+EpiData Software

EpiData Analysis

Copyright 2002-2006 Epidata Association www.epidata.dk

Issues in testing or development

  • SPC graph options extended - exclude observations from calculations:
    /exp=x (x: observation number, e.g. /exp=18)
    /exv=x (x: observations with Y variable larger than value excluded)
  • ! - command prompt adapted. WIthout option /Open the command prompt will close again
    /open (keep command prompt open - useful for checking errors and parsing of commands)

Latest public release - Information below

Version: Jan 19th. 2006

Known issues to extend or include in coming versions

  • Odds Ratios and RR in tables with Rare data (0 in cells)
  • Correlate command results in "floating point error" when correlate cannot be calculated
  • Contents of strings should be converted to UPPER in some logical statements to work. e.g. count if upper(v) = "TEST"
  • A new principle replacing setting format will be devloped
  • Tests of homogeneity (interaction) in summary stratified 2x2 tables not implemented
  • Means and Kwallis do not allow string variables for the group variable
  • Percentages in pie charts are not always correct.

Latest build

Version 1.1.2 build 62

  • Principle of preventing running twice reversed
    Now: file preventdouble.ea installed on all winXP+ versions
       Users can delete this to run several instances
    Before: file rundouble.ini should be created on all versions

Before latest

Version 1.1.1 at build 62

  • Help file shown in separate window
    • Press F1 to show commands help file in separate window
    • Show extended command help (if made):
      write command in prompt and press F1
      if not found that command is shown in commands.htm reference
    • Show html file in help window: help xxx
  • Modified Output file principle
    • Output file turned on at initiation of programme EAoutput.htm
    • Saveoutput - same as logopen
    • CloseOutput - same as logclose
    • "Set stylesheet external=on[off]"
      when off a copy of the stylesheet is included in the output html file.
      when on: a link to the stylesheet file is included instead
  • User Control of more than one concurrent instance of Analysis
  • Modified Commands
    • temporary select "if" must be placed at the end of a command
      except: select and count "if" must follow select/count
  • New commands
    • aggregate (abbreviation agg) - create aggregated statistics (collapsing data)
    • stattables (abbreviation stattab) - tabulate aggregated statistics
    • label variables (label "text" )
    • labeldata "text" (label the data file)
  • Extended Commands
    • Graphs
      • SPC charts: Test1 modified for Run Charts
      • SPC charts: Missing in count variable allowed
      • SPC graphs - tests are shown in a table
      • Graphs addition of Y axis text: /Ytext=
      • Graphs addition of X axis text: /Xtext= (default is variable label of x-variable)
      • Default colouring of bar charts: Each bar separate colour
      • "Set graph colour" defines bar chart colouring (default value: 123456)
      • "Set graph filename show" Add name of graph file below the graph - default = off
      • "Set graph filename folder" Add complete folder for graph file to html output - default = off
    • Variable label addition to tables, graphs etc. controlled with "set var label" and "set var name"
    • ERASEPNG - new option added: /ALL (will include all png files, without only graph*.png are included)
    • Frequency tables
      • Variable label added
      • Cumulative percentage
      • Options D0 D1 (zero or one decimal on percentage)
      • NC - no cumulative percentage
    • F8 now activates file indicated in "Set start page"
    • Link to introduction pdf file added to help menu
    • Right mouse click on variable (F3 window) shows all variable definitions
    • "Results" sufficient for "var results"
    • "results clear" sufficient for "var temp clear"
  • Modifications to set
    • "Set window font size" defines size of "F3/F2/F7" windows on right side of screen
    • "Set editor font size" defines size of font in editor
    • "Set Command History" changed to "Set History Command add" (add pgm commands to history)
    • "set HISTORY COMMAND PGM" default is now OFF -
      on: add all commands in a pgm to history
    • "set RECODE INTERVAL TEXT" the string inserted with "recode to", default "-"
    • "set Generate type" changed to "Var generate type" (Default type for variable generation)
  • Bugs fixed:
    • Copy and Paste from output window to editor or command prompt was not working
    • Various small formatting or parsing bugs (e.g. copyfile with spaces in filenames)
    • error with parsing of if command - which could replace data
    • Means group error with one observation in a group

Version 1.0 at build 43

  • Added or modified
    • Release number removed - only version and build shown from now on
    • Possible to run Exe file without any other file (Graphs will not work)
  • Bugs fixed:
    • Define in CHK files are accepted
    • Conditions for test 2 in SPC charts adapted
    • Empty lines at top of text type logfiles removed
    • TAB in pasted lines into editor changed to spaces

Version 1.0 release 0 build 40

  • Added or modified
    • Refined style sheets for output
    • Reference to observations must be in []
    • Observation (record number) can be referenced with _n. E.g. age[_n -1]
    • Introduction document added to installation
    • Error given if group variable in means or kwallis is of type string
  • Bugs fixed:
    • Certain if statements not parsed correctly
    • Append with records marked for deletion.

Version 0.9 release 6 build 39

  • Added or modified
    • Refined style sheets for output
  • Bugs fixed:
    • Marginal percentages with etab command.
    • Append with records marked for deletion.
    • Headers for "first word" rec files could be wrong in some instances

Version 0.9 release 6 build 38

  • Added or modified
    • Tables will have collapsed borders
    • Chi2 are ALL uncorrected values now (except for MH summary)
  • Bugs fixed:
    • Chi2 values for very large numbers could be wrong
    • Append with records marked for deletion.

Version 0.9 release 5 build 37

  • Added or modified
    • Documentation revised and clarified (output definition)
    • Added to help menu: Edit setup file (epidatastat.ini)

Version 0.9 release 5 build 36

  • Added or modified
    • A "select font" on first startup to guide the user for efficient setup of screen
    • Improved documentation of output formation
    • Table command can show categories defined as missing
    • New option controls if more than one instance of the programme can run
    • Aspects of handling missing value further implemented.
    • Parsing of strings changed to exclude trailing blanks: e.g "Lion " is the same as "Lion", but not the same as " Lion".
    • sorting of tables corrected
    • Tests of homogeneity (interaction) in summary stratified 2x2 tables removed until final stable solution is found
  • Bugs fixed:
    • "Pointer error" in tables or describe fixed
    • Error in table estimates for 2x2 tables
    • Recnumber now returns number within current select
    • set listrec was not working

Version 0.9 release 5 build 28-35

Not available for public testing. Different strategies to solve bugs were tested.

Version 0.9 release 5 build 27

(This is a minor release.)
  • Added or modified
    • Version now also reads a comment from http://www.epidata.dk
  • Bugs fixed:
    • Emin in Tables also checked marginal totals

Version 0.9 release 5 build 26

  • Added or modified
    • This is a major release. Release number introduced again. Builds will indicate smaller changes
    • Reading of data files and chk files final (see note on recnumber definition above)
    • Two table commands are now working: Tables (for general tabulation) and Etables (Epidemiology tables)
    • Several Output class definitions in one line allowed (separate with ,)
    • Improved command history window (F7)
    • Notice: Graphs showing as ! in output window is not a bug, but due to shift in folder from where graph file is.
    • comparing a string variable to a constant will remove trailing blanks, e.g. "test of" = "test of "
  • Bug removal:
    • Table command - thorough testing of correctness of estimates and inverting tables.
    • Table stratified - estimates for subtables fixed. Command changed to etab
      Faulty calculation of summarised RR and OR, plus tests of interaction - fixed
    • Processor dependent parsing of count and if (serious bug, difficult to catch and solve)
    • Boolean variables corrected (Y N and . read correctly)

Version 0.9 build 23-25

  • Internal builds to find solutions for serious bugs on some PC's

Version 0.9 build 22

  • Added or modified
    • Reading of data files and chk files final (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 show definitions
      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.

Version 0.9 build 21

  • Added or modified
    • Added row column total percent with special formatting of each
    • Enhanced find function
    • Command Prompt can be invisible (but exists)
    • Faster output for variable and directory lists
    • Max cases for Correlate and Regression increased to 5000
    • command CORRELATE correctly rejects when number of observations > 5000
    • Various other refinements of interface

Version 0.9 build 20

  • Added or modified
    • set parameter for save pgm file changed to "Set history name="
    • Illegal national characters in field names replaced on reading
    • Improved feedback with append files (when structure is different)
  • Bug removal:
    • Option Quiet in describe reversed /q=show lacking: hide output.

Version 0.9 build 19

  • Added or modified
    • set parameters unified (NOTE MANY CHANGES)
    • note that to invert 2x2 tables use "set table epi=on"
    • output and selection of estimates from tables command
  • Bug removal and modification:
    • table command labels and inversion incorrect in b18 (fixed)

Version 0.9 build 18

  • New
    • search in output window and help files
    • APPEND command: add data from other files of same structure
    • option /quiet or /q added to means and describe
    • Reading data can be stopped by ESC
    • PgUp and PgDn moves output up and down.
    • Several options to control table output (rr or percents)
    • Tables with 2x2 data are inverted if OR or RR requested
  • Added or modified
    • headers corrected when writing data files
    • testing routines finetuned (try "runtest validate")
    • Internal representation of float variables finalised
    • Negative values in recode possible
    • Assert and Assert error internal variables not reset after means,describe and count
    • Deleted Record Status obeyed when reading data (set readdeleted=off|on)
  • Bug removal and modification:
    • Blank output screen after cls fixed

Version 0.9 build 17

For few hours a prebuild 17 could not show graphs
  • Added or modified
    • Internal representation of float variable enhanced
    • Table output adapted (Odds Ratio's)
  • Bug removal and modification:
    • Creation of boolean fields fixed
    • Negative values in result variables fixed for mean

Version 0.9 build 16

  • Added or modified
    • update shows which values are changed with if statements.
    • if started with a pgm file, that file will be executed.
    • internal representation of float variable changed from double to extended
    • Testsystem improved (e.g. try startnist.pgm)
  • Bug removal and modification:
    • String variables of length 1 are saved correctly
    • negative values in result variables fixed
    • lre() function corrected for negative values
    • Calculation of 10,25,75 and 90 percentiles corrected
    • recode function corrected to include limits btw. groups
    • Various interface problems
  • Documentation
    • Adapted Commands.htm and Howto.htm file.

Version 0.9 build 15

  • Added or modified
    • Graph button on workprocess toolbar working again (bug introduced in build 14).
    • Number on button 4 removed (lacked removal in build 14)

Version 0.9 build 14

  • Added or modified
    • Warning on Chi value imprecision for N>950 in kwallis
    • Adapted work process toolbar and menus
    • bar graphs now show value labels at bottom
    • runtest command gives table of results
    • set allstats changed to allstatistics
  • Bug removal and modification:
    • Parsing of strings "a "+"b"="a b"
    • Variable On parsing several variables to freq or describe "a no data" error could should up if one variable was all missing.
    • Variable lists extended (e.g. freq a-d)
    • Confidence intervals: mean+/- 1.96*sqrt(Variance/N) (was not always correct)
    • Median corrected.
  • Documentation
    • Adapted Commands.htm and Howto.htm file.

Version 0.9 build 13

  • Added
    • set: set Viewer Font Charset= (to accomodate Chinese characters)
    • User configurable window placements (saved in epidatascreen.ini)
    • New command: eraseallpng /NOCONFIRM (will erase all graph????????????.png files)
    • Graph font size specification: set graphfontsize= (default pitch 10)
  • Bug removal and modification:
    • Access violation when creating graphs
    • On parsing several variables to freq or describe "a no data" error could should up if one variable was all missing.
    • Browser now shows only selected records
    • Various smaller bugs or adaptations
  • Documentation
    • Adapted Commands.htm and Howto.htm file.

Version 0.9 build 12

  • Added: /append and /close parameters for logfiles
  • Bug removal:
    • Incorrect autosaving of pgm files (did not read parameter)
  • Documentation
    • Adapted Commands.htm file.

Version 0.9 build 11

  • Added set: set labelshow= on/off/both (shows valuelabels, values or both in tables)
  • "How to.." and "commands" added to help menu
  • Adaptation:
    • Added variable names and labels in tables
  • Bug removal:
    • Incorrect values with describe for median and percentiles
    • Frequency tables incorrect with several variables
    • Incorrect return of select prompting: select age < (?what age?)
    • access violation if trying to define variables and no data file open
    • defining dates are now dates e.g.: define d
  • Documentation
    • Adapted Commands.htm file.

Version 0.9 build 10

  • Added close option to read, e.g. read "testdata\bromar.rec" /close
  • Adaptation:
    • 45 degree x labels on SPC graphs as default
    • Tickmarks on all graphs except with /NOXTICK /NOYTICK
    • A pre build 10 existed for a few hours without these two:
      1 Replacing datafile with savedata controlled by set replacedatafile
      2 Replacing graph file controlled by set graphreplacefile
  • Bug removal:
    • Regress now activated by workprocess toolbar. (was desribe)
    • Naming of autosaved graph files changed (could contain :)
    • Minor interface bugs - e.g. adding of double click to F2 window
    • Main Menu file submenu now acts with close
  • Documentation
    • Adapted Commands.htm file. Introduced howto.htm with suggestions.

Version 0.9 build 9

  • Fixed bug which showed Field Type wrong in F3 window for byte (string 1) variables
  • Fixed bug when using byte variables in describe command
  • Adapted info.htm opening file

Version 0.9 build 8

  • Graph dialog finalised (still lacking details of axis control)
  • Further changes of reading - recognicing formats - in delimited data files
  • Fixing bugs in relation to missing values in frequency tables
  • Adaptation - information - to users when reading errors in data
  • Adapted info.htm opening file

Version 0.9 build 7

  • Graph dialog introduced
  • Changes of reading - recognicing formats - in delimited data files

Status at version 0.9 build 1 to build 6

  • Complete restructuring of internal structure in program to make it stringent in style and separate interface handling from commands.
  • Statistical process control graphs and principles in collaboration with Gruk Norway
  • Interface policy finalised - menus for beginners, commands for experienced users.
  • Finalisation tests commenced

Status at version 0.9.0

  • Unfortunately Salah Mahmud had to stop participation in the development due to other committments in autumn 2003. The core parser made by Salah Mahmud constitutes a key part of the project. Therefore the parser is referenced as a separate entity. Salah also contributed to parts of the early documentation.

Early development

Versions prior to 0.9

  • New commands
    • Loop command, to repeatdly execute a command or a command block
    • View command, to display HTML files in the output window.

  • New functions/system variables
    • Sysdir: system variable, returns the path to the folder containing EpiData Analysis (EpiDataStat.exe

    • The new Program editor is functional
    • The output window was enhanced to allow copying HTML to clipboard and to support moving between viewed documents like an Internet browser

  • improvement in parsing commands

  • Reading/writing data
    • Epianalysis can now read all the new data types introduced in Epidata 2.2 (encrypted fields are ignored)

  • Optimization
    • Reading REC file is slightly faster now
    • Tabulating one-char string variables (eg sex=[M,F]) is as fast as tabulating boolean or integer variables