Dear EpiData list members,
Use EpiData classic v3.1 in 2020? (last release in 2008) YES - that's what I have just been doing, based on good experience a decade ago under Windows 7 pro 32bit, and on guidance found regarding EpiData v4.6 versus v3.1 on http://www.epidata.dk/download.php (see below). HOWEVER, one important feature no longer seemed to be working under Windows 7 pro 64bit: DEFINEd variables were only locally available (i.e. in the same record), but not GLOBALly (i.e. across RELATEd tables).
Question: Is anything known about this problem, or even a work-around?
This would be important, because: 1- EpiData v3.1 uses a parsimonious language easy to retain e.g. for researchers who only occasionally are in the situation to program themselves a data entry tool (but then typically like to get it working quickly w/o learning new software); 2- According to http://www.epidata.dk/download.php (accessed today), "In special situations or when a given function is not yet developed in Manager, EntryClient and Analysis you could need ... EpiData (Classic) Entry v3.1 (get it here) (only for programmed checks, before/after end blocks)". HOWEVER, MANY will find essential what can be done with BEFORE/AFTER FILE/RECORD/(field) blocks and apparently can not (yet?) be done with v4.6; 3- The feature "DEFINE variable GLOBAL" is necessary for multiple-level hierarchies and longitudinal databases (and it proved feasible and effective when I did it 10 years ago under Windows 7 pro 32bit, communicating only by email between North-America and sub-Saharan Africa).
Thanks in advance Rolf