Data Collection Import Metadata Properties

When importing Data Collection survey data, in the Metadata Properties dialog box, you can specify the survey version to import as well as the language, context, and label type to use. Note that only one language, context, and label type can be imported at a time.

Version. Each survey version can be regarded as a snapshot of the metadata used to collect a particular set of case data. As a questionnaire undergoes changes, multiple versions may be created. You can import the latest version, all versions, or a specific version.

• All versions. Select this option if you want to use a combination (superset) of all of the available versions. (This is sometimes called a superversion). When there is a conflict between the versions, the most recent versions generally take precedence over the older versions. For example, if a category label differs in any of the versions, the text in the latest version will be used.
• Latest version. Select this option if you want to use the most recent version.
• Specify version. Select this option if you want to use a particular survey version.

Choosing all versions is useful when, for example, you want to export case data for more than one version and there have been changes to the variable and category definitions that mean that case data collected with one version is not valid in another version. Selecting all of the versions for which you want to export the case data means that generally you can export the case data collected with the different versions at the same time without encountering validity errors due to the differences between the versions. However, depending on the version changes, some validity errors may still be encountered.

Language. Questions and associated text can be stored in multiple languages in the metadata. You can use the default language for the survey or specify a particular language. If an item is unavailable in the specified language, the default is used.

Context. Select the user context you want to use. The user context controls which texts are displayed. For example, select Question to display question texts or Analysis to display shorter texts suitable for displaying when analyzing the data.

Label type. Lists the types of labels that have been defined. The default is label, which is used for question texts in the Question user context and variable descriptions in the Analysis user context. Other label types can be defined for instructions, descriptions, and so forth.