You use the Allocate Cols and Punches command to automatically allocate card, column, and punch codes to the variables in the questionnaire definition (.mdd) file.

Select this option to reallocate card, column, and punch codes for all variables using the options defined on the CardColumns tab in the Preferences dialog box.

Select this option if you do not want to overwrite any allocations that have already been made and you want to use the options on the CardColumns tab in the Preferences dialog box for any unallocated variables and categories.

Select this option if you do not want to overwrite any allocations that have already been made and you want to use the options in the document for any unallocated variables and categories.

Displays the card and column options defined on the CardColumns tab in the Preferences dialog box and in the document.

When the column count has been defined manually for a variable, Allocate Cols and Punches uses it when allocating columns, except when the overwrite option has been selected. This means that you can allocate extra columns to a variable when, for example, you expect new categories to be added to it in the future.

When Allocate Cols and Punches determines the number of columns to allocate to a numeric variable, it uses the existing column count, if this has been defined. If this has not been defined, it allocates the number of columns according to your preferences and the maximum value defined in the questionnaire definition, when this is available. When this is not available, Allocate Cols and Punches does not allocate any cards or columns and you need to allocate them manually.

When Allocate Cols and Punches determines the number of columns to allocate to a text variable, it uses the existing column count, if this has been defined. If this has not been defined, it allocates the number of columns according to your preferences and the maximum value defined in the questionnaire definition, when this is available. When this is not available, Allocate Cols and Punches allocates the text variable to the .dau file. You can stop a text variable going into the .dau file by defining allocations manually.

With the exception of text and numeric variables whose column count has not been defined and that do not have a maximum value defined, Allocate Cols and Punches allocates cards and columns to every variable in the questionnaire definition. Similarly, Allocate Cols and Punches allocates punch codes to every category in the questionnaire definition.

Allocate Cols and Punches allocates columns to any unallocated variables starting with the first available column or the next card after the system variables, depending on your preferences. When the column count has not been defined for a categorical variable, Allocate Cols and Punches bases the column count on the number of categories and the punch mask. Allocate Cols and Punches allocates punch codes to unallocated categories in allocated variables using the next available punch code in the punch mask. If all available punch codes have already been allocated for all of the columns available for the variable and the next column has already been allocated, Allocate Cols and Punches does not allocate another column and you will need to change the allocation manually afterwards. You will also need to do this if the column count has been changed to an allocated variable and the next column has already been allocated.