Version V4.14.2.0 is an update that contains big architectural changes, which are, however, mostly invisible. The headline "new functionality" is the much-awaited for implementation of Hot-Keys for screening (and coding) in EPPI-Reviewer (Web). This release also includes a number of bugfixes and an improved system to export keywords to RIS.
EPPI-Reviewer (Web): Hot-Keys for screening and coding
In the "Item details" page (full and coding only UI) it is now possible to use Hot-Keys, which enable you to add and remove codes using keyboard shortcuts instead of mouse-clicks. This can be used effectively especially for screening tasks: with Hot-Keys turned on, selecting a "parent code" will assign a keyboard shortcut to the first 10 child codes (ALT+number, from 0 to 9 ). For most screening scenarios, when paired with "auto-advance" it thus allows you to proceed through the current screening queue only using the keyboard - without needing to use the mouse at all.
Hotkeys will also facilitate the use of voice-recognition software for screening. If a user sets the voice recognition software to recognise the keystroke pattern (Alt-1, Atl-2, etc) for each code, ‘hands free’ coding becomes possible!
EPPI-Reviewer (Web): exporting keywords to RIS
EPPI-Reviewer stores keywords in a single field, which was a pragmatic choice made many years ago, on the basis that keywords are not central to the reviewing process. As a result, the export to RIS function(s) were exporting all keywords in a single "KW -" field in RIS files, which is not ideal, as RIS files would usually represent each keyword separately. To resolve this, we wrote a system that does a reasonable attempt at identifying "distinct keywords" from within the single Keywords field present in each to-be-exported item. While not perfect (mistakes can happen, on occasion), this should result in much better "exported keywords" fields in the RIS files previously produced by EPPI-Reviewer (Web). Please note that this improvement is not present in the older version 4 of EPPI Reviewer.
EPPI-Reviewer 4 (legacy Silverlight version): small changes to the Meta-Analysis tab and window
Besides changing how some data is stored and represented in EPPI-Reviewer (see below) this release also includes some minor improvements to the Meta-Analysis UI in EPPI-Reviewer version 4. Most of these changes are cosmetic and/or minor, except the one that relates to how changes are detected. Until now it was possible to exit the ‘edit meta-analysis’ window without being warned that changes had not been saved. This has been fixed, and a warning is now given. Finally, there is a fairly large number of options for running meta-analyses, some of which are not saved in the database – though the distinction between what was saved and what was not was not clear. For this reason, the window now includes a short text that specifies what data is stored and what isn't.
Hidden changes
We have re-factored some of the fundamentals of our code base in order to better support automated ‘integration’ tests. This should facilitate the production of new features more efficiently with fewer bugs.
Also behind the scenes, we have changed how we represent the "Outcomes table" configuration from within the Meta-Analysis window in EPPI-Reviewer 4. This change was necessary to allow to write the equivalent functionalities in EPPI-Reviewer Web, while keeping the two separate implementations 100% compatible with one another. Thus, we expect that the next major release of EPPI-Reviewer Web will include a full implementation of the present Meta-Analysis functionalities.
Bug-Fixes:
Search by source: in EPPI-Reviewer Web, the search by source panel could fail to show a list of sources to select from.
Searching by "coded (or not) with this coding tool": since the introduction of the option to "limit" these searches to "only item coded by a specific person", a bug was present in EPPI-Reviewer Web. Because of some inconsistency in how the user interface tracked the options selected, some searches could "get confused" and only find items coded by a single reviewer, even if the screen was showing that the "anyone" option was selected.
In EPPI-Reviewer Web, Item Details window, OpenAlex tab: the "View in OpenAlex browser " link had stopped working. This problem is now solved.
Coding-Only UI in EPPI-Reviewer Web: in the item details window, "Time-points" data was not shown within the "add/edit outcome" form. Moreover, arms could fail to load when present on the first item opened (but would load correctly when reaching any item via the next/previous button).
"Select person" and "select coding tool" drop-down menus in EPPI-Reviewer Web: sometimes, when the number of lines present in such drop-down menus was very high, it could be impossible to reach and select the last one or two lines. Until now, the only workaround was to change the Zoom of the whole page, so to make the list "fit". This problem is now solved, and a new scrollbar will be present within such lists, whenever they grow very long.