Validation Checks#

Tools, then Check for Errors, runs every check against the open survey and lists the findings in the validation rail. Every export runs the same checks first. This page explains the severities, states which findings stop an export, and lists the checks under the source named beneath each finding. The rail itself is described in Questions, Search, Validation, and Comments.

The validation rail with errors, warnings, and information rows from several sources

Severities#

Severity	Meaning
Error	The survey is inconsistent: an input that leads nowhere, a missing answer type, or a duplicate choice value or output name.
Warning	A quality problem to review: empty text, an unbounded roster, or a name an exporter will rewrite.
Info	An advisory: a computation that has only a description, or the state of a translation.

In the rail, a red dot marks an error, an amber dot a warning, and a blue dot information. The Validation badge in the navigation bar takes the colour of the worst finding, and turns green when there is none.

Validation and Export#

The Specification, Paper Form, and DDI 3.3 exports proceed whatever the checks find. The Blaise 5 export, in Blaise Colectica Questionnaires, refuses to run while any finding is an error, or while a question produces no output. Instead of its options dialog it shows a message counting the issues to fix, and the validation rail lists them. No warning or information row stops an export.

Checks in Every Edition#

Each finding names its source: Structure, Questions, Outputs, Logic, or Translations. In the messages below, italics stand for the name, value, or number the finding reports.

Structure#

Check	Severity	Message
`NoQuestions`	Warning	The survey has no questions.
`EmptySection`	Warning	The section is empty.
`EmptyConditional`	Warning	The display logic contains no items.
`EmptyRoster`	Warning	The roster is empty.
`UnconnectedInput`	Error	The input alias is not connected to an answer.
`RosterFixedCountInvalid`	Error	The repeat count must be at least 1.
`RosterMaximumInvalid`	Error	The maximum number of repeats must be at least 1.
`RosterCountSourceMissing`	Error	The roster repeats by an answer, but no answer is selected.
`RosterCountUnbounded`	Warning	The roster repeats as many times as the answer to question, which has no minimum and maximum, so its size is unbounded.
`RosterCountExceedsMaximum`	Warning	Question allows up to n, but the roster allows at most m repeats.

Questions#

Check	Severity	Message
`NoAnswerType`	Error	The question has no answer type. For a grid: The grid has no answer type.
`NoOutput`	Warning	The question produces no output.
`QuestionTextMissing`	Warning	The question has no text.
`StatementTextMissing`	Warning	The statement has no text. For a note: The note has no text.
`ChoiceListEmpty`	Error	The choice list has no choices.
`ChoiceValueMissing`	Error	Choice n has no value.
`DuplicateChoiceValues`	Error	The choice value value is used more than once.
`ChoiceLabelMissing`	Warning	Choice value has no label.
`OtherSpecifyChoiceMissing`	Error	The other-please-specify text is attached to a choice that no longer exists.
`OtherSpecifyNotAttached`	Warning	The other-please-specify text is not attached to a choice.
`NumericRangeInverted`	Error	The minimum low is greater than the maximum high.
`TextLengthInverted`	Error	The minimum length low is greater than the maximum length high.
`EditCheckPromptMissing`	Warning	The edit check has no message to show the respondent.
`ComputationHasNoFormula`	Info	The computation has only a description.

Outputs#

Check	Severity	Message
`DuplicateOutputName`	Error	The output name name is also produced by item. Within one item: The output name name is produced more than once by this item.
`OutputNameNotIdentifier`	Warning	The output name name contains characters that statistical packages may not allow. Without a name: The output has no name because the question has no name.

Logic#

Check	Severity	Message
`DisplayLogicInvalid`	Error	The display logic “synopsis” refers to question, which is asked after this point; or refers to an answer inside the roster roster, which is not supported; or is incomplete or refers to an answer that cannot be found.
`EditCheckInvalid`	Error	The edit check “synopsis”, followed by the same explanations.
`UnreachableQuestion`	Warning	The condition on question contradicts item, so no respondent can ever see this item.

Translations#

Check	Severity	Message
`UnknownLanguage`	Warning	The language code code is not recognised.
`MissingTranslation`	Info	n of m strings have no language translation.

Checks for Blaise 5#

Note

This feature is available in Blaise Colectica Questionnaires.

Blaise Colectica Questionnaires adds checks whose source is Blaise 5. They describe what the Blaise 5 generator cannot express or will change. Errors in this group, like every other error, stop the Blaise 5 export; warnings do not.

The validation rail in Blaise Colectica Questionnaires, with Blaise 5 findings among the others

Check	Severity	Message
`NonNumericCodeValue`	Error	The choice value value is not a whole number. Blaise requires numeric choice values.
`DisplayLogicDescriptionOnly`	Error	The display logic has only a description. Add formal display logic or Blaise code before exporting to Blaise.
`EditCheckDescriptionOnly`	Error	The edit check has only a description. Add a formal condition or Blaise code before exporting to Blaise.
`ComputationNotExported`	Warning	The computation has no formula and will not be exported to Blaise.
`UnsupportedLoop`	Error	Blaise export does not support while and until loops. Use a roster instead.
`UnsupportedAnswerTypes`	Error	Blaise supports one answer type per question, or a choice list followed by an attached other-please-specify text.
`ChoiceGridAnswerNotChoiceList`	Error	The answer of a choice grid must be a choice list for Blaise export.
`GridRowsNotChoiceList`	Error	The rows of a grid must be a choice list for Blaise export.
`NameChanged`	Warning	The name name is not a valid Blaise identifier and will be exported as identifier.
`DateTypeExportedAsText`	Warning	The date type type is exported to Blaise as free text; comparisons on it in display logic will not work.
`TextLengthExceedsLimit`	Warning	Blaise limits text answers to n characters; the maximum length m will be reduced.
`UnsupportedComputationFunction`	Error	The computation uses function, which cannot be exported to Blaise.
`CaretInText`	Warning	The text contains a caret (^), which Blaise reserves for fills; it will be removed on export.
`UnresolvedBlaiseToken`	Warning	The Blaise code refers to `{{token}}`, which is not an input or output of this item.