The T.O.V.A. can import T.O.V.A. 7 data files, as well as T.O.V.A. files exported from other databases (See Exporting, section 25) and T.O.V.A. backup files. Here’s how you do it:
The Import interface handles the potentially complex process of importing T.O.V.A. 7 files. At the bottom of the window is the ‘Start/Pause’ button, which starts or pauses the import, and the ‘Cancel/Close’ button, which aborts an import in progress and closes the Import window when importing is complete.
The window is divided up into four tabs. We’ll discuss each of these now.
This is the first tab (Figure 39), where you will see the list of all the files waiting to be imported. Click ‘Add’ to browse and select more files to import and ‘Remove’ if you decide you don’t want to import certain files after all. As files are imported, they are removed from this list, and the progress bar at the top will show you how far along the import process is, as well as the status. You can also click ‘Advanced’ to specify values for custom fields.
Note: If you click ‘Pause’, the import will continue until the current file is finished processing.
Here is where you can specify values for custom subject/session fields you may have created. Let’s say, for instance, that your organization has three offices: Northwest, Southeast, and Central. It’s important to you that you track which tests were administered where, so you created a custom session field named ‘Office’. Unfortunately, you have lots of T.O.V.A. 7 data for each of these offices. In this case, you select all the T.O.V.A. 7 files from the Northwest office and add them to your import list. Then you click on ‘Advanced’, add the ‘Office’ field, and specify a value of ‘Northwest’. Now you start the import, and all of the tests you import will have that ‘Office’ field set to ‘Northwest’. Once that import is done, remove the custom field value, add a new value ‘Office=’Southeast’, click ‘Close’ and import the Southeast batch of files. Once your files have all been imported, you’ll be able to sort the main window by the ‘Office’ field to easily find the subjects and sessions you’re looking for.
For more information on custom subject and session fields, see section 27.3.
The T.O.V.A. 7 used interpretation credits, so that after you finished a test you would need to “interpret” (“analyze” or “score” in older versions) the data to see the report or even the raw data. T.O.V.A. 7 files that were never interpreted contain “uncredited” data.
The Resolve Uncredited Files tab lists all these and gives you the chance to either credit the tests and import them or reject them for import.
Note: Importing an uncredited file will use a T.O.V.A. test credit. Unless you use a test credit, you cannot import the file.
Note: Crediting a T.O.V.A. 7 file for import will add the test data to the T.O.V.A. database, but it will not modify the original, uninterpreted data file. The original T.O.V.A. 7 data file will remain uninterpreted. If you then gave that same T.O.V.A. 7 file to a colleague, they would need to use another test credit to import it there.
In that scenario, you should credit and import the T.O.V.A. 7 data file, then export the session as a T.O.V.A. file. T.O.V.A. files always contain credited data. For more information about Exporting, see section 25.
The T.O.V.A. groups all sessions by the subject to whom they were administered. As T.O.V.A. sessions are imported, they are matched to any subjects that already exist in the database. Sometimes the information almost matches up, but not quite. When the import comes to one of these, it will be added to the Resolve Duplicate Subjects tab. The tab label displays the number of potentially-matched imports.
In the example shown in Figure 40, we see that the first name and birthdate are identical, but the last name and subject number are different. You may encounter duplicates like these when you have a subject that sometimes goes by ‘John’ and sometimes by ‘Johnny’ or ‘Jack’. Other times they really are separate subjects with coinciding information, like a pair of twins. This tab gives you the opportunity to decide if the session should be assigned to the existing subject in the database, if the imported subject information should replace the information in the database, or if the imported subject is a different subject entirely.
Note: If you have dozens of these, this may take awhile. You may choose to ‘Resolve multiple remaining sessions as different, separate subjects’. This will automatically assume that several of these are different subjects, which is always the safer assumption. You can always search by the subject’s birthdate and reassign those test sessions later (section 37.7).
This tab gives you the opportunity to decide if a subject should be matched, whether the imported subject information should replace the information in the database, or if the imported subject is a different subject entirely. If you have dozens of these unresolved duplicates, the process can be burdensome, so we also have the option to ‘Resolve multiple remaining sessions as different, separate subjects’. This way, you can complete the import quickly, and later reassign sessions as needed (section 37.7).
The Results tab details the progress or outcome of the import process:
Each list can be expanded or collapsed by clicking it. Use ‘Copy Messages’ to copy the information to your clipboard or ‘Send to tech support’ for help with specific problems.
Files to Import tab
Resolve Duplicate Subjects tab
Results tab