Re: EpiData-list Digest, Vol 54, Issue 2

14 Apr 2008

      Dear Epidata Users
Many thanks for the input you all gave me about packaging Epidata with the data folders. Much appreciated.
Kind regards,
SK
-----Original Message-----
From: epidata-list-request@lists.umanitoba.ca
To: epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca
Sent: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 7:24 pm
Subject: EpiData-list Digest, Vol 54, Issue 2
Send EpiData-list mailing list submissions to
    epidata-list@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@lists.umanitoba.ca
You can reach the person managing the list at
    epidata-list-owner@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. EpiData-list Digest, Vol 54,  Issue 1 Attach files to
      executable (epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca)
   2. Re: How to package Epidate Software with desired  data entry
      files (epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca)
   3. Re: How to package Epidata Software with desired data entry
      files (epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca)
   4. How to package Epidata Software with desired data entry files
      (epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2008 15:49:31 -0300
From: epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca
Subject: [EpiData-list] EpiData-list Digest, Vol 54,    Issue 1 Attach
    files to executable
To: epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca
Message-ID:
    a37cfb5a0804091149g599b97f0ydd5409f612fd881a@mail.gmail.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Dear SK,
I did a similar thing many years ago. I hope it works for you even nowadays.
Lets assume that Epidata can just be pasted at some place such as c:\ (wich
is reasonable and works fine wiht me - as far as know epidata does not
require any system files).  Then, I sugest that you delete the Epidata
sample files and place your files in this same directory where the sample
files were. This would make the one who is starting Epidata for the first
time to see your files instead of the sample files if the short cut does not
work.
So naw U have a c:/epidata with your files in c:/epidata/samples.
Make a shortcut on your desktop that point to
c:\epidata\samples<myproject>.rec, and be sure that this short cut has the
option "open with" pointing to the epidata executable in c:\epidata.
Test it. If it is fine follow next...
Then, you should have a progrma such as winzip or winrar. This programs can
make executable files that self-exctrat to a prespecified place such as c:/.
I dont remeber exactly how it is but look for options to meke self extract
files. So, if  when the user executes them the file extratcs the whole
folder or whatever you put in them to the prespecified place. You also may
want to input a password at the files to be extratcted, winzip for shure
does that.
Then when you sand an email for your mates, with these two files, one zipped
selfextracted (.exe) and a shortcut wiht the following tip - paste both
files ate your desktop, execute the .exe file, execute the shortcut. The
magic should work... at least it did with me.
Best Regards,
Pedro Emmanuel Brasil
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:39:05 +0200
From: epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca
Subject: [EpiData-list] Re: How to package Epidate Software with
    desired data entry files
To: epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca
Message-ID: 47FD0D49.1010107@soziologie.uni-freiburg.de
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
1. You can have a look at the epidata command line options and then add 
a batch file (.bat) to your zipped package. there is no need to install 
epidata, but you can simply let the users unpack the .zip to a folder on 
their desktop and double click the batch file.
2. More convenient way is to use an installer software like 
http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Main_Page (you can create desktop shortcuts 
and things like that). But be aware of  user rights, common desktop 
systems in professional setups dont allow installations in programm 
directory or are even more restricted. so people may have to call an 
administrator to install the package.
hope this helps,
markus jenki
epidata-list-request@lists.umanitoba.ca schrieb:
...
Send EpiData-list mailing list submissions to
  epidata-list@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@lists.umanitoba.ca
You can reach the person managing the list at
  epidata-list-owner@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:

How to package Epidata Software with desired data   entry files
(epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca)

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:42:29 -0400
From: epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca
Subject: [EpiData-list] How to package Epidata Software with desired
  data    entry files
To: epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca
Message-ID: 8CA67B70CD54729-D58-2F4@MBLK-D29.sysops.aol.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hi there,
I am embarking on a project to keep an in-patient child admissions/discharge
database in all district hospitals in our Province. I have designed the database 
and created data entry files (QES|CHK|REC|EIX) and put them into a folder 
(IPDatabase). Now what I wish to do is package this folder into the EpiData 
Entry|Analysis software (*.exe setup files); so that the users could just click 
the installation and have the software installed in a default WinXP Program 
directory directly, and with this would go the IPDatabase folder with all the 
data entry files.
...

The user (data capturer) will then start data entry by going to the folder

to pick up the .REC file in the IPDatabase folder, but first he will have to 
start up Epidata Entry..
...
2 Or create a desktop shortcut that will directly link up with the data entry
process; without even staritng up the EpiData Entry software--desired outcome
...
Why am I doing this?--well, I have users who have difficulties understanding
difference between installation of the software and using the data entry file. 
One precess that will get the objectives met: capture data without having to 
think about the process.
...
I hope this is a possibility?
Many thanks in advance.
SK

EpiData-list@lists.umanitoba.ca
http://lists.umanitoba.ca/mailman/listinfo/epidata-list
End of EpiData-list Digest, Vol 54, Issue 1

------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:58:39 -0400
From: epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca
Subject: Re: [EpiData-list] How to package Epidata Software with
    desired data    entry files
To: epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca
Message-ID: 47FD4A1F.70603@sympatico.ca
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
There are many solutions as some have already sent you. When packaging 
EpiData and Analysis up, you can use the shortcut/batch files mentioned 
to load Analysis so that it launches with an HTML file. This is the way 
it gets loaded the first time after it is installed. If you are at all 
familiar with command lines and simple HTML, have a look at the file in 
(on my computer) c:\program files\epidata\docs\en\startepi.htm
This HTML file provides a way to launch a menu system with Analysis. You 
can provide options such as
- Enter Data - launches Enter yourfile.rec
- Analyze Data - execute the READ yourfile command and then lets the 
user use Analysis commands - you can even package up what commands 
should be used.
However, these are not techniques for the novice. Have a look at 
startepi.htm to get an idea of how this works and then decide how 
sophisticated you want to make things (i.e. how easy/fool proof for your 
users)
Jamie
epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca wrote:
...
Hi there,
I am embarking on a project to keep an in-patient child admissions/discharge
database in all district hospitals in our Province. I have designed the database 
and created data entry files (QES|CHK|REC|EIX) and put them into a folder 
(IPDatabase). Now what I wish to do is package this folder into the EpiData 
Entry|Analysis software (*.exe setup files); so that the users could just click 
the installation and have the software installed in a default WinXP Program 
directory directly, and with this would go the IPDatabase folder with all the 
data entry files.
...

The user (data capturer) will then start data entry by going to the folder

to pick up the .REC file in the IPDatabase folder, but first he will have to 
start up Epidata Entry..
...
2 Or create a desktop shortcut that will directly link up with the data entry
process; without even staritng up the EpiData Entry software--desired outcome
...
Why am I doing this?--well, I have users who have difficulties understanding
difference between installation of the software and using the data entry file. 
One precess that will get the objectives met: capture data without having to 
think about the process.
...
I hope this is a possibility?
Many thanks in advance.
SK
_______________________________________________
EpiData-list mailing list
EpiData-list@lists.umanitoba.ca
http://lists.umanitoba.ca/mailman/listinfo/epidata-list
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:51:49 +0100 (BST)
From: epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca
Subject: [EpiData-list] How to package Epidata Software with desired
    data    entry files
To: epidata-list@lists.umanitoba.ca
Message-ID: 287335.55799.qm@web25003.mail.ukl.yahoo.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
SK asked about “intelligent” setup on pc’s for users without IT knowledge.
Basically install EpiData Entry on your computer and create the data entry 
files.
You can run the basic EpiData Entry and EpiData Analysis without installation 
of the programmes.
Package the data entry files (Qes, Chk, Rec, Eix) and only the EpiData.exe 
file (not the setup_epidata.exe file which does not need to be installed to run 
the program. Zip them and send them to the users.
For the users: 
  Unzip the files into a created folder (IPDatabase in your case)
In that folder, double click EpiData.exe, EpiData Entry opens, then go to 
“Enter Data” and open the created folder, and open the *.rec file for data 
entry.
Second possibility is to create a link on the desktop and add the name of the 
datafile as a parameter e.g. “epidata.exe c:\ip\IPDatabase.rec”
Additionally you could you could automate backup and exit EpiData Entry by 
adding the following block to the chk file. For the backup to work you must 
manually create the backup folder. 
  AFTER FILE
    BACKUP c:\ip\backup zip ip DATE
   QUIT
  END
Regards,
Biggie Mabaera
  Maseru, Lesotho
---------------------------------
 Yahoo! for Good helps you make a difference
------------------------------
________________________________________
EpiData-list@lists.umanitoba.ca
http://lists.umanitoba.ca/mailman/listinfo/epidata-list
End of EpiData-list Digest, Vol 54, Issue 2
*******************************************

epidata-list＠lists.umanitoba.ca

tags (0)

participants (1)