Data Link Properties: Metadata Properties

Use the Metadata Properties dialog box to define the version, language, context, and label type that you want to use when you connect to a questionnaire definition (.mdd) file (also known as UNICOM Intelligence Metadata Document file).

Select the version or versions that you want to use. Questionnaire definition (.mdd) files typically contain versions, which record any changes to the content of the questionnaire. Typically, when the questionnaire changes (for example, a question or category is added or deleted) a new version is created and when the changes are complete, the version is locked. The list displays all of the available versions plus three additional options:

▪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. However the order of questions and categories is always taken from the most recent version and there is special handling of changes to loop definition ranges and the minimum and maximum values of variables, similar to that described for the UNICOM Intelligence Metadata Model Version Utility in The master version in a merge operation“. Use the Multiple Versions option if you want to change the order of precedence.

▪Multiple versions. Select this option if you want to use a combination (superset) of two or more specific versions. For more information, see Data Link Properties: Metadata Versions.

▪Latest version. Select this option if you want to use the most recent version.

Using a combination of some or all of the 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.

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.