Merge Interviews... (AskiaTools)

Use this AskiaTools feature to merge two questionnaires' data into a single *.QES file. This merge operation will import the secondary *.QES file's data into the primary *.QES file.

Note: this operation can also be carried out using the command line.
Note: The optional module AskiaSurf allows you to merge interview data across numerous waves within a study. While remaining very easy to use, it provides a powerful set of tools for handling changes to the questionnaire over time. Unlike the merge interviews tool, it allows you to handle situations where question or response shortcuts, entry codes or internal ids have changed over time; these questions can still be identified as the same, and the data merged accordingly.

Askiasurf creates a QEW file which can be opened directly in AskiaAnalyse and AskiaVista for analysis. You can break down your analyses by wave, and control which waves are included in a given chart or table.

When you add in a new wave, AskiaSurf identifies which questions have remained the same, which have been modified (e.g. new responses added), and which have been removed from or added to the project in the latest wave. It saves you a great deal of time, as question and response matches are remembered across waves, so you do not have to carry out repetitive work for each wave.

For information on AskiaSurf, please see the AskiaSurf section of this Assistant.

To merge two questionnaires' data:

  1. In AskiaTools, open the primary *.QES file, which will contain all merged data.
  2. In the merge menu, select interviews. The following screen appears:
  3. Set the options, as described below, and click OK to carry out the merge.

Options

Option Description

Askia file

The secondary *.QES is the file whose data will be merged into the primary (open) *.QES file.

Enter the path to the secondary *.QES file, or click and select the file.

Alternatively, click  if you want to read data from a SQL database instead of a QES file. The AskiaField tasks dialog opens; enter the server connection details there.
Interviews

Interviews are read from the QES: interviews will be read from the QES file you specified in askia file.

Interviews are read from SQL server (legacy format): interviews will be read from a SQL server database in the old, multiple-table format (using the connection you enter in connection to the survey DB).

Interviews are read from SQL server (new format): interviews will be read from a SQL server database in the new, single-table format (using the connection you enter in connection to the survey DB).

Interviews are read from an inverted database: interviews will be read from an inverted file, as specified in askia file.

Interviews are in a web-table: interviews will be read from a web table specified in web table (using the connection you enter in connection to the wenprod DB).

Connection to the survey DB

This option is available only if you select one of the interviews are read from SQL server options in interviews, above. Enter the SQL connection string to the database here, in the following format:

;DSN=BDDASKIA
Connection to the WebProd DB This option appears only if you select interviews are in a web-table in interviews, above. Enter the SQL connection string to the database here.

Survey ID

This option is available only if you select one of the interviews are read from SQL server options in interviews, above. Enter the survey ID here (to identify the specific survey from which you are extracting data).
Web table This option appears only if you select interviews are in a web-table in interviews, above. Enter the name of the table here (to identify the table from which you are extracting the data).

Merge type

Select as appropriate:

  • Assume questionnaires are superposable: in order to merge the data, both *.QES files must have identical data-entry masks.

  • Using shortcuts and entry codes : in order to merge the data, both *.QES files must have identical shortcuts and entry codes, but it is not necessary to have identical data-entry masks.

  • Using internal question and response ids: in order to merge the data, both *.QES files must have identical internal question ids, but it is not necessary to have identical data-entry masks.

Delete interview once copied

Select this option if you want the imported interview to be deleted from the secondary *.QES file once it has been copied to the primary *.QES file.

Identifiers

Select as appropriate:

  • Create interviews with a new ID: new interviews in the primary (open) *.QES file will be given a new ID number.

  • Create interviews preserving the ID: new interviews in the primary (open) *.QES file will retain their original ID number that was used in the secondary *.QES file.

Import completes only

Select this option if you want to import completed interviews only.

Interview started after

Allows you to import only those interviews that were begun after the specified date. You can, therefore, use this feature to import new data that has been collected since a previous import operation.

Additional filter

Allows you to specify a custom data filter by defining an AskiaScript condition. Click ... to open a secondary dialog where you can define your condition.

 

Tasks dialog

If you are reading data from a SQL table, you will be asked to provide details in the tasks dialog, as follows:

Option Description

Connection to AskiaField database

Enter the SQL connection string to the call centre database here.

Surveys

Once you have entered the connection string in connection to askiafield database, select the survey from which you are extracting data here.
Askia file Click ... and select the QES file associated with this survey.
Connection to surveys database

Enter the SQL connection string to the surveys database here from which you will be extracting data, in the following format:

;DSN=BDDASKIA;
Survey ID

Enter the unique survey identification number here.
Interviews storage

Interviews are read from the QES: interviews will be read from a QES file.

Interviews are read from SQL server (legacy format): interviews will be read from a SQL table (in the old format with multiple tables per survey).

Interviews are read from SQL server (new format): interviews will be read from a SQL table (in the new, single-table format).

 

Create your own Knowledge Base