data saving as dates

[rarobins]

I have some multiple choice questions mixed in with open-ended questions in a questionnaire, and sometimes subjects are responding to the open-ended questions with numbers such as "3-4", which are being saved to the data file as dates (4-March). I have tried changing the 'write as text' option from 2 to 1 and vice versa, including deleting the old data files and starting from scratch, as well as trying to format the cells in the Excel data file that it saves to, but nothing has worked so far. How can I assure that the text/numbers subjects are typing in are saved exactly as they are typed in?

Thanks!

[jarvis24]

Can you attach a sample file so I can check it out?

[rarobins]

Here's an example-- hope it helps.

Thanks!

[jarvis24]

Something odd here for sure. I see the dates are written like this even when I open your csv file in a text editor.

Can you please do this--clear your data folder (after backing it up). Run a fresh test session where you enter 3-4 (or whatever) for this item. Then--without modifying the new data files in any way--zip the whole new data folder after the session is complete and then attach that?

[rarobins]

Sorry, I attached the wrong file. Here is the one you want, and I used '3-4' and '10-11' as answers. Thanks.

[jarvis24]

OK, so take a look at this file in a text editor, like Notepad.exe. After "camel light" is says "3-4". But if you open it in Excel, it appears as "4-Mar". Do you have the option "write as text" selected for these items? I noticed if I put single quotes around the 3-4 in the text editor and then saved the files, that Excel would pull the values up properly, but with the quotes included. Double quotes seemed to have no effect. Seems odd that I've never heard of this before. Hmm.