3-level models

[vanessahiggins]

Hi there - I’ve been using runmlwin successfully to run 2-level MLMs but when I try to run 3-level models I receive an error message. The syntax and error messages are outlined below. Can anyone advise please?

Many thanks
Vanessa

My successful 2-level models
• xi: runmlwin wtval cons if sex==1, level2(hserialVH: cons) level1(id: cons, weightvar(wt_intFINAL)) nopause mlwinpath(C:\Program Files (x86)\MLwiN v2.30\i386\MLwiN.exe)
• xi: runmlwin wtval cons if sex==1, level2(msoaid: cons) level1(id: cons, weightvar(wt_intFINAL)) nopause mlwinpath(C:\Program Files (x86)\MLwiN v2.30\i386\MLwiN.exe)

My unsuccessful 3-level model
• xi: runmlwin wtval cons if sex==1, level3(msoaid: cons) level2(hserialVH: cons) level1(id: cons, weightvar(wt_intFINAL)) nopause mlwinpath(C:\Program Files (x86)\MLwiN v2.30\i386\MLwiN.exe)

Error message:
The model did not run properly in MLwiN. Re-run the model without the nopause option to debug the model in MLwiN.
r(198);

[ChrisCharlton]

Have you tried the suggestion in the error message of attempting to run the model without the nopause option? If so does MLwiN give any additional messages regarding the cause of the error?

[vanessahiggins]

Hi Chris

Thanks for the reply and apols for not replying sooner - i have been away.

Yes I tried running without the no pause option and I got the message sayign that MLWin has stopped working and the error message was "The model did not run properly in MLwiN. You most likely clicked the 'Abort Macro' button in MLwiN, rather than the 'Resume Macro' button." - however, I didn't click anything , it just stopped working.

Seems odd as it should be simple and it works perfectly well with 2-level models - i've done lots of them before. Maybe it's the syntax which I've pasted below??

Any help is greatly appreciated as I have no-one else to ask!

xi: runmlwin wtval cons if sex==1, level3(msoaid: cons) level2(hserialVH: cons) level1(id: cons, weightvar(wt_intFINAL)) mlwinpath(C:\Program Files (x86)\MLwiN v2.30\i386\MLwiN.exe)

Thanks
Vanessa

[ChrisCharlton]

The first thing that I would suggest is trying to run the model with a newer version of MLwiN (the most recent version is 2.35), as it's possible that the crash is caused by a bug that has been fixed since version 2.30.

Does your data have missing values? If so it's possible that the three-level model structure results in higher level units that are empty and this can cause MLwiN difficulties. If this is the case you can work around it by listwise deleting the data prior to calling -runmlwin-.

When running without the nopause option it is worth checking the contents of the Model->Hierarchy Viewer window before clicking Resume Macro to ensure that the structure of the hierarchy matches your expectations.

[vanessahiggins]

Hi Chris - the models run in the new version of MLWIN - thanks so much for your help, really appreciated. This is such a great forum for users.

Best wishes
Vanessa