Using Epi Info for Data Entry

Create a
Data
Collection
Instrument
Create a
Data Entry
Program
Insert
Automatic
Error
Checks
Date Entry
and
Verification
Importing &
 Exporting
Data from
Epi-Info
Resources
and Links
Importing and Exporting Data from Epi Info
Get into Epi-Info

Import
Create an
Epi Info
Questionnaire
Create an
Empty Epi Info System Data Set
Importing the
ASCII
Data Set

Export
Create a
".SAS" Code Program
Copy and Edit ".DAT" File
Edit the
".SAS" File

Importing Data Objective

Importing an ascii data set into Epi-Info is not difficult but it is a little awkward because it requires the preliminary steps of creating a ".QES" file and a ".REC" file. There are three sets of instruction:

  • Import the ASCII data set VDT.dat into Epi Info and create an Epi Info system data set called vdt.rec. [Note: this file was created via the SAS program dmes99p32.sas.]
    • Creating an Epi Info questionnaire - This defines the structure of what will eventually be the Epi Info system data set. We will create one called vdt.qes
    • Creating an Empty Epi Info system data set - This provides a destination for the data. We will create one called vdt.rec. It will be empty at first.
    • Importing the ASCII data - This is the actual step of importing the data and saving its new version as an Epi Info system data set. This will be vdt.rec with the data supplied.

Exporting Data Objective

  • Using the Epi-Info data set church.rec, create a SAS program called church.sas which creates a SAS data set called church.sd2.

    Epi-Info has several export formats. This means that if you have a favorite statistical analysis program that you like to use, it is possible to write out your Epi-Info ".REC" data set to a new data set on another platform. Check the choices possible in Epi-Info Version 6 in Export Platforms Available in Epi-Info Version 6a.

    Exporting Epi-Info Data to the SAS Platform Using the Epi-Info Program EXPORT

    Here we discuss the export of an Epi-Info data set (".REC") to the SAS platform using the church supper example. Refer to the Epi-Info manual for discussion of the specifics of exports to other platforms. Briefly, the EXPORT program in Epi-Info does the following:

    • Prompts user for name of the Epi-Info data set (".REC"). In our example, this will be church.rec.
    • Prompts user for resulting file type. We will select SAS.
    • Epi-Info will then produce a SAS program that contains a data statement, input statement, cards statement, the data, and ending with a semi-colon. In our example, this will be church.sas.

    It is recommended that you copy church.sas to a second file called church.dta and then edit church.sas

    • Church.dta - Will contain data only
      Church.sas - Will contain SAS instructions only

 Reference: Epi-Info Manual, version 6. Pp 191-201.

Produced and maintained by the Dept of BioEpi at UMASS
Send comments or questions about this web site to Ed Stanek
Email: stanek@schoolph.umass.edu
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Lst Update: 11/16/99