Running mflip
Quick reference
To create a Quanvert Text multiproject database, create a new database directory, go to it, and then type:
mflip [–epst] [–f] [–x] [–mnn] [–iin_file] [–oout_file] [–llogfile]
Note The mflip program is distributed as part of Quanvert Text.
Options
The command must include only one of the options –e, –p, –s or –t, because these determine how the axes in the constituent databases are merged.
–e
Merge on element position. If you use this option axes with the same names should be identical. Quanvert does not check this; it takes the first element in each axis and merges them, and then continues with the second element. Unless you specify otherwise, mflip uses the last-named database as the master against which axes in other databases are compared. uniqid references are ignored when this option is used.
–p
The databases form a panel study. For more information on panel studies, see
Setting up panel studies for Quanvert Text.
–s
Multiflip with a single database. You normally use this option to create a read-only database which users can access via a network.
–t
Merge on element text. The last-named database is taken as the master against which axes in other databases are compared. If you want to use the first-named database as the master, add the option –f.
mflip compares the element texts of the master database against the element texts in the sub-projects in the following way:
▪For any elements in the master database that have a uniqid, mflip looks for the same identifier in the sub-projects, and matches on that.
▪For any elements in the master database that do not have a uniqid, mflip looks only at the element texts in the sub-projects that do not have an identifier specified, and matches on them.
–f
Use the first-named database as the master when merging axes. The default is to use the last-named database.
–x
Print a summary of usage. This option must be used by itself.
–mnn
Allows you to define a maximum number of variables of any one type. If you do not define the maximum, then nn defaults to twice the maximum number of variables of any one type in any one project.
–i
Instead of prompting for information about the multiproject database on the screen use data from the
in_file for the mflip run. For more information about using the
–i option on the mflip command line, see
Creating an mflip command file.
–o
Send output such as warning messages to the out_file.
–l
Send fatal error messages to the logfile.
More information
First, mflip prompts for a word which can be used to refer to the individual databases which make up the multiproject database. This word may be up to 7 characters long (6 with levels databases) and must not be the same as the name of any of the axes or other variables in the database; the default is project (truncated to projec on levels jobs). If you are combining regional databases into a national multiproject database you might enter the keyword as region. You can use uppercase or lowercase; they are converted to lowercase; for example, if you enter the database name as REGION, the database axis is called region.
Next, you are asked to enter the database name and directory name or job ID for each project to be included in the new database. Type the two words separated by a space. The database name must be a valid filename; the maximum length is 10 characters. Quanvert uses it as the element text for that database in the project axis. You can abbreviate directory names using the special characters . and .. (that is, dot and dot-dot).
See
See also