Changing width of string variables in spss youtube. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. Openended response items in a survey would also be an example of a string. In spss, recoding categorical string variables to numeric codes and converting blank. If youd like to download the sample dataset to work through the. Spss tells you that it had trouble with column 5, as it could not read correctly a data value. For items 414, respondents are allowed to check the not applicable box. Code is the variable name and a12 indicates string variable with width 12 3. Cant assign missing values to string variable in spss using. String variable definition of string variable by the free. Conducting a multiple regression after dummy coding variables in spss. Into is required to recode a string variable into a numeric variable or a. I need help with changing a variable from numeric to string.
Problemabstract i want to run a oneway anova model, but when i click on analyzecompare meansoneway anova, i dont see my factor variable in the list of available variables. Is there a way to create a new variable that compares these two and tells me numerically how similar these two are. String formats are used to read and write string variables. Is there a way to automatically extract the numbers from each cell and save them in a new numerical scale variable. Spss creates a new variable with the recoded values. Spss string variables tutorial quickly master the basics and run some simple syntax. Width the width of a variable is the number of characters spss will allow to be entered for the variable. The string variable needs to be the same width in each data file. For example, recode to some unused string value, like 99999 and set the value 99999 as usermissing afterwards ibm spss statistics 19 command syntax reference, page 55. Missingvalue specifications are saved in ibm spss statistics data files. But numeric variables have varied distinct formats that are often confused with variable types. How to convert string into numeric form in spss without. Understand that timevar is not required to be a %t variable.
Try ibm spss statistics subscription make it easier to perform powerful statistical analysis. Like so, working with string variables in spss is super easy. Spss string variables quick introduction spss tutorials. Only one target variable is allowed per compute command if the target variable is numeric, the expression must yield a numeric value. Page 7071 of paswspss 18 user manual variable names. If the content of the two strings is not an exact match, the computer will. Notice, if it matters to you that this does not convert a numeric variable to a string variable. The book provides a brief overview of spss syntax, then covers increasing the datafile. Alternatively, with only 2 values to recode, you could use the manual recode transformrecode into different variables to recode the string variable.
Remember that in a string variable, a missing value is a null, or empty, string. This is because, when referring to the content of a string during. String declares new string variables that can be used as target variables in data transformations basic specification. Note that although the replicate weights appear on the download page as a single variable, they are actually 160 9digit variables, and substantially expand any download. The width of a variable is the number of characters spss will allow to be entered for the variable. Type variables on the spss variable view tab dummies. Combine a string variable and a numeric variable spss. Since spss appears to lack a native string replacement function, this requires a fair amount of brute force, especially if there are more than one occurences of the target character in. You could do that, but if all of your missing variable strings are coded as 66, i would just make a new set of variables, recode the 66 to a blank string, and then concatenate the variables all. This process is particularly useful if your data file uses numeric codes to represent nonnumeric categories for example, codes of 1 and 2 for male and female.
Spss has many specific string functions not all of them appear below in the short examples. There are several ways that you can change a string variable into a numeric variable. However, when i click on analyze multiple response define variable sets i get a popup window with a warning. Can i extract numbers from string variables and saving them as numerical variable. We can use a simple loop and the pib variable format in spss to clean out unwanted ascii codes in string characters. I want to work on this data based on multiple cases selection or subgroups, e. In spss, there are no other variable types other than numeric and string.
Duplicate variable names are also not permitted in spss our system will identify any duplicates in the general tab of your export. Spss how to convert string variables into numeric ones. I want to search for a couple of specific keywords within the text, and then if it finds any of them, it flags the case by returning a 1. To change the defined width of a string variable use the alter type command. I have a string variable that contains a lot of text. Spss variable names cannot include special characters. Q how can i combine a string and a numeric variables.
For example, a command that calculates the percentage of similarity between each pair of observations in two string variables. Ive searched high and low and read all of the syntax reference documents with no success, i know you can replace a string within a variable via replace page 337 of the syntax ref that i have but i cant find any reference to a way of using part of a string variable as an argument in a do if statement. If keyword to is used to create multiple string variables, the specified format applies to each variable that is named and implied by to. This field describes the type of variable that is being defined. Systemmissing values are automatically assigned by the program when no legal. String variable definition of string variable by the. To make the presentation easier to understand all string variables below start with the letter s and numerical variables with n. Copyingrecoding string variables into new variable. In spss, how do i convert between numeric variables and. This order is not changed by the order in which the variables are used in the transformation language. Variable labels can contain spaces and reserved characters that are not allowed in variable names. Use any mixture of upper and lowercase characters when naming your variable. Because the variable score is a string variable, we cannot calculate a mean, etc. I have a data file which contains string variables only.
It is because systemmissing values are defined only for numeric variables. Ibm my factor variable is not available for use in the spss. Stringnumeric type variable, format returns the value of the numeric expression as a string. In spss, to convert a numeric variable to a string variable, use the string function. Ascertaining spss variable formats spss differentiates write and print formats. When writing down the observed values of a categorical variable, you can choose to write the values as words or as numeric codes. A relatively new choice, so you may not see it mentioned in older books about. In the sample data file, the variable state is a string variable representing whether the student is an instate student or an outofstate student. Recoding multiple string variables in spss automatic recoding. String numeric type variable, format returns the value of the numeric expression as a string. You can, however, extract one or more characters a substring from them, glue them together concatenate and a couple of other functions. If you create a frequency table of this variable analyze descriptive statistics frequencies, you will notice something strange. String variables recode command ibm knowledge center.
The target variable must be named first, and the equals sign is required. It didnt accepted an existent variable now you have the value 9999ffff in the text field, instead of a blank value, and can be used as wished including a manual recode. Only one recoded value per set is allowed to the right of the equals sign. A posted to spssxl list by raynald levesque on 20020903. Original values that are not specified remain unchanged unless the keyword.
For example the sting variable is math, the number is 101 and i need math101. To change the name, place the cursor in this field and type the name. This allows you to specify how you would like missing values in a string variable to b handled when autorecoded. Spss tutorials statistical analysis prepare excel data. In code page mode, if strexpr is a string variable, use rtrim if you only want the actual string value without the rightpadding to the defined variable width. This option will autorecode blank strings into a usermissing value higher than the. How can i easily convert a string variable to a categorical. If the new values are shorter than the defined width of the target variable, the values are rightpadded with blanks.
If you understand spss variable formats and types, it will help you in getting things done accurately and quickly. If you select a string variable, you can tell spss how much room to leave in memory for each value, indicating the number of characters to be allowed for data entry in this string variable. Variables that are declared on string are added to the active dataset in the order in which they are specified. Spss allows a very large number for the size of the string so large that you could fit a paragraph, which is exactly what you would do if you were doing text mining. How can i change a string variable into a numeric variable. Alternatively, with only 2 values to recode, you could use the manual recode transformrecode into different variables to recode the string variable treatment into the scale treatnum, for example. Search for multiple keywords within a string in spss.
Number of people has entries like 5 people instead of simply 5. Open a ticket and download fixes at the ibm support portal find a technical. The variable name must begin with a letter of the alphabet and cannot exceed 8 characters. Essentially im trying to achieve what this pseudo code says. The variable displays as blanks and is not treated as missing. Jun 08, 2014 merging data files together with a key variable that is a string is not fun in spss.
From transform menu recode into same variable old and new variables system missing in value space add the value you want to replace the missing data with continue ok. All variables in the working file or in variable sets in use are inappropriate for this. This field describes the name of the variable being defined. This process allows spss to convert invisibly a variable format while leaving it in the same place in the data file. Recoding string variables automatic recode spss tutorials. Sep 19, 20 ive searched high and low and read all of the syntax reference documents with no success, i know you can replace a string within a variable via replace page 337 of the syntax ref that i have but i cant find any reference to a way of using part of a string variable as an argument in a do if statement. The string variable needs to be the same width in each data file and needs to be sorted the same ascending. When spss converts a variable from a string to numeric format or from any format to another through the define variable menu, it executes a process in the data editor that is not driven exclusively by spss commands. Merging data files together with a key variable that is a string is not fun in spss. Ibm i cannot use string variables for creating a multiple. Theres no such thing as a system missing value in a string variable. Either method of recording categorical variables is valid, but it is often easier to work with numeric codes in spss than it is to work with strings. Spss attempts to determine what kind of data numeric or string is in a column by looking what it finds there and then, in this case, guessed that it should.
The instructions and examples will help guide you through establishing different types of variables for your particular research or analysis needs. Help i cant run independentsample t test using spss. Answers for spss 23 propensity score matching psmatching3 does want a scale binary treatment group variable. One way is to use the number function with the compute command. In the example above, a8 indicates a string variable eight.
A numercic data value was expected, but something else, not recognized was found in column 5. The format family is indicated by one or more letters. Change a string variable to a numeric variable youtube. I have a dataset that has some variables that should be scales saved as string variables. My factor variable is not available for use in the spss. Any usermissing values within the range are included. String variables compute command ibm knowledge center. Learn the format and type of spss variables and get in control of your data. The begin data and end data commands enclose the raw data.
In code page mode, if strexpr is a string variable, use rtrim if you only want the actual string value without the rightpadding to. Overview missing values command ibm knowledge center. Spssx discussion syntax for do if var contains string x. Since the default variable type in spss is numeric, you need to define your string variable in advance. Which spss commands convert string to numeric variables. So for instance if i wanted to replace all the numbers with nothing in a string field i could use this code below where origfield is the original field with the numbers contained, and cleanfield is the subsequent cleaned variable. The basic specification is the name of the new variables and, in parentheses, the variable format. The syntax we use can be copypasted or downloaded here. Value labels you can assign descriptive value labels for each value of a variable. The interesting thing is the prepby variable is identified as a string but is not identified as having any sort of value label attached the space under that column header is blank.
Change a string variable to a numeric variable duration. Missing values for string variables must be enclosed in single or double quotes. You cant use numeric functions such as addition or subtraction on string variables. However, a new string variable can be created and assigned a width with the string. The dataset has 435 observations in all, and spss reports that there are zero missing values. All variables in the working file or in variable sets in use are inappropriate for this dialog. Jul 09, 20 we can use a simple loop and the pib variable format in spss to clean out unwanted ascii codes in string characters. For the high range, the parameters are listed in the window above. For new value, if the output is a string variable as it is here, check, output variables are strings, and enter the new value to match the old range low. And you use a numeric format in the string function, to select what string. To do this, you need to create a new variable using the compute command. String variables can be modified but not created on compute. The string variables represent answers to multiple response questions and are either dichotomous or categorical answers coded as strings.
How to convert numeric to string in spss listendata. Creating a new spss statistics data file consists of two. The only variables identified as having labels are numeric and the one string variable that we know for certain has a label prepby is not identified as. For example in two different variables i have words prog and program. Numeric type numeric variables contain values that are in number form, like in scientific notation or standard format. It didnt accepted an existent variable now you have the value 9999ffff in the text field, instead of a blank value, and can be used as wished including a. Unfortunately this will not work in graphics interface, only syntax, at least in my version of spss you can try in yours, just do the normal recode.
When you xtset a time variable that is not %t, the display format does not change unless you specify the unitoption generic or use the format option. For string variables, blank or null values are not treated as systemmissing. Cant assign missing values to string variable in spss. Variable types spss tutorials libguides at kent state. Returns a string that is the concatenation of all its arguments, which must evaluate to strings.