write_metadata: Creates define XML metadata

Description

The function generates define.xml metadata and writes it to the file system. The function can generate a blank metadata spreadsheet, a demonstration spreadsheet, or metadata read from existing data files. The type parameter can be used to request an SDTM or ADAM spreadsheet.

Usage

write_metadata(
  dir,
  type = "sdtm",
  ver = NULL,
  src_dir = NULL,
  check = TRUE,
  demo = FALSE
)

Value

The full path of the generated metadata file.

Arguments

dir: The directory in which to produce the metadata.
type: The type of metadata file to produce. Valid values are "SDTM" and "ADAM". Default is "SDTM".
ver: The version of the metadata file. Default is the preferred version of the define standard. The function currently supports only version "2.0.0".
src_dir: If the metadata will be generated from existing datasets, supply the directory path for those datasets. If the metadata will not be created from datasets, this parameter should be NULL. Datasets should be in XPT file format.
check: Whether or not to run the checks.
demo: If this parameter is TRUE, the function will generate a metadata file populated with sample data. If the parameter is FALSE, a blank metadata spreadsheet will be produced. Default is FALSE.

Details

Frequently, organizations already have study metadata stored in Excel spreadsheets, and in the correct structure. This structure is used commonly in the industry by other software.

The purpose of the write_metadata function is to create an initial metadata template for studies in which you have no metadata. This task will ensure that you have the proper metadata structure to later create the define.xml.

By default, the function creates an unpopulated metadata spreadsheet. If the demo parameter is set to TRUE, the function will create the same spreadsheet populated with sample data. This sample data can help you to understand how to populate the metadata for your study. Note that this demo spreadsheet is populated correctly, and has no conformance errors. Use this demo spreadsheet as a guide to fill out your metadata.

The demo spreadsheet is included in the defineR package for convenience.

Examples

Run this code

# Get temporary directory
tmp <- tempdir()

# Create demo spreadsheet
out1 <- write_metadata(tmp, demo = TRUE)

# View file
# file.show(out1)

# Create unpopulated spreadsheet
out2 <- write_metadata(tmp, demo = FALSE)

# View file
# file.show(out2)