Conversion Profile dialog box

This area displays the name of the application associated with the profile. The name and number of your application are displayed according to your selection in the Preferences dialog box, Application Display group box: Title only, Title - Number, or Number - Title.

This option is used only for online conversion during scanning and ignored for post-scan converting. Select whether one or two files are created.

Write data file and converted data - both the original ScanTools data file (.DAT) and the converted file are created and written simultaneously during scanning.

Select this option if you want to append data files and you want ScanTools software to automatically determine the starting serial number each time. ScanTools will examine the ASCII data file and read the 40-character NCS Header to determine the last record’s serial number.

 NOTE: If you are using online editing, select this option instead of Write converted data only. Online editing needs records from the data file to perform its operation. If you select Write converted data only, the data file and converted data file will both be written, overriding your selection.

Write converted data only - the converted file is created and written during scanning. A ScanTools data file (.DAT) containing only the application number is also created. Without data in the data file (.DAT), ScanTools will be unable to determine the starting serial number when appending or display a formatted view of the data file’s records.

This parameter lets you select which output format will be used during data file conversion.

NOTE: The following output format types can no longer be defined when creating or modifying conversion profiles. If you have existing conversion profiles with these types, you may still run them: DIF, Sheet Compile, and SPSS/PC+.

Delimited ASCII (.DLM, .TXT, or .CSV)

This format lets you define how to mark (delimit) the beginning or end of a field. When you select this format, you must specify:

Fixed (.SDF)

The format is identical to the standard data file format used by ScanTools software with the following exceptions:

• The document record delimiter (which are the CR/LF characters in the standard format) can be changed to any other character string you specify.

• The data file is not terminated by a Ctrl-Z character.

• When converting data from multiple documents with record formats of varying lengths, ScanTools software does NOT pad the records with spaces.

• Data fields can be omitted.

SPSS for Windows (.SPS and .DA1)

This format is used by the SPSS for Windows statistical analysis program. When you specify this format, ScanTools software creates one or two files, depending on which converted file header format (2- or 4-digit) you selected in the NCS Header Year Format - Conversion Profile:

• A text file (with the .SPS extension) containing commands used by SPSS. The text file is always produced, regardless of whether you selected a 2- or 4-digit year for the converted header. The text file is used with the appropriate data file, .DAT or .DA1. If you selected a 2-digit year for the converted header, the .SPS file works with the standard ScanTools data file (.DAT).

NOTE: The SPSS conversion format does not support appending to the converted output file. Instead, the converted output file will be replaced.

• A converted data file (with the .DA1 extension) is created ONLY if you selected a 4-digit year for the converted header year format. This file is a copy of the original data file (.DAT) but without the end-of-file marker. Also, the converted data file is longer, because it has a 42-character header to accommodate the 4-digit year in the header; the file is in SPSS-compatible format.

When SPSS for Windows is used, you cannot change the "During scanning" option to choose which files are created during scanning. ScanTools software determines and produces the appropriate files, depending on which NCS Header year format is currently selected (2- or 4-digit).

NOTE: When ScanTools software creates an .INC file, the field names which do not conform to SPSS variable naming conventions are aliased to similar names that are acceptable.

You can select any of the following SAVE options:

• Do not save active file

• Save as compressed system file

• Save as uncompressed system file

• Save as portable file (EXPORT command)

The SPSS variable count gives you the number of variables created by SPSS as a result of the conversion. You cannot change this number.

Refer to the documentation for your SPSS for Windows program for information on these options.

DOSSIER (.DSA or .DSE)

The DOSSIER format enables emulation of NCS Sentry 7008 and 7018 scanners. It contains document record headers with control fields that describe the data in each document record. You can specify that data files be written in either ASCII (.DSA) or EBCDIC (.DSE) code. The following table lists the contents of the DOSSIER document record header:

Field	Length	Source of data
Program ID	2	Entered in response to a prompt
Document ID	1	Entered in response to a prompt
Batch number	3	NCS Header
Filler	1	Not used
Serial check digit	1	Computed
Filler	1	Not used
Serial number	4	Lowest 4 digits of ScanTools serial number
Page ID	1	Number of pages in document
Filler	1	Not used
Doc error flag	1	Not used
Run number	1	NCS Header
Pocket flag	1	NCS Header
Delete flag	1	Always blank
Worst mark intensity factor	1	NCS Header
Invalid response count	3	NCS Header
Grid error flag	1	NCS Header

IBM 3881 (.ASC or .EBC)

The IBM 3881 format emulates the structure of files created by an IBM 3881 optical mark reader. Files can be written either in ASCII (.ASC) or EBCDIC (.EBC). ScanTools software lets you select the following parameters for the IBM 3881 conversion profile:

Character set

ASCII or EBCDIC. The default is EBCDIC.

Record delimiter

Any character, or none. The default is none.

Serial numbering

Yes or No. The default is no.

Select on

Select document record on any of the following conditions:

• Pocket flag (default) (NCS Header position 29)

• Pass flag (NCS Header position 22)

• No flag (do not select).

Input multiple

Defines the character which represents multiple responses within a response position. The default is asterisk ( * ).

Output multiple

Defines the character in the converted file that represents multiple responses within a response position. Options are:

• EBCDIC 3F (default)

• @ symbol

Y2K Compliant (.Y2K)

This format produces a converted file nearly identical to the ScanTools data file, except the date scanned in the NCS Header is always a four-character year (either 19xx or 20xx), not a two-character year. Like the ScanTools data file, when scanning multiple documents that use record formats of different lengths, each output record is padded with spaces, if necessary, to make all records equal in length to the longest record format. A carriage return/line feed is used to terminate each record, and an end-of-file marker (Ctrl-Z) appears after the last record. This converted file type uses the file extension .Y2K.

This popup menu lets you select the format of the year (date scanned) in the header of the converted file that is created after conversion occurs.

NOTE: This setting does NOT change the format of the year in the NCS Header in the original data file (.DAT) created during scanning. The NCS Header for the .dat file always stores the date scanned year as two characters (bytes 17 and 18); you cannot change that.

The choices are:

• Two Digit - store only the last two characters of the year, this is identical to the standard NCS Header format. This is not available for the Y2K Compliant Output Format type.

• Four Digit (19xx) - store the year as four characters, the first two being 19, defining the twentieth century; example 1998.

• Four Digit (20xx) - store the year as four characters, the first two being 20, defining the twenty-first century; example 2002.

When a Four Digit choice is selected, bytes 17-20 of the header in the converted file are used for the four characters of the year, causing all succeeding bytes to shift from the standard definition.

NOTE If you scanned in the 1900s and then in the next century (2000s), select Append or Replace at S/N (Scanning Options dialog box) to add records to the data file. The two-digit year for date scanned can only be converted to 19xx or 20xx dates. You cannot achieve a mix of 19xx and 20xx dates in the converted file header.

This popup menu is available only when Delimited ASCII is selected as the output format type. The Output Field Names item lets you select whether or not the field names are also written to the converted file. This is useful when importing the converted file into a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel. The field names are stored in the appropriate order so that they appear as column headings in the spreadsheet after the file is imported.

No - Do not write field names to the converted file.

Yes - Write field names to the converted file. For all fields listed under Fields Included, the field name is also written to the converted file.

Include at least one field in the first Record format – If Output field names = Yes, you must include at least one field in the first Record format or an error will occur during the conversion process.

NCS Header - NCS Header is considered a field and "NCS Header" is used as the field name if it is included.

1-digit or 2-digit response - If the data type for a field is 1-digit response or 2-digit response and there are multiple items, each item in the converted file is put in a field with its own name. Numbers are appended to the output field name for the item field name.

For example, if the field "Part One" consists of 10 items, the converted file will contain fields named "Part One1", "Part One2" ,"Part One3", and so on for the items.

Multiple grids defined under one field - If a field contains data from multiple grids (excluding 1- and 2-digit response types), one field is written to the converted file.

For example, if the field "Name" contains data from three grids (for last name, first name, and middle initial), the converted file will contain one field, "Name", that contains data from all three grids, in the order defined.

This popup menu is available only when Delimited ASCII is selected as the output format type in the Output Format - Conversion Profile dialog box. The Output Extension item lets you select the file extensions used with your converted file. This is useful when importing the converted file into a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel. The file extension choices are:

• .DLM
• .TXT
• .CSV

This popup box lets you define delimiters that separate document records and output fields, or define the start and end of text strings. It is also used to choose the character to define input multiples for the IBM 3881 record type.

The choices are:

• CR / LF - Carriage Return / Line Feed
• Carriage Return
• Line Feed
• Comma (,)
• Single Quote (‘)
• Double Quote
• Asterisk (*)
• Tab
• Pipe (|)
• None
• Define…

The Define option lets you use a delimiter not listed here. When you select this item, a dialog box appears.

This popup menu lets you globally select which fields are included in the converted data file. The choices are:

• Include all fields - all are included. The format for how the year is stored in the NCS Header for the converted file is defined in NCS Header Year Format - Conversion Profile.
• All but NCS Header - all except the NCS Header are included.
• Exclude all fields - the entire record format is not included.

You also have the option to include selected parts of the NCS Header. See Including Selected Parts of the NCS Header in Your Data File for details.

This popup menu lets you select how your SPSS file is saved.

• Do not SAVE active file
• SAVE compressed active file (default)
• SAVE uncompressed file
• EXPORT to portable file

Refer to your SPSS documentation for more information on the different options.

This popup menu lets you globally select which type of 3881 format all document titles are identified as.

• Sequential order - automatically uses the next seven choices, in order; All Basic - All Alternate 6. If more are needed, repeats this sequence.
• All Basic format
• All Alternate 1
• All Alternate 2
• All Alternate 3
• All Alternate 4
• All Alternate 5
• All Alternate 6

This popup menu lets you select which type of 3881 format each individual document title is identified as.

• Basic format
• Alternate 1
• Alternate 2
• Alternate 3
• Alternate 4
• Alternate 5
• Alternate 6

This popup menu lets you choose the type of select flag that is written to the IBM 3881 converted file.

• No select flag
• Pocket flag select - NCS Header position 29 (default)
• Edit flag select - NCS Header position 22 - pass flag

This popup menu lets you select what character is written to an output field when the special "output multiple" character is encountered during conversion.

• EBCDIC 3F (default)
• @ symbol

Fields Included

This list shows which fields will be written to the converted file. You can change the status one field at a time, from Included to Omitted by clicking when the magnifying glass appears for that field under either column.

Fields Omitted

This list shows which fields will not be written to the converted file. You can change the status one field at a time, from Included to Omitted by clicking when the magnifying glass appears for that field under either column.

Output Positions

Not used for Delimited ASCII format. This displays the location of data in the converted file. It is calculated according to the length of fields, and whether a field is included or omitted in the converted file.