- EpiData-list - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Epidata: "Error reading record"
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 14 Apr '05

14 Apr '05

Hello everybody, I sometimes get an error message "Error reading record" when I open an Epidata *.rec file. Sometimes it happens by opening the whole file (I can't open it), sometimes only, when I try to access the last entered record. When I export a data file with this error message (i.e. to SPSS), all records are exported correctly, nothing is lost (as far as I can see). I believe, that this error only happens with data files that I received as email-attachments. Is it possible, that sending *.rec-files by email "destroys" something in the file structure? Any suggestions how to avoid this problem? Thanks for help Juergen Spiegel *********************************************** Freiburger Institut fuer angewandte Sozialwissenschaft e.V. FIFAS Erasmusstr. 16, D-79098 Freiburg Telefon: (0761) 28 83 64 Fax: (0761) 29 27 493 Web: www.fifas.de e-mail: info(a)fifas.de

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EpiData Analysis build 22 released
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 14 Apr '05

14 Apr '05

Version 0.9 build 22 has been put on the web today: Added or modified Reading of data files and chk files <b>final</b> (see note on recnumber definition above) Output adapted to W3c (www.w3c.org) standards, see pdf file in "docs" subfolder. Simplification of control of what is shown (commands, info, results): set showdefinitions<br>Note some inconsistencies are still there set parameter for table design added Reading of files with encrypted fields (prompt for password or add /key) Major commands can be used with first three letters Reading of missingvalue definitions Output changed to tables (improves speed) Several interface adaptations Added command history window (F7) Much improved examples on opening pages Improved reporting on append Bug removal: Crash when selecting block in output fixed. Documentation on output format described in a pdf file coming with the installation which is now 2 MB (two) Get the new build from: Http://www.epidata.dk/testing.php Note that all files should be readable now. ! regards Jens Lauritsen EpiData Association

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Relate does not update structure automatically with changed qes file
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 12 Apr '05

12 Apr '05

>From the mail to info at epidata: > if you change a qes-file in a relational database, epidata doesn't ask > you to revise the rec-file if you open the file indirectly by the > higher-level file, but only if you open it directly. > cheers. mark Good point. Relate is a very complex system. So to change structure of files in the middle of loading is a potentially error resulting situation. But I agree that the user should be warned somehow. This should be added to the bug/problem reporting database - see link on www.epidata.dk -- Jens Lauritsen Coordinator and initiator of EpiData Project http://www.epidata.dk

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Run notebook
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 12 Apr '05

12 Apr '05

>Is it possible to add command to CHK file to run the notebook (F5) ... Yes - see the command WRITENOTE Example from help file : V10 AFTER ENTRY IF V10 > 100 THEN WRITENOTE "Please check if the value @V10 in field V10 is really true" ENDIF IF V10 > 110 THEN WRITENOTE "Unusual value of field V10 is entered. Please specify reasons for this value:" SHOW ENDIF END END to unconditionally open the entry: writenote show the example above will add the note, but not open the xxx.not file. Jens Lauritsen EpiData Association

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Check file line numbering
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 11 Apr '05

11 Apr '05

Greetings. 1. I have a .CHK which has 473 lines 2. there are several include.txt files in the check code 3. when I want to do data entryI'm told there is a error in the .CHK file And do I want ot see 'them'..... I answer yes 4. the split screen appears with the .CHK on the left and the "offender" Section on the right 5. the line numbers in the right screen have nothing to do with the line Numbers on the left....as far as I can tell. 6. for example: "unexpected end of COMMENT LEGAL line 253 Followed in next line "Unknown command (end) in line 254 7. where did these line numbers come from? 8. at the point where the include occurs is line 13 and 9. the included file has 63 lines 10. any ideas??? Thanks, kelly

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Run notebook
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 11 Apr '05

11 Apr '05

Hi! Is it possible to add command to CHK file to run the notebook (F5) for an "if " condition? for example If v1 = "yes" then execute (F5 button)? Thank you in advance! /Ziad Medecins Sans Frontiere (Sudan)

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THANKS FOR BOTH SUGGESTIONS
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 11 Apr '05

11 Apr '05

INFORMATION IS VERY HELPFUL. IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD CONSIDER GIVING DEMONSTRATIONS?????? THANKS TO ALL, KELLY -----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: Thursday, April 07, 2005 1:01 PM To: epidata-list(a)lists.umanitoba.ca Subject: EpiData-list Digest, Vol 18, Issue 4 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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Menu systems with EpiData
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 06 Apr '05

06 Apr '05

Kelly wrote yesterday that it would be relevant to create menu systems such as in Epi6. One way to do this would be to create in EpIData Analysis a new html file. Look at the info.htm supplied with the test version now available at http://www.epidata.dk/testing.php As part of this page there are three links looking like this: Examples of how the programme works: Graph: "Bar chart" (Click) "Statistical Process Control Chart" (Click) "Descriptive Means and descriptives" (Click) If you load the info.htm file into the editor of EpiData Analysis (press Viewer on the process toolbar and "edit HTML output" then you will see that behind the three links are actual commands, e.g. the link behind "Bar Chart" Contains: <A HREF='epi:CLS;close;set echo=off;define fn __________________________ glob;fn= "@sysdir"+"testdata";cd "@fn";read bromar;set warning=on;bar agegrp;cd; set command=off;echo Press F1 to view info again;set echo=on'>Bar chart</a> (Click) So even this looks a bit complicated you can see that it is ordinary commands, such as define fn ____________ global read bromar bar agegrp So to build a menu system that does analysis you could either have in the link: <a href=epi:'run myprogram.pgm'>do the analysis</a> or add the actual commands contained in the "myprogram.pgm" file separeted by semicolons. Users are encouraged to experiment with this type of developments. Examples could then be placed on the examples page of epidata.dk To facilitate such menu or analysis systems EpiData Analysis has been made such that almost all parts of the interface can be turned off, e.g. the main menu, toolbars or the command prompt. Jens Lauritsen Initiator and Coordinator for EpiData EpiData Association

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Command line and demonstration
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 06 Apr '05

06 Apr '05

Greetings. 2 things. 1. I saw an example from Epidata which looked like this: c:\epidata\epidatastat myreport.pgm I haven't tried this but, does this mean that epidatastat will execute the .pgm??? I would lke to see all components of EpiData, analysis, editor etc. to be Able to for example: EpiENTER <file.rec>, EpiEDITOR <*.pgm>, EpiSIS <myreport.pgm> etc. Why? When developing systems using MENUs it seems to be better to 'hide' from the General user the database, reports .pgm etc. Selecting EpiData and then option 4 Exposes databases etc. to perhaps a not so sophisticated user. 2. I work for the CDC/Global AIDS Program and I think I have managed folks to Investigate placing EpiData, analysis etc. into what we call a software development Tool kit. I have been asked if I would conduct a 'brown bag' demonstration etc. I do not think I have enough experience as yet to do the software justice, expecially Analysis. Is there someone out there who would like to discuss this with me? Thanks and stay safe, kelly

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How to import and restructure data and create a report every month in an easy way ?
by epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca 05 Apr '05

05 Apr '05

Someone asked off line how to accomplish this If you have to restructure files often based on the same qes file the revision of structure can be saved as EpiC commands in a batch or command file (e.g. revise.cmd) See the documentation for EpiC for further instructions, e.g.: EpiC revise newqes.qes datafile.rec FIRST FORCE LOG="what_happended.log" Would revise the file "datafile.rec" based on contents of "newqes.qes" and force restructuring regardless of this would mean loosing fields (Option FORCE). The results are saved to the log file "what_happended.log" EpiC can do other parts also, e.g. create or open a zip archive or encrypt (decrypt) files. EpiC is available from the download page of http://www.EpiData.dk Example: Assume you recieve files with administrative data every month called datafile1.txt datafile2.txt datafile3.txt To import these data, make control lists and prepare a reports you do this: Create - a file called structure.qes which contains the same format for fields as the txt file with administrative data. - a file called newstructure.qes containing the fields you wish to keep in an approriate format. - a file called report.pgm which will in analysis append the three files and make a standard report. Then create the file revise.cmd with this content: *.......revise.cmd .................................................................... EpiC revise newqes.qes datafile.rec FIRST FORCE LOG="what_happended.log" EpiC import TXT datafile1.txt qes=structure.qes out=datafile1.rec delim=; q=text ignorefirst date=yymmdd EpiC import TXT datafile2.txt qes=structure.qes out=datafile1.rec delim=; q=text ignorefirst date=yymmdd EpiC import TXT datafile3.txt qes=structure.qes out=datafile1.rec delim=; q=text ignorefirst date=yymmdd EpiC revise newstructure.qes datafile1.rec FIRST FORCE LOG="what_happended.log" EpiC revise newstructure.qes datafile2.rec FIRST FORCE LOG="what_happended.log" EpiC revise newstructure.qes datafile3.rec FIRST FORCE LOG="what_happended.log" * then you could make a list of data from the centers involved: EpiC count center datafile1 datafile2 datafile3 LOG="centerlist"] *You could also export datafile1 to a spreadsheet format for the center with number 276 for particular checks: EpiC e xls datafile1.rec datacenter276.xls filter="CENTER=276" * and finally you could make a standard report using analysis: c:\program\epidata\epidatastat myreport.pgm .............................revise.cmd to here You would then only have to start the revise.cmd to create your monthly report. Please note that now all previous postings to EpiData are available in searchable form from: http://lists.umanitoba.ca/pipermail/epidata-list/ Jens Lauritsen Initiator and Coordinator of EpiData EpiData Association

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