The E-Merge application merges single session data files collected using E-Run into E-Prime merged data files. This application is used to merge single session data files into a master file for analysis.
About the Interface
The title bar is displayed at the top of the application screen, and displays the name of the application (i.e., E-Merge) as well as the E-Merge icon. The menu bar is displayed below the title bar. The menu bar lists the menus available within the E-Merge Application, including the File, Edit, View and Help menus. The toolbar is displayed below the menu bar, and includes frequently used functions within E-Prime, including Select Unmerged, Merge, Properties, Refresh, Filter, Undo Merge, and Help. Other features include the Folder Tree view, File List view and Merge Log view.
File Menu
| Commands | Shortcut | Function |
| Open | Ctrl+O | Opens the selected file using E-DataAid. Only one file may be opened at a time. If no file is selected, more than one file is selected, or an invalid file is selected, the Open command is disabled. Once opened in E-DataAid, the file may be modified, if necessary (e.g., renaming variables or changing subject numbers to avoid conflicts). |
| Merge… | Ctrl+M | Allows the combining of one or more data sessions into a target file. The Merge command is used to initiate the merge process. If no file is selected, or an invalid file is selected (i.e., non-E-Prime data file), this command is disabled. |
| Set as Target… | Ctrl+T | Sets the selected file as the target file for collection of data from individual source files during a merge operation. If no file is selected, or an invalid file is selected, this command is disabled. |
| Properties | Alt+Enter | Displays specific information about a selected file. |
| Exit | Closes the E-Merge application |
Edit Menu
| Commands | Shortcut | Function |
| Undo Merge | Ctrl+Z | Cancels the last merge operation. E-Merge supports only one level of undo, so only the most current merge operation can be undone. If no merge operation has been performed, Undo Merge is disabled. |
| Select Unmerged | Ctrl+U | Selects (highlights) all single session data files in the File List view that have not been merged into another file. |
| Select All | Ctrl+A | Selects (highlights) all E-Prime data files in the File List view. The Select All command does not distinguish between merged, unmerged, and target files (i.e., all E-Prime data files are selected). |
View Menu
| Commands | Shortcut | Function |
| Toolbar | Toggles the display of the Toolbar on or off depending on its current state. A checkmark next to the Toolbar command indicates the Toolbar is displayed. | |
| Status Bar | Toggles the display of the status bar on or off depending on its current state. A checkmark next to the Status Bar command indicates that the status bar is displayed. | |
| Quick Reference | Toggles the display of the Quick Reference dialog on or off depending on its current state. The Quick Reference dialog is displayed by default when E- Merge is opened. This option may be changed by unchecking the initial display default for the Quick Reference dialog using the Options command under the View menu. A checkmark next to the Quick Reference Command indicates that the Quick Reference dialog is displayed. | |
| Refresh | F5 | Updates the File List view for the folder currently opened in the Folder Tree view. |
| Filter… | Displays a dialog allowing the File List view to be filtered according to a designated pattern (i.e., file name). A filter pattern may be entered by typing directly in the “Select a filter” field on the Filter on File Name dialog, or by choosing one of the available choices from the drop-down box. The default filter pattern is “All Files(*.*)” to display all files within the current folder. Other available patterns include only single session data files (*.edat3), only merged data files (*.emrg3), and all E-Prime data files (*.edat3, *.emrg3). Any filter pattern entered by the user will be added to the drop-down box as an available pattern until the application is closed. | |
| Options… | Displays a dialog allowing the setting of the initial display options (i.e., when E-Merge is opened), and the setting of an option for the display and handling of conflicts during merge operations. | |
| Folder Tree | Alt+0 | Activates the Folder Tree view (i.e., places the focus in this view so that any action taken, such as moving the cursor, would occur within this view). |
| File List | Alt+1 | Activates the File List view (i.e., places the focus in this view so that any action taken, such as moving the cursor, would occur within this view). |
| Merge Log | Alt+2 | Activates the Merge Log view (i.e., places the focus in this view so that any action taken, such as moving the cursor, would occur within this view). |
Help Menu
| Commands | Shortcut | Function |
| Help Topics | F1 | Displays the application's Help system. |
| About E-Merge… | Displays a dialog containing the application's version information. |
Context Menu
A context menu may be accessed by right clicking a file name in the File List view. The context menu includes the Open, Set As Target, Merge, and Properties commands. The context menu simply permits quick access to the commands frequently applied to the items in the File List view.
Folder Tree View
The Folder Tree view is displayed on the left side of the application display below the toolbar. The Folder Tree view displays a hierarchical list of drives and folders available on the machine. Navigate to a particular drive or directory using the mouse or arrow keys, and click on a specific folder to open it. A folder may be expanded by clicking on the “+” next to the folder.
File List View
The File List view is displayed on the right side of the application display below the toolbar. The File List view displays the names of the individual files contained within the folder opened in the Folder Tree view. Columns may be sorted in ascending or descending order by clicking on the column header. Specific files may be selected by clicking on the name of the file in the File Name column. The File List view includes information specific to the individual files such as the size of the file, and information pertaining to the creation, modification, or merge status of the file.
Icons
To the left of the filename for each file in the File List view is an icon indicating the status of the file.
 |
Unmerged, unaltered E-Prime data file |
 |
Unmerged E-Prime data file containing altered data. |
 |
E-Prime data file that has been merged to another file. |
 |
E-Prime data file that has been merged, and contains altered data. |
 |
E-Prime data file selected as target file. |
 |
E-Prime data file containing more than one session of data. |
 |
All non-E-Prime data files. |
File Name
The File Name column displays the filename without the path for each file contained within the folder selected in the Folder Tree view.
Experiment
The Experiment column lists the name of the experiment with which the data file is associated. For merged data files, the Experiment column displays dashes, because data from different experiments may be contained within the same file. This column is left empty for all non-E-Prime data files.
Status
The Status column contains one of three values for E-Prime files: Single Session, Merged data, or Target. The Status column remains blank for non-E-Prime files.
Single Session
Single session files are E-Prime data files generated by the E-Run application, which contain data from a single session. Single Session files have the .edat3 file extension.
Merged Data
Merged data files are E-Prime data files which contain data from more than one session, and which are not designated as the target file. Merged data files have the .emrg3 extension. Merged data files may be merged into other files (i.e., act as a source file) or receive data from other files (i.e., act as a target file).
Target File
The target file is the file into which sessions of data are to be merged during a particular merge operation. Single session files may not be named as target files because data may not be merged into them. Target files may or may not be located in the same directory as the source files, and may or may not exist prior to the merge operation. If the target does not exist prior to the merge operation, it will be created by E-Merge during the operation.
If the file contains modifications to the data, three asterisks are added to the Status column value. When a source file containing data alterations is merged into a target file, E-Merge carries all data alteration flags from the source file to the target file. Therefore, when merging a source file with data alterations into a target file without data alterations, the target file will contain data alterations at the conclusion of the merge operation. After the merge operation is completed, the Status column value for the target file will be updated to include “***”, indicating altered data.
Subject
The Subject column displays the subject number assigned within an E-Prime data file. For merged E-Prime data files, this column displays three dashes because merged data files may contain data for more than a single subject. For files other than E-Prime data files, this column remains empty.
Session
The Session column displays the session number assigned within an E-Prime data file. For merged E-Prime data files, this column displays dashes because merged data files may contain more than a single session of data. For files other than E-Prime data files, this column remains empty.
Last Merged
The Last Merged column contains the date the file was last merged into another file. This column is blank if the file was never merged into another file or if the file is not an E-Prime data file.
Last Modified
The Last Modified column displays the last date any changes were made to the file. The column remains blank if the file was never modified or if the file is not an E-Prime data file. Modifications to the file need not include altering the data. For example, saving a new comment to a file will change the Last Modified date but will not alter the data.
Created
The Created column displays the creation date for E-Prime data files, and remains blank for all other files. The creation date refers to the date a single session data file was generated by E- Run, or the date a merged data file was created by E-Merge during a merge operation.
Size in KB
The Size in KB column displays the size of the file in kilobytes.
Filtering the File List View
The set of files displayed in the File List view may be filtered according to file name to limit the number of files listed. The filter is applied to include all files fitting a designated pattern. The Filter on File Name dialog may be displayed using the Filter tool button, or the Filter option under the View menu.
Four filters are supplied in the Filter on File Name dialog: all files (*.*), single session files (*.edat3), merged data files (*.emrg3), and all E-Prime data files (*.edat, *.emrg, *.edat2, *.emrg2). The default setting displays all files (*.*).
The default may be changed by typing directly in the Select a Filter field, or by choosing an option from the drop-down menu. Any filter pattern entered by the user is added to the list of available filters in the drop-down box until the application has been exited. Multiple filters may be entered using a semi-colon as a separator.
NOTE: Do not include spaces in addition to the semi-colon separating filters.
Because the file name filter examines both long filenames and aliases during the search, some wildcard searches may yield unexpected results. For example, if the system has generated the alias LONGFI~1 for LongFileName, a filter on a *1 pattern would return LongFileName even though the actual file name does not contain a 1.
Merge Log View
The Merge Log view found at the bottom of the E-Merge application window, displays detailed results of the latest merge operation performed. The results of each merge operation overwrite the results of the previous merge operation. The Merge Log can contain up to 30,000 characters. The scroll bars may be used to view portions of the data not within the display. The results from the Merge Log may be copied and pasted to a text document in another application (e.g., to save previous merge operation results).
Status Bar
The Status Bar is displayed at the bottom of the application window below the Merge Log view, and is divided into three sections.
Status
The Status pane, on the far left, displays the status of the application (e.g., displays “Merging” during a merge operation, or displays the function of a command on which the cursor is placed in a menu).
Target File
The Target File pane, in the middle of the Status Bar, lists the full path and name of the file currently designated as the target. If no target has been selected, the Target File pane lists the name of the target file as “Untitled"
Free Space
The Free Space pane on the far right displays the drive space available for the files in the File List view.
General Properties
The General tab displays the filename, size, location, and version of the selected file, whether the file contains a single session or multiple sessions of data (merged data), information concerning the creation date of the file, and the dates the file was last accessed, modified, or merged to another file. The MS-DOS name field displays the name of the file in a format that can be used with MS-DOS applications. The Attributes section displays characteristics of the file, for example, if the file is read-only or archived.
Contents
The Contents tab lists the subject, session, and experiment name information for each single session data file contained within the selected file. If the selected file is a single session data file, the Contents tab would display the information for only that file. If the selected file is a merged data file, the Contents tab would display information for all sessions of data contained within that file. The information on the Contents tab may be sorted by column by clicking on the column header.
Merge Input History
The Merge Input History tab displays all of the files that have been merged into the selected file in chronological order, including both single session and merged data files. The input history is listed on a file basis rather than by session. Therefore, the input of a merged data file may include the import of more than a single session of data. The information for the individual sessions of data merged through the input of a merged file may be viewed by selecting the merged file on the Merge Input History tab and clicking the Details button.
Merge Output History
The Merge Output History tab displays the name of any files to which the selected file has been merged. The output history is listed on a file basis rather than by session. Therefore, the merging of a merged data file to another file may include more than a single session of data (i.e., the merged data file may have contained more than one session of data, which would have been merged to the other file). The individual sessions merged to the target file through a merge operation involving a merged data file may be viewed by selecting the merged file on the Merge Output History tab and clicking the Details button.
Quick Reference
The Quick Reference dialog guides the user through the most common type of merge operation (i.e., standard merge), in which all unmerged files in a folder are merged into a master data file for analysis. The Quick Reference dialog is meant to serve as an aid in learning how to use E- Merge, as well as a reminder of the basic steps involved in a merge operation once the application has been mastered.
The Quick Reference dialog appears by default when the E-Merge application is opened. This default may be changed using the Options command under the View menu so that the dialog is not displayed when E-Merge is opened. The dialog may be redisplayed at any time using the Quick Reference command under the View menu, and may be repositioned on the screen by clicking on the title bar and dragging the dialog to a new position.
Opening a Data File
The Open command under the File menu opens the file selected in the File List view into E-DataAid. Only one selected file may be opened at a time. If no file is selected, more than one file is selected, or an invalid file is selected, the Open command is disabled. Once opened in E-DataAid, modifications may be made to the file, if necessary (e.g., renaming variables, changing subject numbers to avoid conflicts, etc.).
Options
The options for E-Merge may be set using the Options command under the View menu.
Initial Display
By default, the E-Merge application opens to display the folder used before the application was last exited. If unchecked, the application will open to the system’s current folder.
Conflicts
Before merging any data file into another, E-Merge checks for incompatibilities or inconsistencies (i.e., conflicts) between the two files (See E-MERGE: Conflicts During Merge Operations [22779]). If E-Merge detects a conflict between a source file and a target file, a course of action must be determined before the merge operation may proceed. By default, if any conflicts arise during a merge operation, the merge process will be interrupted and the user will be prompted to determine a course of action.
Interruptions for each and every conflict occurring may be avoided by determining a course of action prior to the merge operation. When predetermining the course of action, a single course of action may be chosen which will be applied to any conflict encountered. The course of action for all conflicts occurring may be predetermined to:
- Skip the file causing the conflict and continue with the merge operation
- Stop the merge operation at the point at which the conflict occurred
- Negate the current merge operation.
If the merge operation is stopped at the point of conflict, all files merged prior to the occurrence of the conflict remain merged in the target file. If the merge operation is negated, all files merged prior to the conflict are unmerged. In all cases, if E-Merge encounters a conflict during a merge operation, E-Merge will display the cause of the conflict and the course of action taken in the Merge Log view at the end of the merge operation.
Help
The main Help system may be displayed using the F1 key or by clicking Help from the Toolbar. The Help contents may be searched using an index listing of the available topics, or by searching for specific words or phrases in the Help topics. Context sensitive Help is also available.
Contents
The Contents tab lists a table of contents for the Help topics available within the E-Merge Help system. The main Help topics are displayed as books, which may be opened to display related subtopics.
Index
The Index tab displays an alphabetical listing of topics and commands within E-Merge. The Help information for a particular topic may be displayed by selecting the topic and clicking the Display button, or by double clicking the topic. The topics may be searched by typing directly in the first field of the Help Topics dialog, or by scrolling through the topics contained in the index using the scroll bar on the right side of the Help Topics dialog.
Search
The Search tab allows searching for specific words or phrases within the Help topics. After typing in a word to search for in the Help topics, the topics in which the word appears are listed, as well as additional suggestions to narrow the search. The Help information for a particular topic may be displayed by selecting the topic and clicking the Display button, or by double clicking the topic.
Toolbar
Hide / Show Buttons
Clicking the Hide button will hide the Index and Search page. Once clicked, it turns into a Show button. Clicking the Show button shows the Index and Search page.
Back Button
Clicking the Back button returns the User to the previously viewed screen.
Print Button
The Print button display a standard windows printing dialog box. The current screen will be printed for the User.
Options Button
The following options are available from the options menu:
- Hide Tabs
- Back
- Forward
- Home
- Stop
- Refresh
- Internet Options
- Search Highlight
Quick Reference (During E-Merge Launch)
The Quick Reference dialog guides the user through the most common type of merge operation (i.e., standard merge), in which all unmerged files in a folder are merged into a master data file for analysis. The Quick Reference dialog is meant to serve as an aid in learning how to use E- Merge, as well as a reminder of the basic steps involved in a merge operation once the application has been mastered.
The Quick Reference dialog appears by default when the E-Merge application is opened. This default may be changed using the Options command under the View menu so that the dialog is not displayed when E-Merge is opened. The dialog may be redisplayed at any time using the Quick Reference command under the View menu, and may be repositioned on the screen by clicking on the title bar and dragging the dialog to a new position.
Next Article: E-MERGE: Merging Data Files [22769]
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