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<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation: User Guide > Data > Changing a project with data |
If you have data already entered for a project then the raw data file is "tied" to the project as it was when the data is entered. This section describes those things that are safe to change and those things that are not.
If you have data for the project stored in more then one type of data file then you should not do anything that is listed as not safe for any of the types used.
There are settings in Project global which determine whether live data files exist. You should not alter these if you have live data.
The following are always safe and you will not lose any existing data:
Adding new filters.
Changing, renaming or deleting filters, unless they are needed for stored data (questions or stored filters).
Adding new variables.
Changing, renaming or deleting variables, unless they are needed for stored data (questions or stored filters).
Using "Suspend" on questions or responses.
Adding or removing supplemental reject responses at the end of a response list.
Changing score values unless they are used in a later variable with the Score function.
Changing question and response texts, provided these remain relevant to the data already collected.
Deleting questions. You can do this but all collected data for the question will be lost. Use "Suspend" instead.
Deleting responses, except supplemental reject responses. Use "Suspend" instead.
In a CSV data file the data is stored in a spreadsheet format. In addition to the above please note:
Changing data locations, widths and multi-coded maximum repeats.
Changing raw data structure in Project global settings.
Changing a single-coded question to a multi-coded question.
Changing an integer question to a float question.
Adding new questions. These will be blank in existing data records.
Adding new responses to the end of the response list.
The following are not allowed if you have data stored in a CSV data file:
Rename a question entry.
Rename a filter or variable entry that is stored in the data.
Changing filters that are used for questions.
In addition to the above please note:
The following are safe:
Renaming any entry unless data is also stored in a CSV Data file.
Adding new questions using spare data locations. These will be blank in existing data records.
Adding new responses to the end of the response list using spare data locations for individual locations.
The following are not allowed if you have data stored in an ASC, UNI, or binary data file:
Changing data locations, widths and multi-coded maximum repeats.
Changing raw data structure in Project global settings.
Adding responses that will exceed the width allocated.
Changing question types.