April 2008. DDI-DExT application released

The DDI-DExT application is available for download from the project repository on ODaF Forge. Two packages are made available: the main DDI-DExT application and the SPSS Reader. More details on the DDI-DExT application can be found at the DDI Alliance Tools web site.

March 2008. Version 3.0 of QuDEx Schema released

In late 2007, version 2.0 of the QuDEx draft schema was added to the DExT WIKI for comment. Some critical amendments have been made for Version 3.0, following on from feedback and XML consultants from the Open Data Fundation. Version 3.0 is the final version that has been accomplished under the JISC-supported DExT project funding.

The Version 3.0 draft schema, accompanying documentation and XML instance files can be viewed on the DExT Schema page.

October 2007. Version 1.0 of QuDEx Schema released

At the beginning of October the draft QuDEx schema was released for comment to CAQDAS vendors and archivists.

September 2007. DExT staff attend ODaF meeting in California

In September DExt staff were invited to discuss DExT project and tools at the ODaF meeting. The team has further been invited to propose a working group of the Data Documentation Initiative (DDI) alliance in an attempt to progress the standard.

May 2007. DExT commissions the Open Data Foundation (ODaF) to work on survey standards and tools

We are pleased to announce that the UK Data Archive (UKDA) and the Open Data Foundation (ODaF) have agreed to initiate a collaborative project for the development of data archiving and conversion tools. Supported by the UKDA Data Exchange Tools (DExT) initiative, the project aims at the development of open source utilities for the conversion of quantitative data into a standard archiving format and export to common statistical packages or database systems. This initial phase is a proof of concept that will focus on using SPSS as an input format and support export to SPSS, Stata, SAS and ASCII. The archiving format will be based on a combination of fixed ASCII data and DDI metadata. Developments are expected to begin in June with product delivery scheduled for end of November 2007. This work will lay the foundation for more advanced tools that can support additional input and output formats and provide enhanced functionalities.

April 2007. CAQDAS software vendors agree on the need to develop a base-line data exchange standard

At the software vendors meeting held during the CAQDAS 07 Conference an overview of the basic models for data exchange was provided. The software vendors have agreed to discuss which basic aspects of functionality might be common across packages. A WIKI was been set up for discussion on this issue.