December 2008 - EpiData-list - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Re: Relate example in Epidata
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 24 Dec '08

24 Dec '08

Renate wrote "I am trying to figure out how the relate function works in Epidata. I am following the examples on the epidata website. I downloaded this zip file today: Relate example - Clinical Study with four forms" Unfortunately I think the uploaded copy was with errors. I just uploaded a fresh copy, which worked on my PC. I used EpiData Entry version 3.1, build (060106) with Windows XP. Please download again and report to the list if the new one works. http://www.epidata.dk/php/downloadc.php?file=epidata_clin_study_example.zip I suggest also to try the other relate examples also found on http://www.epidata.dk/examples.php regards Jens Lauritsen EpiData Association

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Re: [EpiData-list] Export of file from EpiData Entry to new rec file
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 24 Dec '08

24 Dec '08

Hi Jens Thanks for getting back to me about the error I reported. I'm using Epidata version 3.0, (build 131103) and Windows 2000. I tried doing the Export Data/back up command on my workmates computer (who also has Epidata loaded and is on the same network) and we did not get the error. Everything worked fine. The two differences between the two of us are 1. she is using XP 2. she has adminstrator rights to our network (meaning she could save to the C Drive) However I was not trying to save the file to the C Drive. I had not chosen a location to export to when I got the error, or even selected a file to work with. The error I got came up as soon as I clicked on "Back up" before even a dialogue box appeared. I gave you the name of the last file I had been working with as I noticed this appears by default in the dialogue box when I (sucessfully) used the other Export Data commands I have been using this version of Epidata for some time and have had no other problems. I can't remember if I have tried to do a back up before with this version - it is not a command I use a lot. Perhaps it is just a bug with my computer. It is being upgraded to XP in the new year so it will be interesting to see if the error goes away after that. Merry Christmas and thanks again for this great software. Christine Christine Roseveare Analyst Regional Public Health 570 9194 027 495 9671 >>> <epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca> 21/12/2008 8:27 a.m. >>> Christine reported: > I am having a problem with the Export data command in Epidata. I had made a rec file for someone else and I wanted to show them how they could save the file to another directory after they had completed their data entry. I clicked on EXPORT Data/Back up but I got a message saying "invalid filename." No dialogue box came up at all just the message, so I had not selected a file to export. There was no problem I could see with this file. I had sucessfully created it and entered data into it. > I had no problem here exporting to the name you used with: EpiData Entry (version 3.1, build 060106)) on windows xp The error you are mentioning could indicate to me, that you are working with Windows Vista, since I have seen a number of very strange errors on this. Due to the fact that Vista is by default to dis-allow (reject) many logical choices by the users. The other possibility is that you have insufficient rights to export to the folder, where you try do so, and only the error message is insufficient. On one particular pc I had a problem, that suddenly the Vista system decided to delete the CHK file of a system. Most likely because the work I did coincided with an internal routine cleaning up files (not under user control) and the setup of that pc was to delete all files called CHK, which by windows is used also as the extension for files found by defragmentation. If this happens repeatedly we might have to change the extension of the chk file to something else, e.g. ckh - finally also it could be a bug in the EpiData Entry software. Please try to export on a different pc and see if you can replicate. is it a problem with the file name or with exporting as such to recfile. When reporting problems here it is good practice to tell which software version, build and operation system. regards Jens Lauritsen EpiData Association -- The information contained in this email and any attachments is confidential and may be legally privileged. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and remove all copies of the message, including any attachments. Any views or opinions expressed in this email (unless otherwise stated) may not represent those of Hutt Valley DHB. Thank you. ** Disclaimer added by HVDHB **

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Relate example in Epidata
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 23 Dec '08

23 Dec '08

Hi Epidata members, I am trying to figure out how the relate function works in Epidata. I am following the examples on the epidata website. I downloaded this zip file today: Relate example - Clinical Study with four forms Working example of the structure for a Clinical study with a start, then by relating on id entering data into basic person information, sideeffects, status information and pre-study level. This example is giving me all kinds of errors. First, I thought that it was because the Start.Rec and Clinical Study.rec are the same. I excluded all the files starting with start.*. This wasn't the case, I narrowed it down to the file controlvisit.rec. The error received is : The field id is KEY UNIQUE, but duplicate keys were found in records 1 and 2. A second error pops up directly after the first one: Access violation at address 004138D3 in module 'EpiData.exe' Read of address 00000000. I am looking forward to learn more on how to solve this issue. Happy Holidays! Renate Renate van Dorp, MSc, PhD Epidemiologist Perth District Health Unit 653 West Gore Street Stratford, ON N5A 1L4 Tel: 519-271-7600 ext 246 Fax: 519-271-2195 Email: rvandorp(a)pdhu.on.ca <mailto:rvandorp@pdhu.on.ca> This message is intended only for the named recipient and may contain information that is exempt from disclosure under privacy legislation in the Province of Ontario. If you received this in error, please contact the sender immediately by return electronic transmission and then immediately delete this transmission, including all attachments, without copying, distributing or disclosing same.

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Export of file from EpiData Entry to new rec file
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 21 Dec '08

21 Dec '08

Christine reported: > I am having a problem with the Export data command in Epidata. I had made a rec file for someone else and I wanted to show them how they could save the file to another directory after they had completed their data entry. I clicked on EXPORT Data/Back up but I got a message saying "invalid filename." No dialogue box came up at all just the message, so I had not selected a file to export. There was no problem I could see with this file. I had sucessfully created it and entered data into it. > I had no problem here exporting to the name you used with: EpiData Entry (version 3.1, build 060106)) on windows xp The error you are mentioning could indicate to me, that you are working with Windows Vista, since I have seen a number of very strange errors on this. Due to the fact that Vista is by default to dis-allow (reject) many logical choices by the users. The other possibility is that you have insufficient rights to export to the folder, where you try do so, and only the error message is insufficient. On one particular pc I had a problem, that suddenly the Vista system decided to delete the CHK file of a system. Most likely because the work I did coincided with an internal routine cleaning up files (not under user control) and the setup of that pc was to delete all files called CHK, which by windows is used also as the extension for files found by defragmentation. If this happens repeatedly we might have to change the extension of the chk file to something else, e.g. ckh - finally also it could be a bug in the EpiData Entry software. Please try to export on a different pc and see if you can replicate. is it a problem with the file name or with exporting as such to recfile. When reporting problems here it is good practice to tell which software version, build and operation system. regards Jens Lauritsen EpiData Association

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France
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 21 Dec '08

21 Dec '08

Dear Jens, "2008" is a good year for epidemiology and statistic... Thank you for your work and the new versions of EPIDATA Analysis 2.xx. The "lifetable" programs are very interesting for epidemiologists. I hope that 2009 year will a new good year for you and for us, happy users of this software. For your interest, I join a file with four variables and 239 lines. "Arret" is outcome variable (1=interest), and "durall" time variable in weeks. Plus two variables "plaisir" and "moment" in two categories (1 and 2). The result of lifetable command with "lifetable arret durall /by=plaisir /p50 /t" is curious (with version 159 and anterior) instead of "7" or "8" for the categorie "plaisir=2" (probability of 0.50). It's OK with variable "moment". Why the reason ? Sincerely Bernard Branger PS : The link for "Course materials in French" is the following : http://www.reseau-naissance.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=cat egory&sectionid=20&id=70&Itemid=148 -- J'utilise la version gratuite de SPAMfighter pour utilisateurs prives. Jusqu'a present SPAMfighter a bloque 298 courriels spam. Nous avons en ce moment 5.7 millions d'utilisateurs de par le monde entier. Les utlisateurs payants n'ont pas ce message. Vous pouvez telecharger la version gratuite: http://www.spamfighter.com/lfr

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Exporting
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 19 Dec '08

19 Dec '08

I am having a problem with the Export data command in Epidata. I had made a rec file for someone else and I wanted to show them how they could save the file to another directory after they had completed their data entry. I clicked on EXPORT Data/Back up but I got a message saying "invalid filename." No dialogue box came up at all just the message, so I had not selected a file to export. There was no problem I could see with this file. I had sucessfully created it and entered data into it. I had no trouble with exporting the file I had just created to Excel or dbf. In each case a dialogue box came up asking me what I wanted to call the new file and it sucessfully created a file in the new format. I could also select Epidata and save the full file under a new name. I tried loading another file and doing some data entry in it, so this different file was the last one used, and then tried to back up export. The same thing happened. I got the same 'invalid file name.' message and no dialogue box. I could however use the other commands in the export menu on this file. The name of the file I was trying to export was UHutt_Youth_Questionnaires_2008.rec but I got the error message before I had selected the file so I can't see how the name itself would be a problem. thanks Christine Christine Roseveare Analyst Regional Public Health 570 9194 027 495 9671 -- The information contained in this email and any attachments is confidential and may be legally privileged. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and remove all copies of the message, including any attachments. Any views or opinions expressed in this email (unless otherwise stated) may not represent those of Hutt Valley DHB. Thank you. ** Disclaimer added by HVDHB **

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EpiC Installation Instructions--Please review if this is correct?
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 06 Dec '08

06 Dec '08

Dear All I begun testing how I could automate some routines (data export mainly) using EpiC. I searched around on the website for instructions on how to install and use EpiC. I am not a programmer to start of with, but in the EpiC.PDF document it states the ff : "EpiC is a utility for some of the functions and tools in EpiData. EpiC can be run from a command prompt or from a command (or batch) file, making it possible to automate repetitive tasks". So I wondered how to invoke the command prompt in Windows?? (cmd in run). I finally managed to solve this like so: ****************** 11:41 AM 12/6/2008 EPiC installation: 1.Download the EpiC.ZIP file from Epidata.dk 2. Unzip to EpiC folder using unzip program (7-zip) 3. Open EpiC folder and find 2 files in it: EpiC.exe and EPiC.pdf 4. Copy EpiC.exe into the Windows system32 folder (you will need admin previlages for this): VISTA: C:\Windows\System32 XP: C:\Windows\System32 Now in the same folder as the .REC file was created/stored, create a new .TXT file (call it export_epic_commands.txt). In this file write the EpiC commands. E.g. to automate export to SAS (see other commands in EpiC.PDF file): epic e sas inputfile.rec outputfile * Once the commands are typed into the TXT file, save it, and then rename the extension to CMD, like so export_epic_commands.cmd. This is now executable by double-clicking it. Once executed 3 (you will see a black screen flash a couple of time--very fast!) additional files will be created in the same folder where the .REC file was: outputfile.sas and outputfile.txt and EpiC.log (this file has all the commands executed and error messages--be sure to check it; compare with codes provided in the EpiC.PDF file) ************************ Please let me know if I have overlooked anything or it is not necessary to copy paste EpiC.exe in the system folder (seems odd to be be doing this, as sometimes admin previlages are not availabe? Thanks, S Kauchali UKZN South Africa

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EpiData Analysis interactive selection
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 06 Dec '08

06 Dec '08

I have a field UNITNUM with values for treatment units. I write in an EpiData Analysis program: .... define u #### global set echo=on freq unitnum /vl set echo=off u=?Enter unit to analyze? select if unitnum=@u .... to prompt interactively which of the many units I wish to select for subsequent analysis. Any suggestion, how to modify the program to be able to either make the selection for a specific unit (as now) or alternatively not to make a selection to analyze the full set? Thanks for any suggestion, Hans -- Hans L Rieder, MD, MPH Jetzikofenstrasse 12 3038 Kirchlindach Switzerland Tel: +41 31 829 4577 Mob: +41 79 321 9122 Web: http://wwww.tbrieder.org

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EpiData Analysis interactive selection
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 05 Dec '08

05 Dec '08

I have a field UNITNUM with values for treatment. I write in an EpiData Analysis program: .... define u #### global set echo=on freq unitnum /vl set echo=off u=?Enter unit to analyze? select if unitnum=@u .... to prompt interactively which of the many units I wish to select for subsequent analysis. Any suggestion, how to modify the program to be able to either make the selection for a specific unit (as now) or alternatively not to make a selection to analyze the full set? Thanks for any suggestion, Hans -- Hans L Rieder, MD, MPH Jetzikofenstrasse 12 3038 Kirchlindach Switzerland Tel: +41 31 829 4577 Mob: +41 79 321 9122 Web: http://wwww.tbrieder.org

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Re: Dealing with 'Ongoing' duration in epicurves
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 03 Dec '08

03 Dec '08

"I would appreciate it if those working with outbreaks could reply about how they enter and display "ongoing" duration of illness." We create a graph showing at what time (date) the symptoms start and graph this according to exposure or time window. For epicurve the standard way of thinking is: ..............dayonset (start) ................................. ...... dayonset (start) ..................................... command could be: epicurve case dayonset In a different instance we would like to analyse "pattern of disease development" or pattern of how long time disease lasts begin ----------------------- end begin ----------------------------------------- (still under observation) The typical analysis here could be a Survival curve indicating length of disease period: Assume we have cases and string variables for start and end in the analysis. We would : read ourdata (or read from clipboard since these are copied from a spreadsheet). * generate two date variables for start and end of period: gen d stop = . if end <> "ongoing" then stop = date(end, "%dmy") gen d start = date(begin, "%dmy") * generate a case variable indicating if people were cured or are still under observation: gen i well = 0 if end <> "ongoing" then well = 1 * now we are ready for the analysis. notice the /mt which will assume that everyone with end time missing were observed until the latest of those where "stop" was "non-missing". lifetable well start stop /mt * an alternative would be to give the stop as a precise value: e.g. Dec 1st 2008 if end = "ongoing" then stop = dmy(1,12,2008) lifetable well start stop Notice that we did not change the "well" to 1 since keeping this with the value 0 indicates this observation was observed until given stop date, but did not develop disease. The lifetable would show median survival, possibly grouped or compared to a reference with the options "/by=sex /p25 ....." Regards Jens Lauritsen EpiData Association

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