I presume that the smaller file has information that was missing in the first, or updated information on records already in the larger file.
If that is the case, add /update to the merge command to use all non-missing values in the smaller file to replace whatever (missing or not) is in the larger file. Add /updateall to replace everything for records that match.
The help for merge explains the options.
Jamie Hockin Ottawa
On 2010-04-08, Susie wrote:
I have two files - one fairly large (9000 records, 51 fields) and a second one with 500 records, and the same 51 fields. I can read and manipulate both files in Epidata Analysis but when I try to merge them using the common field of ID number, the second one has all missing variables, except the common field of ID number.