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Thread: Problems with Subject #s and overwriting

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    23

    Problems with Subject #s and overwriting

    We've recently encountered two problems with subject numbers. We assign each subject a 5 digit (and digit only - no letters) code, which we enter for any given task.
    Problem 1:
    Sometimes the output file does not keep the subject number. Through the log file's date and time stamp, we can ascertain which subject's data we are looking at, but the file name has been changed to '1' or '0'. There is no warning that the original number wasn't accepted.

    Problem 2:
    We recently lost data, because one file over-wrote another. The RAs remember the warning coming up that there was a file with the same name (and they'll never press the 'Yes' button again). The problem is, the code they had typed in wasn't remotely related to the file that was copied over. (The original file was 24035, and the RAs typed in 44036). 24035 was overwritten with 44036's responses, and saved as 24035.

    Why might these subject coding errors occur and how can we get them to stop?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Posts
    3,328
    I believe the subject id's are currently limited to around 32000 due to a bug that will be fixed in an upcoming version. See:

    http://www.empirisoft.com/support/showthread.php?t=239

    This can lead to overwriting if:

    1. the overwrite warning is turned off or bypassed
    2. both subject IDs are over 32000 because both will be treated as subject 0
    3. or subject IDs contain letters as alpha-numeric codes are not treated as valid

    Data for a subject ID if 24025 should save fine. There is no reason I can think of as to why data from a subject ID of 44036 would overwrite it because that data would be recorded as if the ID were 0. However, as above, overwriting could happen only if the first ID had actually been over 32000 or if the IDs contained letters (again because they would be treated as subject ID = 0).
    Last edited by jarvis24; 12-06-2007 at 11:46 AM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Posts
    3,328
    Note this is fixed as of v2008.1.13

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