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DataType of ValueLevel for categorical data in LB
Forums: Define.xml
Hi Yuta,There is no clear…
Hi Yuta,
There is no clear rule for this.
-ORRES is almost always "text", as it can also contain non-numeric values (e.g. "POSITIVE") for certain tests.
One of the use cases for ValueLevel is to enable (automate) transposal. E.g. when you have "WHERE LBTESTCD=PH" in your WhereClause, you can use this to automatically generate a column "PH". Do you want that column to be of type "float"? If yes, you can then indeed set the datatype to "float" in the value level metadate.
Personally, I would do so, as it makes it easier to order or sort the pH values after the transposal.
BTW, did you look in the "Metadata Submission Guide"? There may be something there.
Hello Jozef,Thank you as…
Hello Jozef,
Thank you as always for your reply. OK, I understand that there is no clear rule and I can set "float" to the DataType.
> Do you want that column to be of type "float"?
Yes, that is right. Because I would like to automatically check the consistency of the DataType of the ValueLevel between define.xml and SEND dataset. And also, I think that I would like to use SEND datasets to automatically generate the DataType. In order to that, it is easy that I set "float" into the DataType.
>BTW, did you look in the "Metadata Submission Guide"? There may be something there.
Thank you for the information. I will read "Metadata Submission Guide".
If I store category data (e.g. pH=3.5,. .6.5) described as numeric values into LBORRES in SEND dataset, should the DataType of Value Level of the LBORRES be "float"? Or should the DataType be "text"?
If the DataType of the actual value of the dataset is supposed to be set in define.xml, then it is appropriate that the DataType should be "float". On the other hand, if define.xml expects to set the DataType for the way the values are used, then DataType="text" might be appropriate.
I could not find any description regarding above things in SENDIG, Define-XML v2.0 Specification and Define-XML v2.0 Completion Guidelines. If anyone has an appropriate rationale, I would appreciate it if you could provide it.