check_iMeta {COINr}

Check iMeta

Description

Checks the format of iMeta input to new_coin(). This performs a series of thorough checks to make sure that iMeta agrees with the specifications. This also includes checks to make sure the structure makes sense, there are no duplicates, and other things. iMeta must pass this check to build a new coin.

Usage

check_iMeta(iMeta, quietly = FALSE)

Arguments

iMeta

A data frame of indicator metadata. See details.

quietly

Set TRUE to suppress message if input is valid.

Details

Required columns for iMeta are:

• Level: Level in aggregation, where 1 is indicator level, 2 is the level resulting from aggregating indicators, 3 is the result of aggregating level 2, and so on. Set to NA for entries that are not included in the index (groups, denominators, etc).

• iCode: Indicator code, alphanumeric. Must not start with a number or contain blank spaces.

• Parent: Group (iCode) to which indicator/aggregate belongs in level immediately above. Each entry here should also be found in iCode. Set to NA only for the highest (Index) level (no parent), or for entries that are not included in the index (groups, denominators, etc).

• Direction: Numeric, either -1 or 1

• Weight: Numeric weight, will be rescaled to sum to 1 within aggregation group. Set to NA for entries that are not included in the index (groups, denominators, etc).

• Type: The type, corresponding to iCode. Can be either Indicator, Aggregate, Group, Denominator, or Other.

Optional columns that are recognised in certain functions are:

• iName: Name of the indicator: a longer name which is used in some plotting functions.

• Unit: the unit of the indicator, e.g. USD, thousands, score, etc. Used in some plots if available.

• Target: a target for the indicator. Used if normalisation type is distance-to-target.

The iMeta data frame essentially gives details about each of the columns found in iData, as well as details about additional data columns eventually created by aggregating indicators. This means that the entries in iMeta must include all columns in iData, except the three special column names: uCode, uName, and Time. In other words, all column names of iData should appear in iMeta$iCode, except the three special cases mentioned. The iName column optionally can be used to give longer names to each indicator which can be used for display in plots.

iMeta also specifies the structure of the index, by specifying the parent of each indicator and aggregate. The Parent column must refer to entries that can be found in iCode. Try View(ASEM_iMeta) for an example of how this works.

Level is the "vertical" level in the hierarchy, where 1 is the bottom level (indicators), and each successive level is created by aggregating the level below according to its specified groups.

Direction is set to 1 if higher values of the indicator should result in higher values of the index, and -1 in the opposite case.

The Type column specifies the type of the entry: Indicator should be used for indicators at level 1. Aggregate for aggregates created by aggregating indicators or other aggregates. Otherwise set to Group if the variable is not used for building the index but instead is for defining groups of units. Set to Denominator if the variable is to be used for scaling (denominating) other indicators. Finally, set to Other if the variable should be ignored but passed through. Any other entries here will cause an error.

Note: this function requires the columns above as specified, but extra columns can also be added without causing errors.

Value

Message if everything ok, else error messages.

Examples

check_iMeta(ASEM_iMeta)