Changing String to Date using Syntax

[kim.barchard]

I would like to convert a STRING varible to a DATE variable (with the
hh:mm:ss format) using Syntax.  I can do this easily using the Variable
View window.  I click on the Type for the variable, select Date, select
hh:mm:ss from the menu, and click OK.  There is no PASTE button, though,
and I have not been able to find instructions on how to do this Type
conversion using Syntax.  Here is some sample data

12:19:18
12:11:31
 1:12:42
 2:26:25
 3:54:44
 5:23:36
 7:38:21
 3:57:31

[Florio Arguillas]

Hi Kim,

Try this code which uses a NUMBER function and a FORMAT command.

data list free/ strtime (a8).
begin data.
12:19:18
12:11:31
1:12:42
2:26:25
3:54:44
5:23:36
7:38:21
3:57:31
end data.

COMPUTE numtime = NUMBER(strtime,time8) .
FORMAT numtime (time8).
EXECUTE.

Florio



At 04:41 PM 9/12/2007, [hidden email] wrote:

>I would like to convert a STRING varible to a DATE variable (with the
>hh:mm:ss format) using Syntax.  I can do this easily using the Variable
>View window.  I click on the Type for the variable, select Date, select
>hh:mm:ss from the menu, and click OK.  There is no PASTE button, though,
>and I have not been able to find instructions on how to do this Type
>conversion using Syntax.  Here is some sample data
>
>12:19:18
>12:11:31
>  1:12:42
>  2:26:25
>  3:54:44
>  5:23:36
>  7:38:21
>  3:57:31

[Richard Ristow]

At 04:41 PM 9/12/2007, [hidden email] wrote:

>I would like to convert a STRING varible to a DATE variable (with the
>hh:mm:ss format) using Syntax.  [In] the Variable View window.  I
>click on the Type for the variable, select Date, select hh:mm:ss from
>the menu, and click OK.  There is no PASTE button, though,

Right. That's because that transformation is NOT done via background
syntax, so there isn't any to paste (see below)

>and I have not been able to find instructions on how to do this Type
>conversion using Syntax.

You can't change the type of a variable using syntax, though I
understand that may be coming. What you can do, and is usually done, is
create a new variable of the desired type, and convert the value. SPSS
15 draft output (WRR:not saved separately):

>Here is some sample data
|-----------------------------|---------------------------|
|Output Created               |12-SEP-2007 22:45:31       |
|-----------------------------|---------------------------|
CharTime

12:19:18
12:11:31
  1:12:42
  2:26:25
  3:54:44
  5:23:36
  7:38:21
  3:57:31

Number of cases read:  8    Number of cases listed:  8


*  ...  Since your string is formatted cleanly as a time  ... .
*  ...  already, you can simply use the NUMBER function,  ... .
*  ...  instead of fancier parsing or string processing.  ... .

NUMERIC My_Time  (TIME8).
COMPUTE My_Time = NUMBER(CharTime,TIME8).
LIST.

List
|-----------------------------|---------------------------|
|Output Created               |12-SEP-2007 22:49:34       |
|-----------------------------|---------------------------|
CharTime  My_Time

12:19:18 12:19:18
12:11:31 12:11:31
  1:12:42  1:12:42
  2:26:25  2:26:25
  3:54:44  3:54:44
  5:23:36  5:23:36
  7:38:21  7:38:21
  3:57:31  3:57:31

Number of cases read:  8    Number of cases listed:  8
===================
APPENDIX: Test data
===================
DATA LIST FIXED /
   CharTime 01-08 (A).
BEGIN DATA
12:19:18
12:11:31
  1:12:42
  2:26:25
  3:54:44
  5:23:36
  7:38:21
  3:57:31
END DATA.
LIST.

[Peck, Jon]

While this question has been answered by others, I would like to point out that the easiest way to figure out a task like this is to use the Date/Time wizard available on the Transform menu and paste the syntax.

Besides simplifying a lot of tasks involving dates and times using the built-in d/t formats, the wizard actually creates syntax for some things that go beyond those.

And, for those who use programmability, the extendedTransforms module available on SPSS Developer Central (www.spss.com/devcentral) provides a simple pattern-based language that can be used to describe and transform dates.
strtodatetime converts a date/time string to an SPSS datetime value, and
datetimetostr does the reverse.

The pattern language can handle date/time representations that do not fit any of the standard SPSS formats.

HTH,
Jon Peck

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of [hidden email]
Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 3:42 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [SPSSX-L] Changing String to Date using Syntax

I would like to convert a STRING varible to a DATE variable (with the
hh:mm:ss format) using Syntax.  I can do this easily using the Variable
View window.  I click on the Type for the variable, select Date, select
hh:mm:ss from the menu, and click OK.  There is no PASTE button, though,
and I have not been able to find instructions on how to do this Type
conversion using Syntax.  Here is some sample data

12:19:18
12:11:31
 1:12:42
 2:26:25
 3:54:44
 5:23:36
 7:38:21
 3:57:31