Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys
Data Processing Workshop
Data Entry Applications
with Logic
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
Topics to be Discussed
• what is the “path” of data entry?
• skip and reenter
•
•
•
•
•
manipulating the path via procedures
processing order in CSPro
more commonly-used CSPro commands
creating user-defined variables
adding messages to your program
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
The Data Entry Path
• The data entry path contains all of the questions
that a respondent should be asked
• It is determined by
– the type of the questionnaire
– the responses to questions in conjunction with
• questionnaire skips
• questionnaire filters
• It is controlled by logic you develop
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
Changing the path via skip
CSPro has two ways of implementing skips:
skip to
Use if moving to a singly-occurring variable or to a roster:
skip to <variable_name>;
skip to <group_name>;
skip to next
Use if the var. being skipped to is in a repeating form/roster:
skip to next <repeating_variable_name>;
skip to next <group_name>;
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
Changing the path via reenter
• To force the data entry operator to reenter
the current field (e.g., if the data entered
are inconsistent) use:
reenter;
• By default, reenter forces reentry of the
current field. If you wish to force reentry of
a previously-entered field, use:
reenter <field_name>;
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
CSPro Procedure Types
Global procedure (PROC GLOBAL)
• logic executed when the Data Entry App begins
Form File procedure (PROC <form_file_name>)
• logic executed when the Data Entry App begins/ends
Level procedure (PROC <level_name>)
• logic executed when a level begins/ends
Group procedure (PROC <group_name>)
• logic executed when a form/roster begins/ends
Variable procedure (PROC <variable_name>)
• logic executed before/after a variable is keyed
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
preproc and postproc
There are two types of procedures:
preproc
• logic executed before the item
• for example, skip to another variable
postproc
•
•
•
•
logic executed after item
for example, check if data entered is consistent
for example, skip to a variable
default action for logic if nothing explicitly written
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
Order of Operations
PROC GLOBAL (executes at start of program, cannot stipulate preproc or postproc)
Form File preproc
Level 1 preproc
Form 1.1 preproc
Field 1.1.1 preproc
Field 1.1.1 postproc
repeat for other <Form 1.1 fields>
Form 1.1 postproc
repeat for other <Level 1 forms>
Level 2 preproc
Form 2.1 preproc
Field 2.1.1 preproc
Field 2.1.1 postproc
Form 2.1 postproc
repeat for other <Level 2 forms>
Level 2 postproc
Level 1 postproc
Form File postproc
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
Ending a Level
• You must prematurely finish a level if
– the last variable in the data path is not the last
variable on the questionnaire
– there are no more woman or children’s
under-five questionnaires left for the HH
• This is accomplished using the endlevel
command
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
The endlevel Command
• The effect of the endlevel command
depends upon its context/location:
– In a field/roster/form proc, control passes to
the current level’s postproc
– In a level 2 or higher postproc, control passes
to the next highest level’s postproc
– In a level 1 proc, control passes to the
application, i.e., the form file’s postproc
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
Operator vs. System Controlled
• Operator-controlled: the keyer has some/
all control on the data entry path
• System-controlled: the keyer has no
control over the data entry path
– go to options  data entry
– choose “system controlled”
– (while you are there, make all alphanumeric
variables upper case)
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
Ending a Group
• A group is a roster or multiply-occurring
form
• Is terminated by using the endgroup
command
• Passes control to the group’s postproc—
all intervening logic (in other form/roster
items) is skipped
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
User-defined Variables
• User-defined variables must be declared in the
PROC GLOBAL section and as implied, are global
in scope
• Numeric working variables can be declared
together
– numeric var1, var2;
• Alphanumeric variables must be declared
separately:
– alpha(length) avar1;
– alpha(length) avar2;
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
User-defined Variables (cont)
• All variables must be declared in the preproc of
the form_files procedure
• User-defined variables should be assigned a
value within the preproc of the form_files, e.g.,
minab = 144;
• You should give a description of your variable at
either the place of declaration or initialization,
e.g.,
numeric minab; {min. age at first birth in months}
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
Recoding Variables
• To more easily assign values to a variable
based on another variable, use recode
• The following logic recodes women’s age into
groups:
recode
WB2
=> agegrps;
15-19
=> 1;
20-24
=> 2;
=> 3;
endrecode;
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
if command
Use the if command to check for a condition:
if HH9 <> 1 then
skip to HH16;
endif;
if (HH9=1 and HH11=0) or
(HH9 in 2:4,6 and HH11<>0) then
reenter;
endif;
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
Generating Error Messages
• Example: If the cluster number is invalid, we can
show the operator a message to explain what
the problem is; for example,
errmsg(“Cluster number invalid”);
• However, to be more useful, we should tell them
what the valid range is; to do this, we can pass
in parameters to the command as follows:
errmsg(“Cluster number invalid,
expected range %d to %d”, MinClust,
MaxClust);
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
Error Message Parameters
• The values of any variables listed after the
error message number will be passed to
the error message
• Parameters are displayed in the error
message using
– %d for numeric values
– %s for alphanumeric values (i.e., text)
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
Streamlining Error Messages
• Suppose we need to repeat the same
message several times in the file—what
should we do?
• We can assign unique numbers to each
error message
• We can keep all error messages in the
message file (.mgf)
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
Sample Error Messages
• Our earlier message (and maybe one we could
use for that HH result code earlier) would now
be simplified to:
errmsg(1, MinClust, MaxClust);
errmsg(2, HH9, HH11);
• And the message file would look something like:
0001 Cluster number invalid, expected range %d to %d
0002 HH result code (%d) doesn’t agree with number of
HH members (%d)
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
Modifying Your Test Application
• Add logic to
– check if the household number is consistent
• display message and add reenter command if not
– implement the HH result code skip
– check the date of interview is internally
consistent
• display message and force reentry if not
• Compile your application, resolve any errors
• Save your application (<ctrl+S>)
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop
Testing your Application
• Click once on the execute button on
toolbar ( ), or press <ctrl+R> to run
• Use NoData.dat as your datafile
• Enter a case (i.e., a questionnaire)
MICS4 Data Processing Workshop