Watch a video of Results for Research being installed in a Windows 2003 SP2 Server

What's new in Results for Research® 7.2

• Changes in Web CATI:

  1. Installation of the Advantage Database Server 8.1 is now a requirement.
  2. Surveys can now be run using HTTPS (HTTP over SSL).
  3. DBF files are now accessed via the more secure Windows SYSTEM account rather than the default IUSR_ account. The IUSR_ account is still required for file system access to non-DBF files.
  4. New system DLL files are now compiled to higher level increasing stability and performance.
  5. Increased the maximum size of an interviewer’s INTCODE from 3 to 6 characters. Create a data dictionary to update the study.
  6. Studies can now be opened through an Advantage Data Dictionary. Required for some advanced features. Create a data dictionary
  7. Added better support for UNC paths and shares.
  8. Added read only interviewing mode for testing and back checking. (Questionnaire Walkthrough)
  9. Can now specify a sample number when adding records using the "-ADD" URL. Include the sample number to add immediately after "-ADD" (e.g. "http://yourservername/scripts/nph-r4tn.survey?_s=SAMPLES\WEBCATI-ADD123456&SYSTEM__StartIfFound=NO").
  10. Removal of the 500 character limit on all TRIGGER and CVAR logic.
  11. Added support for the UTF-8 Unicode character set. Any language added in Global Settings that begins "U_" will be treated as if it were UTF-8 encoded. The QBASE must have been imported as a UTF-8 encoded text file for this to work.
  12. Added keyboard shortcuts to the browser interface; interviewers can complete an interview without taking their hands off the keyboard.
  13. Changed the global sample filter in "Global Settings" so it filters on the sample file only.
  14. Added an interviewer-level sample filter for more control over sample filtering.
  15. You can now specify two locations for Cascading Style Sheets, one for CASI mode and one for CATI.
  16. Amended the SendMail function: to allow for the use of an SMTP server other than the default server specified in the R4TN.INI; added a Language parameter to allow for the sending of emails in a character set other than the one set in SAMPLE->LANGUAGE; the body text for an email can come from a file outside of the study directory.
  17. The DBFOpen function has been amended to allow a file alias to be set.
  18. Results now writes only valid XHTML 1.0 to the browser.
  19. Added back and next shortcut buttons at the top of the screen in CATI mode, set SYSTEM->UseTopNav to .T. to enable.
  20. Added new error codes to MESSAGE.DBF
      • 64 = "complete" (when used with constant sum matrix)
      • 65 = "Interrupt Interview"
      • 66 = "View Sample"
      • 67 = "Comment"
      • 68 = "Save Changes"
      • 69 = "Access key".
  21. Added the ReverseList function which reverses the order of a list (When created using the MakeList function).
  22. Added error message if browser is closed before interviewer logs out.
  23. Added column headers to Import / Satisfaction questions. Specify column headers separated by a semi-colon in the QBASE->OtherVar field
  24. Matrix-style questions apply the "r4tn-odd-response-text-over" and "r4tn-even-response-text-over" CSS classes when a row is selected (instead of when the mouse hovers over the row).
  25. Added the URLEncode() function.
  26. Changed PATH->WEBCATI.DBF so data it is now written with the relative rather than the absolute path.
  27. Changed the way response texts are evaluated to allow for dynamically assigned response orders using the "^" character. Expressions are evaluated before row order is assigned so the following syntax can be used "^{Ltrim( Str( LV("ORDER") ) }" to assign the fixed order to a randomized response list.
  28. Added ReadTextFile( cFileName ) function: returns the entire contents of a the "cFileName" text file.
  29. Added WriteTextFile( cFileName, cContents ) function: writes "cContents" to the text file "cFileName".
  30. Changed Random( iSeed ) function: returns a random integer based on current time plus "iSeed".
  31. Renamed "Transform" function as "Picture" to allow it to work as documented.
  32. Renamed "Token" function as "TokenStr" to allow it to work as documented.
  33. Added Cast2String( xExpression ): returns any value as a string.
  34. Aliased files opened via the in DBFOpen are automatically added to Data Dictionary, if one exists. Create a data dictionary.
  35. Plus many other small features and additions.

• Bugs fixed in Web CATI.

  1. "Hung" records (stat_type BI, now come back up when interviewer logs back in or next gets sample).
  2. Fixed a bug where records currently in use could be called by other users when on the Set Appointment screen.
  3. Fixed a bug where sample details were sometimes lost from the "F8" update sample screen.
  4. Fixed a bug where appointments made at noon or midnight could come up at the wrong time.
  5. Fixed a bug where IE 5.X would crash when making an appointment. Note: Microsoft does not recommend the use of IE5.X.
  6. Fixed a bug where Firefox was not re-enabling the submit buttons after clicking the Back button.
  7. Fixed a bug where browsers (Internet Explorer in particular) were caching previous pages when Results Back button was used.
  8. Fixed bug where SAMPLE->CALLINCR was not updating correctly (didn't use SYSTEM->CALL_INCR).
  9. Fixed a javascript error on brandlist questions when the down arrow was pressed before the brand list was clicked.
  10. Fixed the back button so it follows the questionnaire flow rather than just browser history. Enables the interviewer to backup an interrupted interview.
  11. Fixed a bug where RESPONSE->LAST_QUEST wasn't being updated.
  12. Fixed a big where zero responses were not validating correctly when decimal places were being used.
  13. Fixed a bug where Import / Satisfaction questions were not validating when out of range (Don’t Know, Refused, Not Applicable) responses were allowed.
  14. Add a new error message to catch zero SAM_NO entry when selecting specific sample records.
  15. Fixed a bug where A1 conditions were not being executed in Header questions.
  16. Fixed a bug where CALLHIST.DBF was not updating in non-ADS mode.
  17. Fixed bug where the character encoding was not written to the HTTP header causing Internet Explorer to "lose" character encoding.
  18. Re-written range parsing for questions like IsAnswer to fix an error caused by out of order comma-separated ranges: i.e the range "1,3,4,2" would cause an error and "1,2,3,4" would not
  19. Fix bug where wrong date could be chosen for a sample in the "11+" time zone when calling from the UKT time zone.
  20. Fixed a bug where SYSTEM->NEXT_TIME was ignored when choosing time for call back settings.
  21. Fixed Reverse function.
  22. Fixed a javascript bug which caused OS text to be missed when the GetOsText function was used with rotated multi-punch questions.

• New application: Results XML Server (nph-R4TN-XMLServer.exe)

  Results XML Server (nph-R4TN-XMLServer.exe) provides real-time access to Results studies over the internet in an XML format. XML, the bedrock of modern Ajax/ Web 2.0 applications, allows for the development of your own web-based applications using Results data.

  1. Secure online access to your Results studies. Data is only served to applications originating from the same internet server as Results. Results XML Server can run using HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer, or HTTP over SSL).
  2. Create an Advantage Data Dictionary. An Advantage Data Dictionary (ADD) is required for some advanced features.
  3. Execute any Advantage SQL statement (requires an ADD) and optionally save entire result to CSV file.
  4. SQL support consists of most of the SQL-92 standard with ODBC extensions, as well as some SQL-2003 features such as Persistent Stored Module (PSM). The SQL engine also supports many features that are not in the current SQL standard but are customary available in other RDBMS, such as Views, Query Execution Plan, Query Logging, User Defined Function, and Temporary Tables.
  5. Return a directory listing of all Results studies in the Results STUDIES directory.
  6. Files can be uploaded, via a web browser, to any study directory.
  7. Study files can be accessed at the server file system level: the study directory contents can be listed; copied; moved; renamed and even deleted.
  8. The most recent changes made to a text file via Results XML Server can be undone.
  9. Deleted files can be restored or permanently deleted.
  10. Return a directory listing of all DBF files in any Results study directory.
  11. Read the contents of any DBF file in any Results study directory.
  12. Write to any DBF file in any Results study directory.
  13. Read, write, download or open any text file (*.txt, *.ini, *.csv and more) in any Results study directory.
  14. Return a listing of unique values in any field of any DBF file in any Results study directory.
  15. Add a sample record without starting in interview: specify SAM_NO and any other sample fields to update.
  16. Log interviewers out of any Results study.
  17. List all interviewers currently logged into all studies (interviewers are listed in WEBCATI.DBF).
  18. Return a directory listing of all text files (*.txt, *.ini, *.csv etc) in any Results study directory.
  19. List the structure of any DBF file in any Results study directory.
  20. Quotas can be recalculated.
  21. Results DBF files can be packed and re-indexed.
  22. Create self-reindexing DBF files (files must be manually re-indexed if a new quota as has been added to the quota file)
  23. Create "Auto Create" DBF and CDX files: files are automatically created if they don't exist; NB. Files are created without data, so if any file is accidentally deleted an empty copy of the file will be automatically created.
  24. Export survey data to Triple-S XML Versions 1.1, 1.2 or 2.0.
  25. Features still to come:
      • Safely add quotas, interviewers and questions.
      • A new interface for the easy development of questionnaires.
      • Create response file.
      • Create new studies online.
      • Check the syntax of a questionnaire.
      • Import and export questionnaire (as a Results script).

• New application: Results Remote Manager

  Results Remote Manager is an online implementation of Results Manager. You are free to amend the source code (at your own risk) to suit your own needs. Results Remote Manager requires the Advantage Database Server and the Results XML Server.

  1. Written using XHTML, XML, XSLT and JavaScript. The source code is provided with the Results 7.2 installer. You are free to amend the source code to suit your needs.
  2. Currently supports Firefox 2+ and IE6+ (IE7 recommended).
  3. The current user interface is instantly available in 14 languages: English; Danish; German; Greek; Spanish; French; Italian; Japanese; Korean; Polish; Portuguese; Russian; Swedish; Chinese.
  4. Execute any Advantage SQL statement (requires an Advantage Data Dictionary) and optionally save entire result to CSV file.
  5. SQL support consists of most of the SQL-92 standard with ODBC extensions, as well as some SQL-2003 features such as Persistent Stored Module (PSM). The SQL engine also supports many features that are not in the current SQL standard but are customary available in other RDBMS, such as Views, Query Execution Plan, Query Logging, User Defined Function, and Temporary Tables.
  6. Create stored views (file listings, counts and grouped-counts) of the sample and response files. Stored views can be run once, saved for re-use. Delete previously saved views.
  7. List, search, filter, count and edit any DBF file in any Results study.
  8. Export and download survey data in the Triple-S XML format. Triple-S XML can be imported into many industry standard research tools http://www.triple-s.org/ssssoft.htm
  9. List the study’s main questionnaire.
  10. Begin a CATI interview.
  11. Begin a CASI survey with the option of adding a new sample record or selecting an existing sample record.
  12. Select a previously started interview to be viewed in read-only mode. (Questionnaire Walkthrough).
  13. Monitor and edit quotas.
  14. Monitor interviewer progress.
  15. Monitor an interviewer’s screen: interviewer can be anywhere in the world.
  16. Edit interviewer records.
  17. Run Results call centre management reports (almost all of the old Results Manager reports are available online).
  18. Run topline reports and marginal hole counts.
  19. Recalculate quotas.
  20. Re-index files.
  21. Create Advantage Data Dictionaries.
  22. Edit dispositions.
  23. Edit time zones.
  24. Update sample dormancy.
  25. Access can be limited via user accounts at the study, menu, and record level.

View "What's new in 7.0"
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