If you have SAS/OR, look at PROC ASSIGN.

On Fri, 29 Aug 2003 17:25:52 +0200, Hans Reitsma <j.reitsma@AMC.UVA.NL> wrote:

>Dear all > >After a probabilistic record linkage operation of two files >(A and B) we have a file with potential links, e.g. pairs of >records from file A and B whose total weights are above a >certain cut-off value. Some of these potential links are >intertangled (is that the right word?) meaning that 1 record >from file A can be linked to two different records of file >B. The weights can be different, but they are both above the >cut-off value. We know that only one record from file A (or >B) can be linked to only one record in the other file. This >example is easy to solve, the pair with the highest weight >wins and becomes the link, the other becomes a non-link. > >However, more complex situations occur (see also example >data). In these situations., I want to obtain the solution >that maximises the total sum of weights of all the pairs >that belong to that solution. This means that not >automatically the link with the highest weight wins. Here >are some sample data to clarify the issue. > > >Cluster id_a id_b weight Desired result >total weight of solution (links) >1 1 3 11 non-link >1 1 6 13 link >13 > >2 3 8 11 non-link >2 4 9 11 link >2 5 8 14 link >2 5 9 13 non-link >25 > > > >Any help, suggestions? > > > >Hans Reitsma, MD PhD > >Dept. of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics > >PO Box 22700, 1100 DE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands > >Phone: +31-20-5663273, Fax: +31-20-6912683 > >E-mail: j.reitsma@amc.uva.nl