[DDI-SRG] Mixing code and value ranges

[Wendy Thomas]

Ok...right now you would list the valid range and list 99 in the attribute 
missingValue. We have on our list (from my memory..should check) a review 
of how we identify missing values in a consistant way for all 
representations. This should include the ability to reference a 
codescheme. By doing this we can differentiate between the valid set of 
non-missing data responses and missing data responses for each variable. 
It would also make it easier to reuse code schemes between questions and 
variables as the missing value codes could be declared in the variable 
representation rather than being affixed to each code scheme (render a new 
set of codes schemes that include the question codescheme plus the missing 
value codescheme.

Anyway...thats where we are. The reason for NOT making the representation 
repeatable is to prevent abuse. People want to put in both a codescheme 
representation AND a numeric representation. The comment was "how else 
will I know what the valid response numbers are?" the answer was if its 
not in the code scheme its not valid.

Ideally I think the representation description should list the valid data 
values and the valid missing values should be in missingData.

Wendy


On Thu, 10 Jul 2008, Pascal Heus wrote:

> Wendy and all:
> In DDI, how do we document a variable that mixes value ranges and
> code(s)? With ValueRepresentation no longer non-repeatable, this now
> seem tricky....
> For example, I can have a numeric variable like "Number of cars owned"
> with 99="don't know". I can I say this must be in the 0-99 range and
> link the value 99 to a code?
> I'm wondering if ValueRepresentation and CodeRepresentation should be
> separated or have the ability to have a CodeRepresentation and
> Date/Numeric/TextRepresentation at the same time.
> thanks
> *P
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Wendy L. Thomas                          Phone: +1 612.624.4389
Data Access Core Director		 Fax:   +1 612.626.8375
Minnesota Population Center              Email: wlt at pop.umn.edu
University of Minnesota
50 Willey Hall
225 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455