guess_data_types: Guess data types

In EQUALPrognosis: Analysing Prognostic Studies

Guess data types

Description

This function removes any columns where there is no data and makes guesses on the data type. However, this relies on the data not being coded already. If the data has been coded, the metadata generated can be used as a template that can be modified and provided as input for process_data.

Usage

guess_data_types(data_file_path)

Arguments

data_file_path

The path for the data file where guessing the data types of columns is necessary.

Value

outcome	Whether the operation was successfully performed
message	Any information, particularly when the operation fails.
data	The data after removing the columns without any data.
metadata	Automated metadata is created based on the data. However, this relies on data not previously coded, for example, if the status is coded as 0 and 1 rather than 'absent' and 'present', the variable will be recognised as a quantitative variable rather than categorical variable.
any_type	All fields with data.
quantitative	Fields recognised as quantitative.
numerical	Fields recognised as continuous.
count	Fields recognised as count. Count data is recognised from the field name. If a field name starts with 'Number of', it is considered as count data.
categorical	Fields recognised as categorical data.
nominal	Fields recognised as nominal data. All categorical data with more than two levels are recognised as nominal data.
binary	Fields recognised as binary data. All categorical data with only two levels are recognised as binary data.
ordinal	Fields recognised as ordinal data. Any categorical data with more than two levels and with the second character of all the levels being an '_' are recognised as ordinal data.
date	Fields recognised as date.
time	Fields recognised as time.

Author(s)

Kurinchi Gurusamy

See Also

process_data

Examples

data_file_path <- paste0(tempdir(), "/df.csv")
write.csv(penguins, data_file_path, row.names = FALSE, na = "")
guessed_data_types <- guess_data_types(data_file_path = data_file_path)
guessed_data_types

EQUALPrognosis documentation built on Feb. 4, 2026, 5:15 p.m.