Simplifying Recoded Variables with CDL

Studio simplifies the process of defining recoded variables, enabling the reuse of definitions across variables and derived grids to reduce coding effort.

CDL - Defining Recoded Derived Variables

Studio enables you to define recoded variables, simplifying usage and minimizing the need for lengthy single-line IIF statements. This also makes it possible for you to define recoding definitions once and reuse them across variables and derived grids.

The first code example shows a "standard" block of code where the recoding is not defined so it has a long IIF statement.

Original:

variable singleChoice #osatRecoded {
    table: survey:
    value: IIF(score(survey:OSAT.1) >= 8, "1", IIF(score(survey:OSAT.1) >= 4, "2", IIF(score(survey:OSAT.1) >= 1, "3")))
    option code {
      code: "1"
      score: 3
      label: "Satisfied"
    }
    option code {
      code: "2"
      score: 2
      label: "Neutral"
    }
    option code {
      code: "3"
      score: 1
      label: "Dissatisfied"
    }
  }

However if you use the recoding values code block below to define the recoding,

With Recoding defined:

  recoding values #rec3cats {
    mapping {
      to: "1"
      from: "'1'..'3'"
    }
    mapping {
      to: "2"
      from: "'4'..'7'"
    }
    mapping {
      to: "3"
      from: "'8'..'10'"
    }
  }

then you can use the code block below instead of the original.

//simplified variable syntax
  variable singleChoice #osat2recode {
    table: survey:
    value: recode(survey:OSAT.1, @rec3cats)
    option code {
      code: "3"
      score: 3
      label: "Satisfied"
    }
    option code {
      code: "2"
      score: 2
      label: "Neutral"
    }
    option code {
      code: "1"
      score: 1
      label: "Dissatisfied"
    }
  }

And you can use the @rec3cats value anywhere you wish to use the recoding.