a wrong date. The invalid date does not become a problem (i believe) until I run the savedata command. Then the invalid date error pops up and the data is not saved. read "WOMAN 1.rec" /close append "WOMAN 2.rec" append "WOMAN 3.rec" etc... savedata "WOMANALL" Is there any way to turn off the valid date requirement or work around this? Thanks for the program and your support. Robert Johnston Phnom Penh, Cambodia. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Multiple Jumps
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 06 Oct '06

06 Oct '06

Hi, I've a problem with the JUMP command. I have 3 different questionaries in size and need that epidata jumps from a identifcation variable to the next variables. The problem is that I need multiple jumps. Something like that: If code=0 then go to questions 1, 5, 8, 9 If code=1 then go to questions 1,2, 3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and so on.. Unfortunatly the jump command provides only the order for the next jump and not for that ones in the future. Thanks in advance. Greatings. Benjamin Wecker

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Re: [EpiData-list] Finding DEL records
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 03 Oct '06

03 Oct '06

This is easy in Analysis: SET READ DELETED=ON READ yourfile SELECT RECDELETED LIST * or any other commands RECDELETED is a boolean that is true for deleted records. You need to use the set command to be able to access the deleted records. I don't know of a way to do this with Entry. Jamie > > From: epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca > Date: 2006/10/02 Mon PM 08:02:35 EST > To: <epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca> > Subject: [EpiData-list] Finding DEL records > > Does anyone know how to do a search for records that have been marked as deleted, i.e. where the red X at the bottom of the data entry form has been clicked and DEL now shows up next to it. > > Thanks, > Suzanna > _______________________________________________ > EpiData-list mailing list > EpiData-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca > http://lists.umanitoba.ca/mailman/listinfo/epidata-list >

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Finding DEL records
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 02 Oct '06

02 Oct '06

Does anyone know how to do a search for records that have been marked as deleted, i.e. where the red X at the bottom of the data entry form has been clicked and DEL now shows up next to it. Thanks, Suzanna

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RE: [EpiData-list] Issues of recent days
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 02 Oct '06

02 Oct '06

Thank you so much Jens!! I tried the steps and it worked perfectly!! By the way, did you get the message I sent last week to your info(a)epidata.dk address? If it ended up in the junk, I will resend! Thanks again, Henriette -----Original Message----- From: epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca [mailto:epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca] Sent: 29 September 2006 20:32 To: epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca Subject: [EpiData-list] Issues of recent days ....................................................... Regarding Henriettes installation problem: There is no need to try different language versions. The exe file is always the same. I would do exactly this: 1. Install analysis on a different machine 2. Create a folder where you want analysis, e.g. c:\program files\epidata 3. Copy the epidatastat.exe to the "troublesome" machine in that folder. 4. Run the exe file (which will tell you that help files are missing). After that you can copy the documentation from the subfolders on machine 1 to the folders on the troublesome machine. regards Jens Lauritsen

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Re: EpiData-list Digest, Vol 35, Issue 12
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 30 Sep '06

30 Sep '06

Dear friends: I was working with Epidata Analysis module. I guess I did solve the problems. The first was with dates - the year format was abreviated in the original data. I used these data in training students and it was common to use them with Epi Info for DOS analysis where it worked fine. The problem was solved when I did correct the date to yyyy format. The second problem I do not understand. I was working with fields named weight and height and trying to calculate IMC. The return I did obtain was that the data did not match or that weight was inadequate. I transformed both fieds to portuguese using the following sintaxe: Define peso ##.## Peso = weight Define altura ###.## altura = height Then IMC formula worked properly. I am including the files as attatchment to this e-mail including the pgm file. The problem ocurred in my notebook, my desktop and in the desktops of the students at the laboratory (with windows XP and windows 98, respectivelly). I tried again just before sending this e-mail with the old file againl and it worked propperly. Sorry for the inconvenience. Sincerelly Gerson Zanetta de Lima ----- Original Message ----- From: <epidata-list-request(a)lists.umanitoba.ca> To: <epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca> Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2006 2:00 PM Subject: EpiData-list Digest, Vol 35, Issue 12 > 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..." > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > EpiData-list mailing list > ___________________________________ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Today's Topics: > > 1. Issues of recent days (epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > ________________________________________ > EpiData-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca > http://lists.umanitoba.ca/mailman/listinfo/epidata-list > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.407 / Virus Database: 268.12.10/459 - Release Date: 9/29/aaaa

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Issues of recent days
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 29 Sep '06

29 Sep '06

Regarding questions the latest days. It is advisable when people ask questions that some information is ALWAYS included: a. Is this epidata entry or epidata analysis b. Which version of the software are you using (number and country versions) c. What is the operating system you are using A few suggestions for the specific problems: 1. Sara gets : >"access violation at address 048AC23 in module “epideata.exe”. Read of address 000000000" > So this is a "fortunate" situation since it is reproducible. I suggest you put your chk and rec file into a zip archive (tools menu) and send to info @ epidata.dk We will run your file in a controlled environment, since your combinations of questions etc. points to an error or bug in the epidata entry programme. ................ Gerson Zanetta de Lima have problems of a different nature. The problem is to get the software to "understand" that a simple calculation: >I can make operations like defining a new floating variable and using the command >newvariable = height/2 or newvariable = height*height > > But then trying to do the same with "define imc ##" does not work. This is due to the problem that EpiData Entry and Analysis are more strict in controlling variable conversions than e.g. Epi6. The problem is that: >weight/(height^2) or weight/(height*height) > > results in a float resultat - meaning the content cannot end in an integer. What should the software do with the calculations ending in e.g. 32.14 or 31.89. So in this situation if you only want the integer part of the result (here 32 and 31 or rounded 32 in both cases) make an explicit conversion: From help file of entry you find the function Integer(x), which converts x to an integer value. define imc ## imc = integer(weight/(height^2)) The same in analysis: example variable "Timer" which is float: TIMER Float X Integer 2 0 x = int(timer) Data type mismatch x = integer(timer) Since the function int(timer) returns a float value, but integer(timer) returns an integer value. Another example of this more careful value handling is when EpiData Analysis reads date variables. An illegal date will be rejected, e.g. "01/01/1", which would be accepted by Epi6. ....................................................... Regarding Henriettes installation problem: There is no need to try different language versions. The exe file is always the same. I would do exactly this: 1. Install analysis on a different machine 2. Create a folder where you want analysis, e.g. c:\program files\epidata 3. Copy the epidatastat.exe to the "troublesome" machine in that folder. 4. Run the exe file (which will tell you that help files are missing). After that you can copy the documentation from the subfolders on machine 1 to the folders on the troublesome machine. regards Jens Lauritsen

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