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File Delimiter Problem and Solution
The "Delimiter Problem" and its ProtoGenie Solution
Alpha-numeric character delimiters work fine for separating event results (column variables) in a data file - except when the designated delimiter is embedded in the results. For example, if the selected delimiter is a comma, every time a comma appears in the results, the program will interpret it as an event (variable) break and separate the text immediately before the comma and immediately after the comma into two variables - thereby corrupting the alignment of columns (event variables) in the data file.
The general solution to the delimiter problem is for ProtoGenie to go through the results and replace any instances of the selected delimiter in the results with a word, character, or character set that the program will then read as real text and thereby not cause unintended breaks in columns (event variables). For example, every time a real comma in encountered in the results, it might be replaced by the text "This is a response comma." In the data file downloading option called "Down Loading Comma Delimited Results Files," this pre-editing of results is done automatically by ProtoGenie and commas are replaced by the text "USER_COMMA." If desired, incidences of these converted commas in subject/respondent text can be edited out by the researcher.
Related Topics
Managing The Results of ProtoGenie Data Collection
Viewing Single-Session Results
Saving Results of a ProtoGenie Run
Using the All-Session Index Table
Viewing The All-Sessions Data Table
Creating Formatted Data Files
Downloading Comma Delimited (RxC) Results File
Downloading Results File Using a Delimiter of Your Choice
Porting Results To Your Favorite Data Analysis Program
Using StatCrunch With ProtoGenie