demo_conv.exe

### The XML data conversion Visual Basic demonstration

Here we proivide information on how to use the XML data conversion software demonstration.

1. Two OptionButtons are provided which allow the user to choose whether the data conversion information is to be input interactively or read from a data conversion file.

1. Use data conversion file:
   If this option is chosen then the data conversion file is selected by using the ListBoxes provided in the upper half of the form. The data conversion information is then loaded by clicking the button labelled "Load".

2. Input/Edit data conversion information:
   If this option is selected a dialog appears which allows the data conversion file information to be input interactively. It is then possible to save this information into a user specified data conversion file.

2. To generate the XML data click the button labelled "Convert Data"
3. If more files are to be converted then go to step 1.

### The generated XML

When XML conversion takes place three files are created:

1. An XML file, which contains the data.
2. An XSL file, the style file, which controls the appearance of the XML file within the Web browser IE6.
3. An XDR, which specifies the structure of the XML file.

When the XML file is viewed using the Web browser IE6 data values have the following (default) colour code:

1. Valid - light blue
2. Missing - dark blue
3. In error - red
4. Suspect - yellow
5. Imputed - light green
6. Not applicable - magenta

The colours listed above can be changed from their default values by editing the generated XSL file.

### Data conversion file

The data conversion file is used to describe the data contained in the file that is to be converted into XML. For instance it specifies whether the original data is space, comma or tab separated; it is also used to indicate if variables are continuous or categorical. All non-numeric values in the data are treated as missing values. This means that, for space separated data, missing values could (for instance) be indicated by using '?' in the data file.

The data conversion file has the following format:

    // Data conversion file
    // Input File
    Full path to data file, directories starting with upper case.
    //Data set name
    Name for data
    //Number of observations
     Integer
    //Number of variables
     Integer
    // Input delimiter
     Integer  {0 - space, 1 - tab, 2 - comma}
    // Header
     Integer  {0 - no, 1 - yes}
    // Valid bound
     Value
    // XML file
    Full path to xml file, directories starting with upper case.
    // Variable information
    {for each variable}
    // Variable name<\var>
    //Variable type
    Integer {1 - continuous, >1 categorical}
    {if categorigal
    //Categories
    Integer  {number of categories}
    Space separated integers {list of category values}
    }
    //End of variable
    //End of file

Platform software homepage