Items to be selected may be specified by using the ISELECT= instruction to match characters within the item name. Items deleted by IDELETE= or IDFILE= are never selected by ISELECT=.
This can be done before analysis in the control file or with "Extra specifications". It can also be done after the analysis using the "Specification" pull-down menu.
Selection rules. Person and item selections must be in quotation marks " ", and follow the selection rules:
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Control characters match label or name. They start at the first column of the label or name.
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?
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matches any character
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*
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matches any string of characters - must be last selection character.
If * is in the first column, then every available person or item is selected.
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A
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matches A in the person label, and similarly all other characters except { }
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{..}
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braces characters which can match a single character: {ABC} matches A or B or C.
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{.. - ..}
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matches single characters in a range. {0-9} matches digits in the range 0 to 9.
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{.. --..}
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matches a single "-" {AB--} matches A or B or "-".
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{~ABX}
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omits persons or items which match A or B or X
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@fieldname=
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positions the next selection character at the start of the specified field
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Each ISELECT= performed using the "Specification" pull-down menu selects from all those analyzed. For incremental selections from the Specification menu, i.e., selecting from those already selected, specify +ISELECT=
Example 0: In Example 10, select bank 6:
@BANK=5 ; Bank number is in column 5 of the item label
ISELECT=@BANK=6
Example 1: Select for analysis only items with M in the 5th column of item name.
ISELECT=????M* M in column means Math items
0001M 2x4 ; selected
0002R the cat ; omitted
END NAMES
Example 2: Select for analysis all items with code "A 4" in columns 2-4 of their names.
ISELECT="?A 4*" quotes because a blank is included. A is in col. 2 etc.
ZA 4PQRS selected
Example 3: Select all Math (M in column 2) items which are Addition or Division (A or D in column 4):
ISELECT="?M?{AD}*"
1M3A456 2+2 selected
1M5D689 23/7 selected
1H2A123 George omitted (History, American)
Example 3: Select codes A, 1,2,3,4,5,6 in column 3:
ISELECT=??{A1-6}*
Example 4: Select "- " in columns 2 and 3:
ISELECT="?- "
Example 5: Select "-" or "x" in column 2 with " " in column 3:
ISELECT="?{--x} "
Example 6: Analyze only math (column 4 or person-id). Then report only items in Topic C (column 1). Then only report items in Strands 4 and 5 (column 2) in Topic C.
ISELECT=???M* in the Control file or at the Extra Specifications prompt.
ISELECT=C* using the Specification pull-down menu, after the analysis
+ISELECT=?{45}* using the Specification pull-down menu.
Example 7: 4 forms in one analysis with common items. Produce a score table for each form.
In the item labels, columns 1-4 of item label are form indicator. Items can be in more than one form
1xxx for form1 items
12xx for form 1 and 2 items
xx3x for form 3
xx34 for form 3 and 4
etc.
Then, use the Specification menu box:
ISELECT = 1??? will select all items on form 1
Output Tables: Table 20 score table
ISELECT = * select all items
ISELECT = ?2?? will select all items on form 2
etc.
Example 8: Omit unwanted items, marked by "x" in the first character of the item label:
ISELECT={~x}
Example 9: If the field to be selected is already identified, then this simplifies counting the column:
@Dx = 16E17 ; $C44W2
16E17 means that the field is in columns 16 and 17 of the item label. Look at a data record to see what is actually there.
ISELECT=???????????????23 ; selects "23" in columns 16 and 17 of the item label
Example 10: We want item type group X (in column 4 of the item label) except for sub-types 11, 24 (in columns 6, 7 of the item label):
ISELECT = "???X?{12}{14}" ; this selects X and 11, 14, 21, 24
EDFILE=*
"?" "?????14" . ; convert 14 to missing data
"?" "?????21" . ; convert 21 to missing data
*
Example 11: multiple levels in the Specification menu box:
Between each step, in the Specification menu box, please specify ISELECT= (nothing) to reinstate all the items.
Example using Example0.txt and the Specification menu box:
iselect=L
"ISELECT=L*" selected 5 ACT
CURRENTLY REPORTABLE ACT = 5
iselect=W
"ISELECT=W*" selected 0 ACT
CURRENTLY REPORTABLE ACT = 5
... not done
iselect=
"ISELECT=*" selected 25 ACT
CURRENTLY REPORTABLE ACT = 25
iselect=W
"ISELECT=W*" selected 7 ACT
CURRENTLY REPORTABLE ACT = 7
