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<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation: Reference Manual > Windows and dialog boxes > Project global settings > Project global settings |
From the Main window menu [Project] [Global settings] is used to enable you to set features that will be applied to the whole project and may affect all entries.
The tabs available are:
This is stored in ZZZSTU when records are saved during input.
For CATI using a dialler or PDS system this will be the campaign name used for communications.
You can set a maximum number of characters for entry names. The standard setting is 30 for compatibility with Companion programs.
When saving the file it will tell you if any names are longer than this setting.
For compatibility with other programs entry names can be made all upper case.
When pasting a single-coded entry to a variable, the variable will be set to multi-coded.
New single-coded and multi-coded questions are set to use a separate data location/code for each response (old style).
This setting causes the project to be saved without scanning first for errors. Any errors will be shown when the project is reloaded immediately after the save. If the project has some known warnings that are being ignored this setting stops them being reported twice: before the save and after the reload.
Normally entries with no entry text are treated as errors. This setting is useful for imported projects with entries that have no text.
Text enclosed in square brackets [...] will not be treated as carry forward text. This setting is useful for imported projects that contain square brackets in texts.
Ignore warnings about responses which have just a number as their text, but the number is not the response number for the response. See CSV type data file.
Not used by Companion. Only used by Classic programs that are not Unicode programs.
Zero fill multi-coded questions stored in a character data file.
Unused columns allocated to a multi-coded question are filled with '0'.
NOTE: All the allocated columns will still be left empty if no responses have been selected.
Each response number is stored in a specific location. Each response that is not marked as "refused" is allocated the next set of columns.
For example if a multi-coded question (width 1) has responses 1-3 and 9 with 4-8 refused, then the program will use 4 columns. A 9 will be stored in the 4th column if that response is selected.
For multi-coded variables every response is allocated its own space.
Setting this will cause responses that have no text to be excluded when the project is exported, see Project export.
Setting this will cause entries and responses that have no data to be excluded when the project is exported to convert multi-coded entries into a set of single-coded entries with one response, see Project export.
This setting means that the question name appears before the question text in analysis. The entry name is followed by a full stop, for example:
Q1. What is your age?
This setting uses the question texts as the mean score labels in place of the standard text "Mean score" when format NDIS is used. This is useful for "mean score summary" tables.
This causes CL scripts (.stpx) produced for tables production to have separate definitions and labels.
Characters surrounded by parentheses () in the last line of column labels are treated as identifiers for the column provided they comply with the rules for identifiers, see Column identifiers for full details. The value set must be in the range 0-4 and the meanings are as follows:
0 means there are no column identifiers and no statistical comparisons between columns is possible.
1-4 means only up to this number of characters within parentheses will be used as identifiers. 1 is the default.
This places a dot (.) between significance markers (showing relevant column identifiers).
This can only be set if the Max characters (above) is 1. It will always be used for Max 2-4 and is irrelevant with Max 0.
The purpose of this box is to preserve confidentiality of respondents for projects with a limited sample.
By completing the box you can request a minimum number of respondents that should be shown in your tables.
•Table cells that contain less than the minimum value will be shown as <<
•Rows or columns which have a total of less than the minimum value will be suppressed
•If the table total is less than the minimum value, the whole table will be suppressed
When a tables run is completed the program will normally open the tables in your spreadsheet program, usually Excel.
For more information about raw data structure, see User Guide, Handling Raw Data, Raw data structure.
This is turned on when data in CSV or spreadsheet form has been used. This type of data file uses a header row to identify the entries. It is important not to alter the names of entries when this type of data file exists and this setting prevents such changes.
•Character (asc) - the data is stored as a regular text file with each question stored in a particular range of positions (data locations) in each line
•Binary (cba) - in binary data information for each line of data is stored is binary format, this allows "multi-punching" (up to 12 codes in each data location); Companion stores binary data in CBA format (Companion), CBE format (Quantum), and CSI format (IBM column binary)
For more information about data file types, see Files section on Data files.
•One line per questionnaire
•Multiple lines per questionnaire (80 column cards)
For more information on data locations, see User Guide, Handling Raw Data, Data locations.
•Program sets (automatic layout)
•User sets (locations fixed)
•Frozen (data files exist)
The last two above both lock the data locations in the questionnaire. In either case you will need to set data locations manually for new questions.
"Frozen" prevents any changes that might cause existing data files to be read incorrectly.
"User sets" allows any changes to the data locations including ones that might cause existing data files to be read incorrectly.
Other important information about the raw data structure can be set:
•Order of codes (usually 1234567890, VX0123456789 or 1234567890XV for binary), there are other names for the X and V codes, for example 1234567890XY or 1234567890AB; the V and X codes on their own are actually the characters "&" and "-" respectively
•Record length (maximum data locations per line of data)
•Job number or name (optional) and data location
•Serial number width and data location
•Card number width and data location (multiple lines per questionnaire only)
Setting the serial number width to 0 is permitted and means that there is no serial number for records. This can be used for data which has come from other software which does not have a serial number. A warning will be issued for projects with no serial number and data should not be input without using a serial number.
This setting will cause a warning to be issued if a filter definition refers to a supplemental reject, because these are not compatible with the Classic programs.
This setting will not allow responses to be entered that do not have a response text (the response text is empty).
This causes all the response keys to use the full data width. For example, a question with a width of three will have 001 (or 000) as the first response key and all three digits will be needed to be used to select the response during data entry.
This setting means that data locations for questions and answers are displayed during data input. For single-coded and multi-coded questions with individual locations for responses, the data location for each response is shown in parentheses before the response text.
This is useful when entering paper documents that are not in the same language as the project text but do have data locations printed on them.
This backs up records to the ProgramData folder on the local PC when records are saved during data entry.
WARNING: this only works if using ASC data and the Study name has been set in General tab.
If there is a failure when writing records to the main or appointments files a backup is saved. This setting means that records are saved whether there was a problem or not.
The records (and verbatims) are saved to a sub-folder of ProgramData called "NetMR Ltd\DataBackup\study". The files are called Main.asc or Appt.asc with appropriate Verbatim files if needed.
All records saved for a study are Added to the same files.
There are three ranges that can be set. These will be used when inputting data:
•CATI or paper
•Random allocation
•User allocation
For paper projects only the first range is used.
For CAPI projects only the middle range is used unless the user chooses a serial number in the last range.
For CATI projects the first range is reserved for sample data records and the third is reserved for added records.
This specifies a file or web page to be accessed for any Text for interviewer question when the "Execute" setting is "A".
The File text can include Carry forward text for example:
https://yoursite/yourpage?Serial=[serial]&Number=[telnum]
This specifies the FTP site information used to transfer qpsmrinp files from Companion to the Android devices.
The Android devices will also need to have these site details set so that they can download the Input files.
If the site uses SFTP select "This site uses SFTP (SSH FTP)". If this is not set then FTPS will be used.
All the fields must be entered and correct: URL, user name, and password.
This information is encrypted when stored in the project file.
When set, the details will be checked and a warning issued if Companion cannot access the site.
The same site can be used for all projects provided the Input files have names the interviewers will recognise.
See Input FTP sites for more details.
This specifies the FTP site information used to transfer collected data (CSV) files from the Android devices to Companion.
If the site uses SFTP select "This site uses SFTP (SSH FTP)". If this is not set then FTPS will be used.
This information is not set on the Android devices, it is obtained from the input files.
All the fields must be entered and correct: URL, user name, and password.
This information is encrypted when stored in the project file.
When set, the details will be checked and a warning issued if Companion cannot access the site.
For security you will probably want to use a separate site for each project or customer.
See Input FTP sites for more details.
You must set the study/campaign name in the General tab.
You can request that a PDS/dialler system is used to dial telephone numbers for CATI using a socket (Winsock) connection.
The connection to the server is made using an IPv4 address and a port number which is stored with the project file (QDF).
The IPv4 address takes the form of nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn. To communicate with a program on the same PC use the loopback address 127.0.0.1.
The Port number should usually be a number between 10000 and 60000.
You can choose the type of connection: Native or Invade.
See https://netmr-download.scot/home/resources/other-companion-documentation for details of the native protocol used.
Turn this off if you do not want interviewers to request a PDS call.
You may want to do this at the end of a survey when the interviewers are deciding which numbers to call.
You can set the number of seconds to wait for a PDS request before asking the interviewer whether they wish to continue waiting.
In native mode you can also request this which get this from the connection and stores it in ZZZCEI (if present in project).
Turn this off if you do not want interviewers to add new records that are not on the sample file.
Turn this off if you do not want interviewers to retrieve sample records directly.
You may want to do this when using a PDS (Predictive Dialler System) because the PDS will not know that a record has been accessed and will call the number again.
Turn this off if you do not want interviewers to use the "Not Tried" button when sample has been retrieved from the sample file.
This setting means that interviewers will not see appointments which are assigned to other interviewers.
You can set a delay in hours after the appointment time when other interviewers will be able to see private appointments.
The Winsock dialler will issue a "Finished" command at the end of an interview.
If there is no ZZZCEI question in the project then the dialler will not send a reply to the "Finished" command.
If there is a ZZZCEI question in the project then the dialler is expected to reply with the call end information.
For CATI projects, do not show TELNUM telephone numbers to the interviewer.
You can set ranges of responses in ZZZSR entries that can only be used for specific outcomes.
Responses in the range set for appointments can only be used when making an appointment.
Responses in the range set for dead sample can only be used when terminating a record so that it is not called again.
Responses not allocated can be used for any purpose.
If "Multiple lines per questionnaire" and "User sets" are selected then the "Card types" tab becomes active.
The line (card) length can be set to 80 or any number up to 99.
This tab shows a list of valid card numbers and whether they are:
•Fixed (must be present in every questionnaire)
•Optional (can be left out if there is no data on it for the questionnaire)
TIP: If a card type is not present in a questionnaire it will be treated as all blank.
You can add and delete card types and change the type of existing card numbers.
You can choose to use the last 3 digits of data locations as the column number so that cards can be up to 999 columns each.
The title of the project
This is used as the header on reports
This is used as the footer on reports