SEER*Stat Frequently Asked Questions
- Local and Client-Server Mode
- Firewall and Security Issues with SEER*Stat's Client-Server Mode
- Citations
- Data
- Variables
- Expected Rates
- Comparing Results
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What is client-server mode? Why would I use it?
SEER*Stat can operate in one of two modes, "local" and "client-server". In local mode, all processing and data are local to your PC environment; that is, your PC performs all calculations, and the program and data files are stored on the PC's hard drive,
your local network, or a CD. In client-server mode, the SEER*Stat software installed on your PC is the client and
contacts the SEER server via the Internet to access data and perform calculations.
- Advantages of Local Mode
- Internet Connection Not Required. If running on a laptop or a PC that is not connected to the Internet, use local mode (see switch to local mode for instructions).
- Advantages of Client-Server Mode
- Data. You have access to a wider range of SEER incidence databases than are available on the CD-ROM. U.S. mortality data are only available in client-server mode.
- Auto-updates. You automatically receive new releases of the SEER*Stat program. (Note that if using SEER*Stat in local mode, new releases of SEER*Stat can be downloaded.)
The SEER*Stat help system contains a more detailed comparison of the system's local and client-server modes.
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How can I switch from client-server to local mode in SEER*Stat?
If SEER*Stat is in client-server mode but you are unable to access the Internet, then you must switch to local mode.
- First, the SEER data provided with SEER*Stat must be available on CD, your hard drive, or your network. CDs containing the SEER public-use data are available via US mail. Alternatively, the CD image file can be downloaded. Since you submitted a signed agreement form to obtain client-server access to the data, you will not need to submit another form. For more information or to submit a request, see Request Access to the SEER 1973-2001 Public-Use Data.
- Once you have local access to the data, you must set the Primary Data Location in SEER*Stat to the data's location. Specifically, the Primary Data Location must point to the folder containing the "database.ini" file.
- If you are using SEER*Stat CDs, put SEER*Stat's CD #1 in your computer's CD drive. Start SEER*Stat. Select Preferences from the File menu. Enter "D:\data" for the Primary Data Location (assuming that D is the CD drive, be sure to use the correct drive letter).
- If you have downloaded or copied the data to a network drive or your hard disk, use Browse to select the correct path.
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What is a "connection refused" error? Why can't I use SEER*Stat in client-server mode?
Your firewall may be restricting communication between your PC and the SEER server (over the Internet). Your firewall needs to allow communication via ports 2038 and 2039. This problem is not that uncommon, your network administrator may be able to fix it. You should check with your network administrator. Please provide them with the information in the "How should my firewall be configured?" FAQ.
If your network administrator is unable to allow the necessary communication to access the data via the Internet then you will need to store the data locally. The SEER public-use data are available on CD. In addition, the CD image file is available for download. Since you submitted a signed agreement form to obtain client-server access to the data, you will not need to submit another form.
For more information or to submit a request, see Request Access to the SEER 1973-2001 Public-Use Data. Once you have received the CD or downloaded the image, you will need to switch from client-server to local mode in SEER*Stat
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How should my firewall be configured?
For SEER*Stat to work in client-server mode, the desktop client interacts with the server at SEER using TCP sockets
via ports 2038 and 2039. The client software must be able to initiate communication by opening the socket but must also allow information to return on the same socket (see the next question regarding the information that is transferred).
Please note that your firewall only needs to allow outbound communications and "return" communications established from the initial outbound communication. That is, it does not need to allow inbound communications initiated by the SEER*Stat server. The SEER*Stat server never attempts to open a communications socket on the desktop PC.
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What data are transferred from my PC in client-server mode?
Communications include username-password authentication, the server letting the desktop know what databases the specified user has access to, communications of analysis parameters to the server, and results (the calculated statistics) being returned from the server.
In some situations, standard population or expected rate files that you created with SEER*Prep may be transferred to the SEER servers. These files are transferred if they are used in a SEER*Stat session that accesses an incidence or mortality database on the SEER server. When your standard population or expected rate files are transferred to the SEER servers, the files are stored temporarily and deleted as soon as your analysis is finished.
Incidence and mortality databases stored on your local computer systems are only accessed by your PC, and never transferred across the Internet.
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Is encryption used when transferring information on the Internet (in client-server mode)?
Yes, as of version 5.2.x, information transferred between your PC and the SEER*Stat server is encrypted. (Exception: the initial step of checking the version of SEER*Stat installed on the client is not an encrypted transfer. This communication does not require encryption because your username and password are not transferred.)
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What is the IP address of the SEER*Stat server?
We recommend that you use both names "seerstat.cancer.gov" and "seerstat.imsweb.com" for your configurations since the specific IP addresses are subject to change. Your system should query the Internet domain name servers for the current IP addresses. If this is not possible, the current IP address associated with "seerstat.cancer.gov" is 67.130.36.9 and the address associated with "seerstat.imsweb.com" is 66.160.12.194. "seerstat.cancer.gov" was last changed on 3/11/2004 from 199.249.158.17. "seerstat.imsweb.com" was last changed on 7/6/2004 from 67.130.36.9.
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My username and password aren't working. What could be causing this?
SEER*Stat will provide an error message that specifically indicates whether the problem is an unrecognized username or if it is an invalid password.
If the problem is the username:
- Verify that you are entering the correct case; SEER*Stat's usernames are case-sensitive.
- Be sure that your username is current. If the date in your username is not the same as the current data submission then your username has expired. For example, the November 2003 submission of data was released in April 2004. Therefore, "Nov2003" is part of all current usernames. All users must sign a data agreement form for the current data submission. SEER*Stat usernames expire on or about April 15th of each year, when new public-use data are released. We try to notify all users by e-mail a week or two before this occurs. You must request a new username and provide a signed agreement form for the new data submission. Once this is processed, a new username will be assigned.
- If you have forgotten your username, please send an email to SEER*Stat Technical Support. Please include your full name.
If the problem is the password:
- Verify that you are entering the correct case; SEER*Stat's passwords are case-sensitive.
- If you have forgotten your password, please send an email to SEER*Stat Technical Support to have your password reset. Please include your full name and username. When you receive the new password, it is strongly recommended that you change it immediately.
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Is there a suggested citation for SEER*Stat?
A citation for SEER*Stat, indicating the software version, is recommended. See Suggested Citation on SEER*Stat's help menu for the specific citation. This and the citation for the SEER Public-Use Data are described in Citations for SEER Public-Use Databases and SEER*Stat Software.
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Is US mortality data available for SEER*Stat?
US Mortality data can be accessed using the client-server version of SEER*Stat. To use SEER*Stat in client-server mode,
please refer to the "Internet Access" section of Accessing the SEER Public-Use Data.
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Can I use SEER*Stat to analyze my own data?
Yes. Use the SEER*Prep software
to convert your data to the format required by SEER*Stat.
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Can I share my user-defined variables with a colleague?
Yes. In fact, there are two ways to go about this. One solution is appropriate for occasional
transfers and for transfers between colleagues not connected by a local area network (LAN). The other is a more
elegant and robust solution but requires the colleagues to have access to the same LAN.
User-defined variables can be exported from the data dictionary by one user. This export file (*.fmx) can be sent to a
colleague using any normal file transfer method, such as attaching it to an email message.
The recipient can then import the file into their data dictionary. Use the Export and
Import buttons on SEER*Stat's data dictionary window. When exporting, notice the
location and name of the file at the top of the export window. Send this file to your colleague.
To share a variable with a colleague at another institution, it may be necessary to use the above method.
However, if you both have access to the same network, it may be easier to use the same user-defined format libraries.
First, select a folder on your local area network that is accessible to all.
For this discussion, suppose that location is "\\fileserv1\SEERStat". Each of you
must select Preferences from SEER*Stat's File menu. Set the
User-Defined Variables Location to "\\fileserv1\SEERStat".
Now, all parties will read from and write to the same dictionary files.
Each of you can easily switch the User-Defined Variables Location back to your personal location at any time, simply
enter a path or use the drop-down control to select a previously used setting.
The practice of maintaining multiple locations for user-defined variables also provides a
convenient method for maintaining project-specific variables. You can
easily switch variable locations when working on a specific project. This may keep your
data dictionary from becoming large and difficult to maintain.
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Can user-defined and merged variables be used in selection statements?
User-defined variables can be used in selection statements; merged variables can not.
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Can I use an "Expected Survival Rates Table" in software other than SEER*Stat?
Yes. Create a SEER*Stat matrix showing the expected survival rates. Do this by creating and executing a
Case Listing Session using the appropriate expected rates database.
Once you have created a SEER*Stat matrix with the correct information, select Export from the
Matrix menu to export the data to a text file. In the export file, note that the variable named
Expected Rate is the number of persons (per one million) expected to survive one year.
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I think results from two SEER*Stat sessions should match but they don't. Why?
We have found that users expecting two sets of results to match have often used different selections for behavior. That is, in situ cases are included in one session but not the other. Be sure to check the following:
- Were the two sets of results generated using different versions of SEER*Stat? If so, was one using 5.1.13 and later but the other prior to 5.1.13?
- If the answer to #1 was yes -- Was a selection for "malignant cases only" applied in both analyses? SEER*Stat 5.1.13 and later sets the "Select Malignant Cases Only" option to ON by default. If you had not specifically selected malignant behavior on the selection tab with SEER*Stat 5.1.12 (and prior), then you were including in situ cancers in your analyses. For most years (1973-1995) this would even include in situ cervical cancers when they were reportable to SEER.
The "correct" setting for this option is specific to your analyses and the disease of interest. Most analyses that we deal with are done for "malignant cases only", however, there are investigators that include in situ tumors in their studies.
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Surveillance Research Program
Division of Cancer Control &
