CAPI Data Files

For every CAPI interview, QDS automatically creates a data file and a log file (*.LOG). The log file contains interviewer comments, if any were entered. If no comments were entered, the file will be empty. An .RTF summary report file will be created if the summary reports option was enabled under CAPI Build Options, Summary Report.

CAPI will save data files in one of two ways, depending upon CAPI Build Options, Operation settings:

  1. Non-unique data files (default setting)
  2. Unique data file for each interview: When this option is checked on the CAPI Build Options, Operation tab, each CAPI interview is saved in a separate .QAD file. The filename format is: <control-file-name> <identifier variables> <date> <time>.QAD, where <date> contains current date in short format based on user locale, e.g. mm_dd_yyyy if system locale is English (US) and <time> contains current time using 24-hour clock.

For both methods, data, report and log files are always saved into the same folder where the control file resides. Data files are brought into the QDS Warehouse Manager Module for further processing and export. See CAPI Control File Locations for tips on where to maintain your control files.

Non-unique Data Files

CAPI data files are always saved into the same folder as your control file with an extension of .QAD. Data collection will work as follows:

  1. You have a control file “C:\My Documents\UserName\Research Folder\Questionnaire En CAPI.QPI”.
  2. Following the first interview your saved data file will be “C:\My Documents\UserName\Research Folder\Questionnaire En CAPI.QAD”.
  3. The next time you conduct a CAPI interview with the “Questionnaire En CAPI.QPI” control file, QDS will check to see if a data file with the corresponding filename already exists:
  4. If the file already exists (“C:\My Documents\UserName\Research Folder\Questionnaire En CAPI.QAD”), the new interview will be appended to the end of the existing data file.
  5. If the file does not exist, a new data file (named “C:\My Documents\UserName\Research Folder\ Questionnaire En CAPI.QAD”) will be started.

Unique Data Files

CAPI data saved as unique data files for each interview are also saved into the same folder as your control file with an extension of .QAD. Data collection will work as follows:

  1. You have a control file “C:\My Documents\UserName\Research Folder\Questionnaire En CAPI.QPI” with the build option “Generate unique data file for each interview” selected.
  2. An interview for ID number 36 conducted on May 26, 2016 at 17:43:53 will be saved as “C:\My Documents\UserName\Research Folder\Questionnaire En CAPI 36 5_26_2016 17_43_53.QAD”.
  3. The next interview for ID number 37 conducted on May 26, 2016 at 18:01:30 will be saved as “C:\My Documents\UserName\Research Folder\Questionnaire En CAPI 37 5_26_2016 18_01_30.QAD”.

CAPI Files and Extensions

There are multiple types of files related to and created by the CAPI module.

Tip: Having file extensions turned on in your Windows operating system is the best way to quickly distinguish different file types. For example, data files can be distinguished from report files by looking at the file extension. CAPI data files end with the .QAD extension; CAPI report files end with the .RTF extension.

CAPI Module

QPI.EXE

CAPI Control File *.QPI
CAPI Data File *.QAD
CAPI Data File (using Key Encryption) *.QED
CAPI Summary Report Files *.RTF
CAPI Custom Report File *.RTF

CAPI Log File (Interviewer Comments )

*.LOG