Millisecond Forums

> I understand the default for saving data is to save to a single file which can be overridden by setting /separatefiles = false in the
> data element

Minor correction: The default is to save to a single file. That default can be overridden by setting /separatefiles = true, not /separatefiles = false.

#1: If /separatefiles is not set to true, Inquisit Lab will save to a single file. This applies to the <data> element *as well as* the <summarydata> element. If your script contains <survey> elements, data for those will be saved to a different file, because the data format is different ("wide" format / one row of data per participant as opposed to "long" format / multiple rows -- one per trial -- of data per participant).

#2: When using Inquisit Web, data files are *always* saved separately and must be. They can be merged directly upon downloading by selecting multiple files.

If you have a script that generates separate files under Inquisit Lab *despite* /separatefiles not being set to true, please attach it to this thread.

Hi,
Thanks for your reply and sorry for the error - I did mean to say the default is overridden with /separatefiles = true!
Anyway, attached is a script I have the problem with, but note that I'm having the same problem with all my scripts - suggests it's a local issue?. This one is the SC-IAT downloaded from the Inquisit test library with just minor modifications: changed stimuli, modified instructions and /separate files = false (for both the <data> and <summary data> elements). It does not have <survey> elements.
Thanks,
David.

I've tested the script you attached in the latest Inquisit Lab version (if your installation is not up to date, please make sure to update). As expected, all data is written to single files: One holding the raw data for all subjects, one holding the summary data for all subjects. I'm attaching the two files below so you can see for yourself.

So, you are definitely dealing with a local issue. Either your Inquisit version is not up to date (although I don't recall any version having issues with data files) or the problem is due to *where* you store your scripts and try to write your data to (e.g. a network share). To check the latter, run the script from a location *on the local disk*. Also make sure to not have the data file opened in some other application, otherwise Inquisit will not be able to append new data to it.

Hi,
I have the latest version and the file isn't open elsewhere. The scripts are on a remote server in the University so I guess that is the problem, which in actual research use won't be a problem as they'll be on a laptop. Issue solved! Thanks very much.
Regards,
David.

I posted this problem with Inquisit 4 Lab (version 4.0.9.0) a while ago but never got to the bottom of it. I've now got Inquisit 4 Web and am having the same problem. Despite having <separatefiles=false> in my <data> and <summarydata> elements, the data are being written to separate files. For this task I have two scripts, a survey followed by an IAT, linked by a batch element script. I have <separatefiles=false in both the survey and IAT scripts.
Thank you,
David.

This is normal and intended. Data collected via the web usually (a) comes from different computers (your participants') all over the world and (b) is stored on the millisecond.com server. Under those conditions there is no way for all data to be written to a single file. Participant B does not have access to participant A's data file (and should not) and hence no data could be appended to it.

Data collected via the web can be *merged* into a single file once you download it. Check multiple (or all) files in the respective folder in your account's "web data files" section and you'll receive a single data file containing the selected data sets.

Hope this helps.

That makes sense. Thank you for your reply.
David.