in reply to Re: A generic biomedical data processing library
in thread A generic biomedical data processing library

Why not add a second header line that identifies the types of the fields labelled in the first line?
I find it rarely a good idea to change anything in external data files and for sure, allowing the users to change a data-file is courting disaster.

Before you know it, some data is inadvertantly changed and a wrong diagnosis follows.

CountZero

A program should be light and agile, its subroutines connected like a string of pearls. The spirit and intent of the program should be retained throughout. There should be neither too little or too much, neither needless loops nor useless variables, neither lack of structure nor overwhelming rigidity." - The Tao of Programming, 4.1 - Geoffrey James

  • Comment on Re^2: A generic biomedical data processing library

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re^3: A generic biomedical data processing library
by BrowserUk (Patriarch) on Mar 21, 2010 at 17:14 UTC
    allowing the users to change a data-file is courting disaster

    And who are "the users" in this case? "Disaster" is a little dramatic don't you think?

    Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
    "Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
    In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.
[reply]
      It is biomedical data, so you could be playing with someone's life.

      In such cases one cannot be careful enough.

      CountZero

      A program should be light and agile, its subroutines connected like a string of pearls. The spirit and intent of the program should be retained throughout. There should be neither too little or too much, neither needless loops nor useless variables, neither lack of structure nor overwhelming rigidity." - The Tao of Programming, 4.1 - Geoffrey James

[reply]

        I'm sorry, "biomedical data" could mean anything. Incidence of dental caries amongst pre-schoolers; or counts of dog fascias in public parks.

        And even if the data is something that could have life-threatening medical consequences, any process that relies on people not editing text files for its integrity is fundementally flawed, and an accident waiting to happen.

        Anything from a drive glitch; to a command line typo; to a stray cosmic rays can cause random data errors. You better hope that where such risks are a real concern, there are better safeguards in place than a "Don't edit text files" missive.

        Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
        "Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
        In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.
[reply]

In Section Seekers of Perl Wisdom