Variable

In the context of a questionnaire, only the instance variables are used (conceptual and represented variables are not considered).

The instance variable takes its value from the dataset context . The instance variable is used to described the data collected.

Example

For the instance variable « Sex », Margaret is a (w, Woman) and Bart is a (m, Man).

The instance variable includes both:

• a reference to the question which collects it;
• and the output parameter (OutParameter) defined in this question that contains its value.
• A unit of measurement defined as r:MeasurementUnit, in the VariableRepresentation (cf. 3.2.5 use case 2).
• A representation which gives, among other things, its format.

<l:Variable>
    <r:Agency>fr.insee</r:Agency>
    <r:ID>INSEE-SIMPSONS-VR-SEX</r:ID>
    <r:Version>1</r:Version>
    <l:VariableName>
        <r:String xml:lang="en-IE">SEX</r:String>
    </l:VariableName>
    <r:Label>
        <r:Content xml:lang="en-IE">Sex</r:Content>
    </r:Label>
    <r:SourceParameterReference>
        <r:Agency>fr.insee</r:Agency>
        <r:ID>INSEE-SIMPSONS-QGOP-2-1-4</r:ID>
        <r:Version>1</r:Version>
        <r:TypeOfObject>OutParameter</r:TypeOfObject>
    </r:SourceParameterReference>
    <r:QuestionReference>
        <r:Agency>fr.insee</r:Agency>
        <r:ID>INSEE-SIMPSONS-QG-2-1</r:ID>
        <r:Version>1</r:Version>
        <r:TypeOfObject>QuestionGrid</r:TypeOfObject>
    </r:QuestionReference>
    <l:VariableRepresentation>
        <r:CodeRepresentation>
            <r:CodeListReference>
                <r:Agency>fr.insee</r:Agency>
                <r:ID>INSEE-SIMPSONS-CL-4</r:ID>
                <r:Version>1</r:Version>
                <r:TypeOfObject>CodeList</r:TypeOfObject>
            </r:CodeListReference>
        </r:CodeRepresentation>
    </l:VariableRepresentation>
</l:Variable>

Dynamic unit

The unit of a numeric variable can be dynamically computed (for instance: currency in function of country).

Then, the computation expression is defined in the MeasurementUnit. The element must have the controlledVocabularyName attribute with the value "personalizedUnit" to mark the unit as a dynamic (personalized) unit. The ¤ character is used as a delimiter around variable references.

The following example contains a dynamic unit, whose expression is another variable:

<l:Variable>
    <r:Agency>fr.insee</r:Agency>
    <r:ID>m4k4z3gv</r:ID>
    <r:Version>1</r:Version>
    <l:VariableName>
        <r:String xml:lang="fr-FR">NUMBER_DYNAMIC_UNIT</r:String>
    </l:VariableName>
    <r:Label>
        <r:Content xml:lang="fr-FR">NUMBER_DYNAMIC_UNIT label </r:Content>
    </r:Label>
    <r:SourceParameterReference>
        <r:Agency>fr.insee</r:Agency>
        <r:ID>m4k17d1t-QOP-m4k14nmx</r:ID>
        <r:Version>1</r:Version>
        <r:TypeOfObject>OutParameter</r:TypeOfObject>
    </r:SourceParameterReference>
    <r:QuestionReference>
        <r:Agency>fr.insee</r:Agency>
        <r:ID>m4k17d1t</r:ID>
        <r:Version>1</r:Version>
        <r:TypeOfObject>QuestionItem</r:TypeOfObject>
    </r:QuestionReference>
    <l:VariableRepresentation>
        <r:NumericRepresentation>
            <r:MeasurementUnit controlledVocabularyName="personalizedUnit">¤m4k4zcl6-QOP-m4k5disb¤ </r:MeasurementUnit>
            <r:NumberRange>
                <r:Low isInclusive="true">1</r:Low>
                <r:High isInclusive="true">10</r:High>
            </r:NumberRange>
            <r:NumericTypeCode controlledVocabularyID="INSEE-CIS-NTC-CV">Decimal</r:NumericTypeCode>
        </r:NumericRepresentation>
    </l:VariableRepresentation>
</l:Variable>