Importing & examining triple-s xml files
triple-s is a published standard for the transfer of Market Research data and metadata from one program to another.
The triple-s standard will provide you with the following:
- an XML file, containing the schema (information about the questions)
- an ASC file, containing the data (the respondents’ answers to the questions)
You may find that the XML file has an SSS extension. Furthermore, the QPSMR Companion enables file re-naming or, alternatively, when opening them changing the file type to ‘All files’ and selecting the one required from the list.
If some data has already been collected with another MR program, for example a web interviewing package, then that program should be able to produce a triple-s file.
A triple-s file can be imported by loading the XML file into an empty project using the Main window [File] menu. Once loaded the project is ready to use, for example a Data summary report can be produced.
Data file
The triple-s data file does not normally need to be altered in any way. It is a fixed format ASCII (ASC) file and can be used directly as a raw data file.
If there is no usable serial number in the data, then you will need to add a unique serial number to the raw data file.
Meta-data
This is the project information and will be loaded as entries when the triple-s file is loaded.
If the project file is to be used with QPSMR Classic programs, there is a menu item on the Main window [Project] menu to prepare for Classic. This is necessary because some triple-s export programs put out numbers that are too wide for the Classic programs. This option changes the data locations to pick up the last few digits for such questions.
This shows the small questionnaire that generated the triple-s user guide:
Rosa’s Restaurant Questionnaire