Dear Aemro and Pat:
The N4 has a complementary program called QSR Merge, ideal to do what
you want. That program comes with the N4, but if you don't have it, you
can download it from the QSR site
http://www.qsr.com.au/software/download.htm.
QSR Merge was designed for merging any number of NUD*IST projects
databases into one; but you have to do this witho two at the time (if
you have 4 databases, just merge two of them, then merge the outcome
project with other, and so on, until you have only one project).
There are some "facts" you have to take care of. First, be sure that
none node in the two projects to merge have the same address because it
would result in merging nodes that are different. Second, if you have
two nodes in different projects that have categorised the same
information but have different name (e.g. project 1 has the node SEX and
project 2 the node GENDER), be sure to change the name of one of the
nodes so the program can merge them. Third, if different nodes coding
different information, have the same name, the program will take them
as only one node and will merge all the coding.
You should know that Merge will "merge" all the coding, the memos, and
the documents you have in two or more projects. With the documents you
have to be sure that if one document in project 1 exists already in
project 2, Merge will keep one copy of the document. But if they are
the same but with different name, Merge will take them as different
documents (the same will happen if there is any difference -number of
text units, different subheaders, etc.- between two copies of the same
document).
Now, when you have downloaded and installed the Merge, just double-click
the icon Merge and you will have a window asking you to merge a project
or to translate a project. If you sellect Merge a Project, then you
will have another window asking you to Input project 1 and Input project
2; remember that the program merges the Project 2 into the Project 1, so
1 will be always the main project. You just have to choose the
project.stp file which is your Project file in the N4 folder (both for
project 1 and 2), then choose the directory for the output project (the
place where you want it to be placed). Then just click jerge and it all
will be done.
I know this is a very simple instruction on how to do the merge, but I
hope it would be useful for you. There is a Merge User's guide that
explains in detail how to do this and all the facts you have to take
care of. I don't know if it is downloadable from QSR site; I have an
electronic file of the Guide but translated into Spanish (I translated
it to be used with my students), but I have the printed User's guide.
If you can't access to a printed copy, email me and I would send you a
copy by airmail.
Diogenes Carvajal.
P.S. Oh! I forgot to tell you that Merge can translate Projects from
Windows into Mac and vice versa (that's the other function).
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