Home

EUGene

Expected Utility Generation and
Data Management Program

by D. Scott Bennett and Allan C. Stam, III

Welcome to the EUGene home page!
Latest version: 3.212

News:

  • April 3, 2017
    • Bug Fix: alphanumeric variables. This release fixes a bug that emerged in v3.211 that prevented using string variables (such as alphabetic country codes). The bug emerged from an update to the Delphi programming language/environment used for EUGene’s development, which changed how string variables were processed internally on Windows PCs, and prevented them from being recognized internally as string variables. You should no longer receive an error message when trying to read or output alphabetic/text variables. Please download the new version from the “Downloads” page.
    • The only file change this version requires is a new version of file eugene32.exe. If you do not want to do a full reinstallation, you may download that file here and replace your current version (normally located in C:\Program Files (x86)\EUGene).

    December 16, 2016

    • Server Update: New Version Required. The address of the internal EUGene ftp server for uploading and downloading user data files has changed. As a result, a new version of EUGene is needed to access user data files. v3.21 makes the necessary changes for this. It also includes new state system membership dates, bringing those to the current COW version.
    • Note that for EUGene to work in Windows version 7, 8, or 10, you will need to run the program as an administrator (right-click the program icon, and select “Run as Administrator”). If this alone does not work, and especially on 64-bit PCs, you may also need to run the program in “Compatibility Mode” as Windows XP or Windows Vista. To do this, right-click the program icon, and select “Properties”. Under properties and the “Compatibility” tab, you will find options for compatibility mode, and can select an option for “Windows XP” or “Windows Vista.” Any variant on those operating systems should work.
    • Some Windows 10 systems have trouble with the installation file. Directions for a complete manual install to overcome this are on the “downloads” page along with the new version.
  • February 24, 2011
    • Additional note on EUGene in Windows 7 and 64-bit PCs. For EUGene to work in Windows 7, you will need to run the program as an administrator (right-click the program icon, and select “Run as Administrator”). If this alone does not work, and especially on 64-bit PCs, you may also need to run the program in “Compatibility Mode” as Windows XP or Windows Vista. To do this, right-click the program icon, and select “Properties”. Under properties and the “Compatibility” tab, you will find options for compatibility mode, and can select an option for “Windows XP” or “Windows Vista.” Any variant on those operating systems should work.
  • November 12, 2010
    • Updated Capabilities Data. We have posted an updated version of the main installation file on the download page. The current version of the program remains 3.204, but the new installation file includes updated COW national capabilities data (to 2007).
  • April 12, 2010
    • EUGene in Windows 7. For EUGene to work in Windows 7, you need to run the program as an administrator.
  • June 16, 2009
    • Main executable update. A bug was discovered in v3.2 which resulted in the value for the COW MID data reciprocity variable always being a “1” from 1816 through 1992. This has been corrected; the cwrecip variable now correctly reports reciprocity in a MID if the target responds with at least a level 2 hostility level. The main executable has been replaced in the installation package now posted on the download page.
  • August 12 , 2008
    • Component file update. From July 17 through August 12, the main installation file for EUGene included an out-of-date latitude/longitude file. This has been replaced in the installation package now posted on the download page. If you are unable to generate capitol to capitol distances within EUGene, you may download the corrected version, or contact us for updated individual files.
  • July 17, 2008
    • Version 3.203 Released. 3.203 makes only minor changes, and is not a required update. To improve ease-of-use, the program interface now automatically clicks the “subrange” button if a user enters a subrange of years so the user doesn’t have to. This version also clarifies two error messages that report particular errors if certain elements of a user data set are not specified correctly. Installation of the full package also now includes the COW international trade data (v2.0). You may download a full new installation package from the download page, or (if v3.2 has been installed) you may download just a new executable file (eugene32.exe) to replace your current eugene32.exe (normally located in the directory “C:\Program Files\EUGene”).
  • June 16, 2008
    • Version 3.202 Released. 3.202 fixes a small bug with user data sets and complementary variables. EUGene now forces the selection of complementary variables when necessary. You may download a full new installation package from the download page, or (if v3.2 has been installed) you may download just a new executable file (eugene32.exe) to replace your current eugene32.exe (probably in the directory “C:\Program Files\EUGene”).
  • May 16, 2008
    • Border count available as user data set. We have made available as a user data set the monadic version of the COW direct contiguity data set which gives the total number of contiguous states bordering each state in the COW system.  This can be downloaded from within EUGene using the “User Data” menu within EUGene.
  • October 29, 2007
    • Version 3.201 Released. We have discovered a small bug in the build of version 3.2 that makes it impossible to access user data sets. This has been corrected. You may download a full new installation package from the download page, or (if v3.2 has been installed) you may download just a new executable file (eugene32.exe) to replace your current eugene32.exe (probably in the directory “C:\Program Files\EUGene”).
  • October 2, 2007
    • Version 3.2 Released. Version 3.2 makes 3 additions to the program, and makes one set of corrections to dyadic MID codings.  1) Two new units of analysis for output data sets based on non-directed disputes are now available. Users may now select as output units one case per non-directed dispute dyad onset, or one case per non-directed dispute dyad year.  2) Stata command (.do) files generated with EUGene now set variable labels.  3)  The latest version (v3.1) of the COW MID data has been included, and is the basis for dyadic MID calculations.  4) Some errors in the creation of certain dyadic MIDs and associated variables (particularly hostility levels) have been corrected. A more detailed list of program changes is available here.
  • December 21, 2005
    • Version 3.1 Released. Version 3.1 makes a few additions to the program. 1) Countries’ ISO codes are now available as an output variable, as well as COW country codes. 2) Risk data computed with unweighted S scores as the similarity measure are now available for 1816-2000. Expected Utility for the 1816-2000 period is now available using this data. 3) The hypothetical best and worst alliance patterns generated as part of computing risk attitude scores (which judge where a state’s actual alliances fall relative to the alliances it could form that would maximize or minimize its security) may now be output for analysis. 4) A prototype “Dataset Browser” is now available which allows users to look through input data files without/before generating data sets. 5) The variable “peace days” is now available along with “peace years.” 6) 2 minor internal bugs have been corrected. A more detailed list of program changes is available here.
  • October 11, 2004
    • Updated DyadMID component data file. A few date errors have been found in Zeev Maoz’s dyadic MID data set. We have changed these dates and are releasing an updated data file, dyadmid602.csv, along with a file documenting the changes. To use the new version, you may either A) download and reinstall the entire EUGene program and accompanying data files from the download page, or B) separately download the following 2 files, copying them into the appropriate directory on your PC: 1) dyadmid602.csv [copy into the “inputdat” subdirectory under the main directory where EUGene is installed on your PC, which by default is “c:\program files\eugene\inputdat”]; 2) eugene.ini [replace the old version in the main EUGene directory, which by default is “c:\program files\eugene”].
    • Errant trade data file replaced. We discovered that EUGene’s main download included an incorrect (truncated) version of the Barbieri trade data set. Versions of this data set downloaded directly from the EUGene server via EUGene’s “user data set” functions were correct. The inclusion of the wrong version in the main program download/installation file has been corrected.
  • July 14, 2004
    • Updated Polity IV access file. Polity IV data can be added to EUGene as a user data file by downloading a set of files directly from the Polity IV project web site. An error has been found in one of the component files of the posted version. If you use this data set, the file p4v2002e.edf must be replaced with file p4v2002.2e.edf. You may install the correct version by downloading this new version, placing it in the “user data sets” subdirectory under the main directory where EUGene is installed (usually this will be “c:\program files\eugene\user data sets”), and deleting the old file p4v2002e.edf. Be sure to delete the old version, or two data sets will show up within the user variables selection area! The updated file is due to be incorporated into the downloads from the Polity IV website.
  • July 2, 2004
    • Server change for user data sets. The IP address of server from which user data sets may be uploaded and downloaded has changed due to a recent move. If you wish to upload or download such files, the file eugene.ini must be updated. You may update the file by downloading this new version and replacing the old version. The file should go in the main program directory, by default “c:\program files\eugene”. The updated eugene.ini file is also now incorporated into the full and partial downloads for performing a new installation of the program.
  • April 2, 2004
    • Version 3.04 released. Version 3.04 makes 3 changes. 1) v3.04 corrects a bug discovered in version 3.0 involving the Maoz dyadic dispute data where requesting dyadic conflict was generating several duplicate dyad years. A fix to the software and a new version of the Maoz data with corrected typos solves this problem. 2) v3.04 is distributed with the COW capabilities data v3.01 (which corrected an important typo in Russian capabilities for 2000). 3) v3.04 is distributed with an additional documentation file titled “EUGene dataset tracking.xls” (in the “docs” subdirectory) which traces what versions of component data files have been used in each version of EUGene. A more detailed list of program changes is available here.
  • December 18, 2003
    • Version 3.03 released. Version 3.03 corrects 4 minor errors/bugs discovered since the release of version 3.0 (3 of which we reported on this website in November). 1) Direct contiguity values for states were being given incorrectly for 2001 and 2002 because the direct contiguity data actually only went up to 2000, although EUGene allows output after that. The component input data file for contiguity has been updated to cover through 2002. 2) The “highest action” variable within the Maoz dyadic MID data set has been rescaled so that the values on the variable now match the MID 3.0 coding scheme across the full range of the data. 3) Four invalid dyads involving Germany and Yemen that were generated in v3.0 and 3.02 are no longer created. These 4 dyads were created because the country code numbers for Germany and Yemen were changed in the COW state membership data when the formerly separate E/W Germany and N/S Yemen unified, and EUGene generated dyads with all pairs of states with different country code numbers. 4) Selecting the “Revision Type” variable within the Maoz dyadic conflict data within non-directed dyads now generates the matching number of variable names and actual data values. The full list of program changes is available here.
    • Important note: Users should note that because the COW state membership data lists Germany and Yemen with 2 different country codes in 1990, there will be two sets of dyads for each state in 1990. For instance, there will be a 260-2 dyad (W. Germany-US) and a 255-2 dyad (Germany-US) in 1990. Depending on the research design, analysts may wish to drop one of these sets of dyads for Germany and Yemen in 1990.
  • October 22, 2003
    • Important update to V3.02 released.  Version 3.02 corrects a bug in version 3.0 that affected the coding of the MID onset variable in nondirected dyad-year output data sets. Due to a programming error, a significant number of MIDs were not correctly being coded as new MID onsets in v3.0. Output correctly reported the MID numbers of the MIDs in these years, but the MID onset variable sometimes had the value “0” instead of the correct “1.” We strongly urge researchers generating nondirected dyad-year data to replace v3.0 with 3.02. We also made two cosmetic corrections to the display of settings in the program. A new corrected executable file may be downloaded here (you may simply replace the older version of eugene32.exe in the “C:\Program Files\EUGene” subdirectory); or a complete new setup file is also available from the download page (this setup file includes all prior component file updates). The full list of program changes is available here.

 

  • October 15, 2003
    • Another component file update.  A data format inconsistency has been discovered which leads to EUGene not correctly reading all alliance data if the user selects a subset of the data (if the user requests “All Years” for output, then there is no problem). [The problem resulted from the new COW alliance data file being sorted differently than the older alliance data.] A new correctly sorted alliance data file may be downloaded here (replace the older version in the “C:\Program Files\EUGene\inputdat” subdirectory); a complete new setup file is also available from the download page which includes this correction.
  • October 14, 2003
    • Component file update.  A typo has been discovered in one of the input MID data files included with version 3.0. This typo caused EUGene to crash on some systems when COW MID data was selected for output, and has now been corrected. A new setup file is now available from the download page which includes this correction. Alternatively, if you do not want to reinstall the program entirely, you may simply 1) download a new version of the file eugene.ini and replace the old file (in the directory “C:\program files\eugene”), and 2) move this new MID file (MIDA_3.021.csv) into your “C:\program files\eugene\inputdat” subdirectory.
  • October 13, 2003
    • Version 3.0 released!  This is a major release of the program. Some of the many changes included are: 1) A redesigned and updated program interface; 2) New integrated conflict data sets, including ICB dyadic crisis data and MID v3.0 dyadic dispute data; 3) Seamless integration between new COW v3.0 MID data and pre-1992 COW or Maoz dyadic MID data; 4) Fully up-to-date component data sets, including COW alliance data, state membership data, MID data, contiguity data (colonial and direct), and S and Tau-b data; 5) Many new variables, including MID names, counts of MIDs per year, and system characteristics (CON and MOVE); 6) Users may now request conflict variables from multiple sources (e.g. Maoz dyadic MIDs, COW MID set, ICB data) rather than just one; 7) Users now have the option to output information on either the first MID, or the most serious MID, of a dyad-year where multiple MIDs occur; 8) Many more user data sets are now available on our server for download to use within EUGene. Many other additions, enhancements, and changes have been made as well. We strongly urge users to review the full set of changes by clicking here.
    • Two cautions are in order to users concerning the new version:
      • The location of some critical data set specification settings have moved (in particular, settings about how to treat ongoing disputes, and other dispute initiation settings have moved under the “Conflict data” tab under “Variables”).
      • Several key variable names on conflict variables have changed in this version in order to accommodate the multiple conflict data sets now included in EUGene. For instance, the dyadic variable marking the dyadic occurrence/initiation of a MID was formerly named “initiate” in directed dyad output, and “mid” in nondirected dyadic output. Now, dyadic conflict variables are named “cwinit” (COW data set based conflict initiation), “mzinit” (Maoz dyadmid data set based conflict initiation), “cwmid” (COW data set based nondirected conflict occurrence), and “mzmid” (Maoz dyadmid data set based nondirected conflict occurrence). Changes are listed here; the full list of variable names is contained in the full EUGene documentation file.
  • October 13, 2003
    • Polity IV data may now be downloaded for EUGene!  Polity IV data may now be accessed within EUGene by downloading the “Polity IVe” version of the data from the Polity project at the University of Maryland. Installing the Polity IV data into EUGene involves downloading a set of 3 files and placing them into the “User Data Sets” subdirectory under the main directory where EUGene is installed (typically, this directory is “C:\Program Files\EUGene\User Data Sets”). These files may be downloaded from the Polity IV project website at http://www.cidcm.umd.edu/inscr/polity/index.htm. Note: users must register at the Polity site in order to download this data.
  • January 6, 2003
    • Version 2.40 released!  This release adds several features to the program, is distributed with the latest COW alliance data, and corrects a problem with distance data. 1) Distribution of Version 2.40 now includes the new Correlates of War alliance data set (v3.0) as its default alliance data set. 2) Version 2.40 adds new variables concerning system structure (number of states in the system at any time, number of major powers, CON, and MOVE). 3) Two new options for generating subsets of dyadic data (all dyads within a set distance, and all dyads within a region or set of regions) are now available. 4) All command files generated by EUGene now include full citation information for the component data sets on which EUGene draws; users are asked to include these citations in their bibliographies. 5) Command files generated by the program now include all key details of the specification used to generate the accompanying data set to allow precise replication. 6) 6 errors were corrected in the latitude/longitude data set; these errors affected dyadic distance calculations. 7) v2.25 corrected a problem with the coding of Germany’s alliances. However, in some distributions/installations of v2.30, the fix was broken by an incorrect parameter in the file eugene.ini. With the distribution of the new COW alliance data set, this has again been corrected so that the up-to-date alliance data files are used correctly. Click here for complete details of what has changed in this version.
  • June 13, 2002
    • Version 2.30 released!  This minor release corrects 2 problems. 1) There was a problem with ftp access to add-on user data sets in V2.25. We have updated the ftp code inside the program, and access to add-on user data sets should now be possible again. 2) We have corrected a problem in which if users ran a dyadic data set creation, then ran a monadic data set creation in succession, errors would occur if dyadic variables had been selected that are not available in monadic data sets. If you do not need to download user data sets, and have had no problems in terms of generating dyadic and then monadic data sets, then there is no need to update your copy of EUGene. Click here for complete details of what has changed in this version.
  • November 8, 2001
    • Version 2.25 released!  This release does several things. 1) V2.25 adds three new sets of variables, namely alliance portolio cell counts, expected utility and IIG equilibrium variables computed with S(weighted) as well as S(unweighted), and COW country abbreviations. 2) V2.25 clarifies the definition of the joiner variables in the data set and adds joiner variables that identify both whether a joining occurred in ANY MID in the given year, or in the SPECIFIC MID identified in output as the main MID occurring in the given year. 3) V2.25 corrects minor display bugs involving contiguity after 1993, alliances using the “sequenced COW data version, and an annoying popup message when entering years in the “user data” section of the program. 4) V2.25 corrects substantive bugs where Germany after 1990 was showing up as having no alliances, and where joining was being coded incorrectly in subsequent years of a dispute when the Maoz MID data were being used. Click here for complete details of what has changed in this version.
    • Uninstallation/Reinstallation note: A couple of users have reported that they are unable to uninstall EUGene. The problem may even prevent the installation of a new version of EUGene. From what we can tell, this problem results from a problem (bug) in a particular version of the Microsoft Windows Installer. Because of problems with that Installer, Microsoft has released a utility that will allow you to remove all information on a previous software installation. Running the “Windows Installer CleanUp Utility” and removing settings about EUGene will allow you to reinstall a new version of EUGene. According to Microsoft, this utility “allows you to safely remove Windows Installer settings from your computer in the event of a problem.” It may be obtained at http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q238/4/13.ASP. In case the URL changes, go to Microsoft.com and search for “msicuu”. If you find that you are unable to install a new version of EUGene, you may use this utility to wipe out information about the prior installation. We recommend that you the install EUGene to a new directory, and then delete all files in the old EUGene directory.
  • May 1, 2001
    • Version 2.10 released!  This release adds the ability to save and load a set of EUGene specifications in terms of population of cases selected, output files and format, variables selected, sampling proportions, and MID and case exclusions. Version 2.10 also corrects a bug in the creation of the MID onset variable for nondirected dyads using the Maoz MID data. Click here for details of what has changed in this version.
  • February 15, 2001
    • Version 2.013 released!  This release includes s and tau-b data to 1992, risk and expected utility scores computed using s as well as tau-b (also to 1992), and includes Maoz’s version 1.1 update of his dyadic MID data set. The creation of stata command files has been modified to create variables with explicit data types (float, int, byte) on the variables to save memory. Version 2.013 also corrects a small bug in the previous computation of some expected utility scores (affecting .24% of cases). Some minor cosmetic changes have also been made. Click here for details of what has changed in this version.
    • Server Installation. Directions for installation to a server have been updated on the Download and Installation page.
    • Email List. We plan to create an automated email mailing list to notify interested users when new versions of EUGene are released. This list will only be used for notification of new releases, and the email addresses on the list will not be distributed. In the interim, until the automated mailing list is set, if you would like your name added to the EUGene-NewVersion mailing list, please send an email saying so to Scott Bennett (sbennett@psu.edu).
  • Jan 3, 2001
    • Version 2.0 released!
      • Version 2.0 introduces a major new feature to EUGene, the ability for users to add their own variables and data to the program, and to upload and download datasets to the EUGene data server. Datasets that have been uploaded will be available for other users to download, so that variables from these uploaded datasets will appear for selection within EUGene. Click here for more details.
      • Version 2.0 corrects a discrepancy that was introduced in v1.94 and 1.95 concerning treatement of “all joiners” in directed dyad or dyadic-dispute data sets. In versions 1.94 and 1.95 (only), if users selected “include all joiners” in specifying MID exclusions, one subset of joiner-dyads was accidentally excluded, namely dyads where the initiatior was involved on day 1 of the MID but the target became involved later. This was only an issue for users including and seeking to analyzing the behavior of joiner states. Click here to see more details of this problem.
      • Version 2.0 also corrects a problem with combining the Maoz dyadic mid data with a nondirected MID output selection. Some output disputes were incorrect in this combination. Click here to see more details of this problem.
    • Installation on servers. The Download and Installation page now includes directions for installing EUGene on a central server to be run from networked PCs or workstations (for instance, in a computer lab setting).
  • August 7, 2000
    • Version 1.95 Beta now available!  Version 1.95 corrects a small problem with the alliance variable from 1.94, which was reporting values of “-1” for missing values (from 1993 forward) rather than “-9.” Click here to see what has changed in this version.  [Note: links to v1.95 removed 1/2001.]
  • July 27, 2000
    • New Website!  EUGene now has its own domain, eugenesoftware.org! [NOTE: DOES THIS LINK ALSO NEED TO REDIRECT????]
    • Version 1.94 Beta now available!  This version adds non-directed dyads, Zeev Maoz’s dyadic MID data, and many additional variables.  Click here to see what has changed in this version.  This release is technically a beta version of the forthcoming version 2.0, but is being released since it adds many of the most requested features that have been suggested to us.  [Note: links to v1.94 removed 1/2001.]
    • EUGene publication of record.  A publication forthcoming in International Interactions will now serve as EUGene’s publication of record.  We ask users to cite this paper when using EUGene.  See our citation page.
    • Note:  All links to old program versions (versions other than 1.19 and 1.9) have been removed.
  • May 12, 1999
    • Version 1.19 is now available for download from the download page.  You may either update an existing EUGene installation, or download the new version from scratch.  Click here to see what has changed in this version.  (v1.19 corrects the “dyadic duration” variable so that it resets to 0 when a state drops out of the system by COW rules, and adds a button to clarify that program settings for contiguity are reflected in the politically relevant variable as well as definition of politically relevant population.)
  • February 11, 1999
    • Version 1.18 is now available for download from the download page.  You may either update an existing EUGene installation, or download the new version from scratch.  Click here to see what has changed in this version.  (v1.18 corrects for a problem with writing the “joiner” variables to a file for years after 1992, and corrects a problem in the Stata command file that was created when the user selected the “separate variables by commas” option.)   [note: links to v1.18 update removed 5/13/99]
  • January 20, 1999
    • Version 1.17 is now available for download from the download page.  You may either update an existing EUGene installation, or download the new version from scratch.  Click here to see what has changed in this version.  (v1.17 corrects for non-matching country codes between the Polity III data and the COW data, and an error in reading country names from input data.)    [note: links to v1.17 update removed 2/11/99]
  • November 17, 1998
    • Version 1.15 is now available for download from the download page.  You may either update an existing EUGene installation, or download the new version from scratch.  Click here to see what has changed in this version.  (v1.15 corrects an error in creating the “peace years” variable.)  [note: links to v1.13 update removed 1/20/99]
  • October 4, 1998
    • Version 1.14 is now available for download from the download page.  You may either update an existing EUGene installation, or download the new version from scratch.  Click here to see what has changed in this version.  (v1.14 corrects 3 minor errors in data set creation that were introduced in v1.13, and makes a modification in the exclusion of cases based on the MID criteria.)
  • August 30, 1998
    • Version 1.13 is now available for download from the download page.  You may either update an existing EUGene installation, or download the new version from scratch.  Click here to see what has changed in this version.  [note: links to v1.13 update removed 10/4/98]
  • July 13, 1998
    • In response to some download problems (and the discovery of an incompatibility/limitation in how Internet Explorer accesses files for ftp), we have changed the way EUGene’s downloadable files are accessed.  Transfers should be more successful now.
  • July 8, 1998
    • v 1.12 released (first public version)
    • complete expected utility and risk data available
  • June 15, 1998
    • Risk score generation completed (6 months of 2x 200 MHz Pentium computer time)
EUGene Copyright © 1997-2017, D. Scott Bennett and Allan C. Stam. All Rights Reserved
© 2020 Penn State University