Modify the dictionary

[nguoivietnam22]

Hi everyone,

I have a problem about how to keep the format of the data entry form after added some items (variables) in the dictionary. Eg: After started interviewing some cases, I have to add some variables in the quastionnaire, but as you n\know, when we add variables and generate from that make the old format lose. So my question is how to keep the format of the data entry form in this case?

Thanks for your help.

Nguoivietnam

[marialange]

Hi
As in the data entry screens you can locate anywhere in the variables you always recommend putting the variables at the end of your dictionary, so the format is always the same, and the loading screens that you want to place yourself ...
Greetings

[napoleong2012]

Hi all.

I have the same problem with nguoivietnam22, I tried above way but it was not run well, could you tell more detail?. I'm trying to create the CAPI mode for a survey. This will be conducted in 10 provinces, and we done at one province for pilot, we revised some in the questionnaire and want to add the changes in the CAPI, but we do not want to change the format of the form, because each time we add new item in the dictionary we have to generate form and the formatted form will be lose. I do not know whether we have anyway to keep the formatted form when we add the new items?

Thanks

Napoleong

[marialange]

Hello,
Add variables to the end of the dictionary long retain the structure.
Maria

[napoleong2012]

I did it,

Thanks for your help

[Gregory Martin]

In general there are two ways to add items (new questions) to a dictionary:

1) Add the items to the end of a record, as Maria mentioned.

2) Add the items anywhere in the record and then use CSPro's Reformat Data tool to convert your data files to the new format. If you use this approach, you must keep a copy of your original dictionary before you make your modifications. Then the Reformat Data tool will compare your new dictionary to the old one and make the necessary changes to your data file.

The first approach is easier but has the potential downside of disrupting the logical order of items in your dictionary. For example, if your original dictionary has QUEST1 and QUEST2 and you decide to add a question 1b, then in the first approach your dictionary would look like: QUEST1A, QUEST2, QUEST1B. This is okay, but can be confusing.

The second approach allows you to avoid this issue but has the downside of requiring you to reformat data files. This might not be a problem if you only have a couple data files, but if you already have many data files, it might be cumbersome.

napoleong2012: Perhaps you know this, but using CSPro's Generate Form option is not the only way to create forms. If you add a new item to the dictionary and then want to add it to a form, you can drag the item from the dictionary tree to the form. See more here: http://www.csprousers.org/help/html/add ... a_form.htm