Quick Guide RAAB Software

First create your personal settings

Click ‘System | Settings’, modify the settings as required, click ‘Save’ and close the application. When the RAAB application is started again the new settings are activated.

Set background picture

Click ‘System | Settings’ and select location of your background picture

Set language:

Click ‘System | Settings’ and select language (English, Dutch, French, Spanish, Chinese)

Set location of backup of data files

Click ‘System | Settings’ and select location backup data files

Mark whether Diabetic Retinopathy module should be included in RAAB or not

Click ‘System | Settings’ and mark the tick box behind this option. If empty the DR module is not activated.

Create new database:

Click ‘File | New’ and type name of new database

Newly created files are immediately opened.

Open existing database:

Click ‘File | Open’ and select existing database.

If another database is open, then first click ‘File | Close’ to close the current database

Then click ‘File | Open’ and select other existing database.

The name of the selected database will be shown on the toolbar.

Delete database:

Open Explorer. Go to C:\RAAB5\DATA\. Select the directory with data files to be deleted. Delete entire directory. This action cannot be reverted.

Open Survey form for data entry:

Only possible when database has been selected and name is shown in toolbar

Click ‘File | Survey form’

Add new record:

Click ‘Add’ button (far left button on toolbar), or

Click ‘Edit | New’, or

Press <Ctrl+Ins> to create new empty record, or

Click on button ‘New record’, place the cursor in field ‘Year’ and start data entry. Do not use the mouse: the cursor will move automatically to the next field. If the DR module is activated, the cursor will move automatically from the RAAB form to the DR form. When the record is completely entered, the record will be saved and the cursor will move to the first field of a new record again.

Open Population data form for data entry:

Only possible when database has been selected and name is shown in toolbar

Click ‘File | Population data form’

Open Inter-observer variation data form for data entry:

Only possible when database has been selected and name is shown in toolbar

Click ‘File | Inter-observer variation form’

Open DR Inter-observer variation data form for data entry:

Only possible when database has been selected (name shown in toolbar) and when the DR module is activated. Click ‘File | Inter-observer variation form - DR’

Save any data file

Click on ‘Save’ button on toolbar.

New records are automatically saved when the ‘Add’ button on the toolbar, or the ‘New record’ button on the data file screen is clicked.

Close RAAB programme

Click on ‘File | Exit’, or

Click on the ‘Close’ button in the right upper corner of the RAAB screen, or

Press <Alt+F4>.

‘Undo’, ‘Save’, ‘Cut’, ‘Copy’, ‘Paste’, ‘New’ and ‘Delete’ functions

Only works when the survey form, population form or Inter-Observer Variation form is opened.

The functions operate like in any other Windows program and can all be found under the ‘Edit’ menu. Each function also has a shortcut key and buttons for ‘Add’, ‘Save’, ‘Undo’ and ‘Delete’ are present on the toolbar.

Be careful with the delete function: it will permanently delete the record from the data file.

Navigate between records in data files

Only works when the survey form or Inter-Observer Variation form is opened.

Use the ‘First’, ‘Last’, ‘Previous’ or ‘Next’ buttons on the toolbar, or click on ‘Navigate | First, Last, Previous or Next’.

Search survey form file for specific records

Only works when the survey form is opened.

Records in the survey data file are identified by a unique subject ID number, which is composed of the area code (first one or two digits), the cluster number (middle 3 digits) and the individual number (last 2 digits).

Click on the ‘Search’ button on the toolbar, or select ‘Navigate | Search’, or press <Ctrl+F>, and a Search dialog box appears. First select the field (‘ID’) and then enter the required subject ID. Press ‘Search first’ and the required record will appear.

Use this function to select records that need corrections after the consistency check.

Search survey form file for a specific value in a specific field

Only works when the survey form is opened.

Click on the ‘Search’ button on the toolbar, or select ‘Navigate | Search’, or press <Ctrl+F>, and a Search dialog box appears where the required specifications can be entered.

Search records in population file
The population data file has only one record.

Search records in Inter-Observer Variation data file

The records in this file are identified by the name of the examiner and the patient ID. Suppose 5 examiners have seen 50 persons for this exercise. Suppose the record of person with ID ‘26’ and examiner ‘C’ needs to be edited. First place the cursor in the field ‘Patient ID’, click on the ‘Search’ button, select the field ‘Patient ID’ and enter the value ‘26’. Now click on ‘Search first’ and check if the record with this ID and examiner ‘C’ appears. If not, continue pressing ‘Search next’ until the required record is found. There can only be 5 records with this Patient ID.

Find all records with same value in more than one specific field

The ‘Search’ function works well with specified value(s) in one field only. When records have to be found with specific values in more than one field, the ‘Set filter’ function should be used.

Place the cursor in the first field with the required value. You may have to use the ‘Search’ function to locate this record. Click the 'Field Filter' button on toolbar (third from right) or click ‘Navigate | Set Filter’. The font of the field on which the filter is set should turn to italics. Repeat this for other values in other fields. The font of all fields on which a filter is set have changed to italics and all records with the same entries in these fields will be shown.

When done, click on 'Release All Filters' button (far right on toolbar)

Browse data file
First open the survey form, population form or Inter-Observer Variation form.

If this data file is open, click ‘Navigate | Browse’, or press <Ctrl+B>. The data file will be shown as a table, but no changes can be made in this table.

Identify data entry errors through validation of double entry

All survey record forms should be entered by two separate data entry operators. Check both files with ‘Consistency check’ and correct listed errors before comparing these two data files. By comparing both survey data files, different entries for records with the same subject ID are listed.

Click ‘File | Open’ to open the first database.

Click on ‘Reports | Validation’ through double data entry and select the second database.

Both survey files are now compared and differences are listed, showing the subject ID and the identified differences. Check the number of pages in the report: this can be a long list. Print this report.

Records with differences have to be compared with the original paper survey form. Records and fields that are not listed have identical entries and are assumed to be entered correctly. Make the necessary corrections in both data files and repeat this procedure until no errors are found anymore.

NB: some error checks are very strict. In the majority of cases they are correct, but in a few exceptions they may not apply. If you are sure that the entry is correct, despite it being reported as an error, you may leave the original entry. It will continue to be reported as an error, but the programme will not halt and will use the entry in all calculations.

Calculate inter-observer variation

Click on ‘Reports | Calculate inter-observer variation’ and a small dialog screen will appear, asking to indicate the most experienced examiner. Select this and click ‘Run’. A report, comparing findings of all examiners with the most experienced examiner will be produced.

Calculate inter-observer variation for DR

This menu is only visible when the DR module is activated. Click on ‘Reports | Calculate inter-observer variation for DR’. A report, comparing findings of all DR examiners with the most experienced examiner will be produced.

Clean survey data file

Before any report is created, the data file should be thoroughly checked for inconsistencies and data entry errors. Click on ‘Reports | Consistency check survey data’ and possible errors in de survey data file will be indicated. Make a print-out of this error list, retrieve the listed paper survey records and correct the listed errors in the survey data file. Repeat the consistency check until no errors are remaining.

Clean IOV data file

Before any report is created, the data file should be thoroughly checked for inconsistencies and data entry errors.

Click on ‘Reports | Consistency check IOV data’ and possible errors in de IOV data file will be indicated. Make a print-out of this error list, retrieve the listed paper IOV records and correct the listed errors in the IOV data file. Repeat the consistency check until no errors are remaining. When the DR module is activated, the fields on the DR form will be checked for inconsistencies as well.

Analyse data and create reports

After consistency checks and validation of double entry have been completed and all listed errors and inconsistencies have been corrected, the reports on the results of the RAAB survey can be created.

Click Reports and click on the report of your choice.

Reports on ‘Sample data’ provide results generated from the persons that have been examined.

In the report ‘Age and sex adjusted results’, age and sex specific prevalence from the sample population have been extrapolated against the age and sex specific population of the entire survey area. This report provides estimates of the absolute number of cases in the survey area, and estimates of the actual prevalence of various conditions.

Save reports

When a report is produced, click 'Export' button on right side of toolbar.

Select a target directory and select type of file. Give the name of the file to be saved. Files saved as .DOC, .RTF or PDF files resemble best the layout of reports produced by the RAAB package.

Open Sample size calculation module:

Click ‘Utilities | Sample size calculation’

Enter parameters: - population size of the entire survey area (people aged 50+ only)

- expected frequency of condition

- worst acceptable frequency

- % eligible population not participating in survey

In the right top part, the sample size for simple random sampling is calculated for 95%, 90% and 80% confidence. Select the confidence you wish to apply and the sample size for cluster sampling, as well as the required number of clusters, will be calculated in the lower part of the screen, for clusters of size 40, 50 or 60.

When the DR module is activated, the Sample size calculator shown only clusters of size 35 (one team) and 60 (two teams).

Set up sampling frame:

Click ‘Utilities | Select clusters’

Click button ‘Open Excel sheet with sampling frame’. This will open the Excel spreadsheet “SAMPLINGFRAME.XLS” in the required database. Enter the code, name and population of each population unit in the survey area in this spreadsheet. When completed, save and close the spreadsheet.

Select Clusters module:

Click ‘Utilities | Select clusters’

Click ‘Import Excel sheet sampling frame’. IMPORTANT: This file has to be in Excel 5.0/95 format! The RAAB software cannot read any Excel files in the 2007 or later format

This will bring up a search screen with the file ‘Samplingframe.xls’ containing the sampling frame in the prescribed format. Select this file and the data will appear in a screen with an additional cumulative column and the total population calculated. If the screen remains empty the selected file did not contain any sampling frame data or not in the required format.

Now enter the number of clusters required.

Click on ‘Select clusters’ button to automatically select clusters through systematic sampling.

Click on ‘Save’ button. This will produce a list of the selected clusters, which can be saved or printed.

Import

To import survey records from a RAAB survey that were entered one other computer into a new (empty) database. Works only with new database or empty survey file and imports only the survey records.

Click ‘File | New’ or ‘File | Open’ to open target file

Click ‘Utilities | Import’

A ‘Select database’ screen will open. Select the database containing the source file. Click on ‘Select’ and the records in the source file are copied to the target file.

Merge

To merge survey records from the same RAAB survey that were entered on different computers into one database. Works only with database with records with the same areaname and areacode.

Click ‘File | Open’ to open target file

Click ‘Utilities | Merge’

A ‘Select database’ screen will open. Select the database containing the source file. Click on ‘Select’ and the records in the source file are added to those in the target file.

Export

To copy RAAB survey records to other directories and into other file formats.

Click ‘File | Open’ to open source file

Click ‘Utilities | Export’

An ‘Export’ screen will open. Type name of export file and select file type (dBase or Excel). Click on ‘Save’ to save the new file.

Review IOV data file

To compare findings of different teams on same patient.

Click ‘Utilities | Review IOV data file’ and Excel sheet will be produced with records sorted by Examiner and by patient ID.

Review DR IOV data file

To compare findings of different teams on the grading of retinal photographs for diabetic retinopathy.

Click ‘Utilities | Review DR IOV data file’ and Excel sheet will be produced with records sorted by patient ID and by Examiner.

What to do when system crashes or error messages are shown repeatedly

Click ‘System | Errors’. A screen called ‘Errors’ appears.

Click ‘File | Print’ or click on ‘Print’ button on toolbar to create error report with text.

Print or save this report and send it as e-mail attachment to authors of the software package.

Address is given under ‘Help | Info’.