SOFA Stats

The latest release not only has the usual bug fixes and usability enhancements, it has a few new pieces of functionality.

• Can modify the design of tables in the built-in SOFA database (variable names, types, order, table names).
• Able to insert and delete rows when editing value labels.
• Can delete tables in the built-in database.
• The sofa id field is now read-only when designing tables and the user gets useful messages if they try to delete it or insert a new field before it.

The bug fixes were:

• CSV importer copes with inconsistent new line characters anywhere they are encountered.
• Fixed bug when a key is deleted in a value list and then OK is hit.
• Removed bug where focus would move erratically when entering long lists of value labels.
• Changing database or table when making table reports resets the column buttons as it should.
• Numbers like 1000000000000.2 are now displayed as simple numbers instead of as 1e+12 etc.
• Newly-created tables appear in the table dropdown list immediately.

IMPORTANT FOR ALL UPGRADING USERS – you must delete the /username/sofa folder first (after storing anything you wish to save). And inside project files, change conn_dets to con_dets.

Removing rough edges and handling less perfect incoming data have been the recent focus of attention. The main changes in 0.8.13 are:

• Better support for inconsistent data and missing values.
• The user is informed what happens to files being imported.
• The user has the option of halting a large raw data table report.
• CSV importing now asks user if file has header and offers to clean up files with mixed line separators.
• New projects have the default SOFA database preconfigured ready to save tables to.
• Program now returns useful message if SQLite table with median or std dev fails because of non-numeric values (in purportedly numeric field).
• Attempts to make new tables without a connection to the default database now receive a useful message.
• Users are given the opportunity to pull out of opening a large data table.

Also importantly, there have been a myriad of bug fixes:

• Fixed bug when using SQLite database other than the SOFA default one.
• Report tables now handle non-numeric values in numeric fields (SQLite).
• Fixed simple but fatal bugs affecting raw and summary tables.
• Fixed bug when user path includes international characters.
• Fixed bug using MS SQL for making report tables.

Another release with an emphasis on quality rather than new features. More new features will be coming soon once the wxWebKit and RaphaelJS technologies are mature enough. In the meantime:

• More flexible installation options on Windows e.g. installing to D:\Program Files rather than C:\Program Files.
• Better support for international text and unicode – e.g. René, Identität, François etc – in project, variable details, html report files, and css files.
• Better interface behaviour when configuring a project.
• Better feedback when errors with missing or malformed files.
• For Galician speakers, a version of SOFA Statistics in their own language now works on Windows.
• Fixed bug allowing new rows to be added to read-only tables if using Tab/Return key on last cell and then repeatedly hitting Tab keys.

A small release before major work on internationalisation begins.  The main changes are:

• Users can now view the design of tables in the default SOFA database.
• More netbook-friendly design of projects form.
• Misc improvements to interface esp when selecting data.

Version 0.8.9 of SOFA Statistics is a significant maintenance release.

Important bug fixes:

• The process of creating new tables directly into SOFA Statistics has been significantly improved.
• Numerous interface bugs affecting settings tables have been fixed.

Under the surface, the code underlying the database tables and the setting tables (e.g. configuring data table design, modifying variable labels, adding project settings etc) has been aligned considerably.  In the process, numerous bugs were removed, especially for Windows users.  Setting tables now have cell as well as row validation.  The text browser control in the grid (a text box and a browse button when you click on a cell to edit it) is now laid out much better.  Setting table validation refers to the faulty column by name rather than number.  Focus is not lost in Windows when in the settings subtable in the project configuration form.  Hitting Enter when editing a combo box in a settings table no longer loses focus to the OK button (thus closing the table prematurely!).  Plus misc minor fixes and extra polish.

One of the next tasks is to enable users to modify the configuration of existing SOFA Statistics tables e.g. rename fields, add/insert fields, delete fields etc.  The groundwork laid down in this release should make that much easier to add.

Users are now able to add data directly to SOFA Statistics by configuring new tables in the default SQLite database and adding data directly to them.

There has also been an important bug fix for PostgreSQL when making report tables.  Interestingly, SUM(boolean) functions differently from the other SQL databases used.

The Windows installer should work better for many users esp on Vista or XP Professional.

A quirk has been noticed in the Windows version with the Enter key when configuring a new table and entering data into it.  Using tab or the mouse works in the meantime.  A fix is expected in the next release.