SPSSX Discussion

Combine Numeric Variables

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Ryan

Combine Numeric Variables

Dear SPSS-L,

I have a data set in which three numeric variables need to be combined into one variable.

The three variables look like this in the data set:

x1 x2 x3

001 1 0

002 0 1

003 0 1

. . .

500 1 1

Note that x1 has leading zeros for numbers less than 100 which must remain in the combined variable. The combined variable should look like this:

00110

00201

00301

50011

Any help would be appreciated. Apologies if this has been discussed previously.

Best,

Ryan

===================== To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to [hidden email] (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the command. To leave the list, send the command SIGNOFF SPSSX-L For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command INFO REFCARD

Bruce Weaver

Re: Combine Numeric Variables

Administrator

Hi Ryan. I have no SPSS on this machine, so the following is untested. But I think it should do the trick. I assume your x1 is a numeric variable formatted as N3. (If not, this definitely won't work.)

COMPUTE x4 = SUM(x1*100, x2*10, x3).
FORMATS x4 (N5). /* Keep leading zeros.
* List first 5 cases to check.
LIST VARIABLES= x1 to x4 /CASES=FROM 1 TO 5.

Cheers,
Bruce

Ryan Black wrote

Dear SPSS-L,

I have a data set in which three numeric variables need to be combined into
one variable.

The three variables look like this in the data set:

x1 x2 x3
001 1 0
002 0 1
003 0 1
. . .
. . .
500 1 1

Note that x1 has leading zeros for numbers less than 100 which must remain
in the combined variable. The combined variable should look like this:

x4
00110
00201
00301
.
.
50011

Any help would be appreciated. Apologies if this has been discussed
previously.

Best,

Ryan

=====================
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[hidden email] (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
command. To leave the list, send the command
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--
Bruce Weaver
bweaver@lakeheadu.ca
http://sites.google.com/a/lakeheadu.ca/bweaver/

"When all else fails, RTFM."

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
1. My Hotmail account is not monitored regularly. To send me an e-mail, please use the address shown above.
2. The SPSSX Discussion forum on Nabble is no longer linked to the SPSSX-L listserv administered by UGA (https://listserv.uga.edu/).

Ryan

Re: Combine Numeric Variables

Hi Bruce.Worked like a charm. Thank you. -Ryan

On Sat, Jan 16, 2016 at 2:23 PM, Bruce Weaver <[hidden email]> wrote:

Hi Ryan. I have no SPSS on this machine, so the following is untested. But
I think it should do the trick. I assume your x1 is a numeric variable
formatted as N3. (If not, this definitely won't work.)

COMPUTE x4 = SUM(x1*100, x2*10, x3).
FORMATS x4 (N5). /* Keep leading zeros.
* List first 5 cases to check.
LIST VARIABLES= x1 to x4 /CASES=FROM 1 TO 5.

Cheers,
Bruce

Ryan Black wrote

> Dear SPSS-L,
>
> I have a data set in which three numeric variables need to be combined
> into
> one variable.
>
> The three variables look like this in the data set:
>
> x1 x2 x3
> 001 1 0
> 002 0 1
> 003 0 1
> . . .
> . . .
> 500 1 1
>
> Note that x1 has leading zeros for numbers less than 100 which must remain
> in the combined variable. The combined variable should look like this:
>
> x4
> 00110
> 00201
> 00301
> .
> .
> 50011
>
> Any help would be appreciated. Apologies if this has been discussed
> previously.
>
> Best,
>
> Ryan
>

> =====================
> To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to

> LISTSERV@.UGA

> (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
> command. To leave the list, send the command
> SIGNOFF SPSSX-L
> For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
> INFO REFCARD

-----
--
Bruce Weaver
[hidden email]
http://sites.google.com/a/lakeheadu.ca/bweaver/

"When all else fails, RTFM."

NOTE: My Hotmail account is not monitored regularly.
To send me an e-mail, please use the address shown above.

--
View this message in context: http://spssx-discussion.1045642.n5.nabble.com/Combine-Numeric-Variables-tp5731311p5731312.html
Sent from the SPSSX Discussion mailing list archive at Nabble.com.

=====================
To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to
[hidden email] (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
command. To leave the list, send the command
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For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
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PRogman

Re: Combine Numeric Variables

In reply to this post by Bruce Weaver

I sometimes find this type of concatenation troublesome, especially if there is missing data.
COMPUTE x4 = SUM(x1*100, x2*10, x3).
will set missing data to 0 and evaluate the sum, whereas
COMPUTE x4 = x1*100 + x2*10 + x3.
will set x4 to missing if any term is missing.
Hopefully x1 to x3 are mandatory input data and non-missing, otherwise used carefully ;-)
/PRogman

Bruce Weaver wrote

Hi Ryan. I have no SPSS on this machine, so the following is untested. But I think it should do the trick. I assume your x1 is a numeric variable formatted as N3. (If not, this definitely won't work.)

COMPUTE x4 = SUM(x1*100, x2*10, x3).
FORMATS x4 (N5). /* Keep leading zeros.
* List first 5 cases to check.
LIST VARIABLES= x1 to x4 /CASES=FROM 1 TO 5.

Cheers,
Bruce

Ryan Black wrote

Dear SPSS-L,

I have a data set in which three numeric variables need to be combined into
one variable.

The three variables look like this in the data set:

x1 x2 x3
001 1 0
002 0 1
003 0 1
. . .
. . .
500 1 1

Note that x1 has leading zeros for numbers less than 100 which must remain
in the combined variable. The combined variable should look like this:

x4
00110
00201
00301
.
.
50011

Any help would be appreciated. Apologies if this has been discussed
previously.

Best,

Ryan

=====================
To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to
[hidden email] (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
command. To leave the list, send the command
SIGNOFF SPSSX-L
For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
INFO REFCARD

Bruce Weaver

Re: Combine Numeric Variables

Administrator

Yes, good catch. Alternatively, one could use SUM.3 to return missing if any components are missing.

COMPUTE x4 = SUM.3(x1*100, x2*10, x3).

This has the advantage of being more explicit about what will happen if any component is missing. With the + signs, one is depending on the syntax user to know the rules! ;-)

PRogman wrote

I sometimes find this type of concatenation troublesome, especially if there is missing data.
COMPUTE x4 = SUM(x1*100, x2*10, x3).
will set missing data to 0 and evaluate the sum, whereas
COMPUTE x4 = x1*100 + x2*10 + x3.
will set x4 to missing if any term is missing.
Hopefully x1 to x3 are mandatory input data and non-missing, otherwise used carefully ;-)
/PRogman

Bruce Weaver wrote

Hi Ryan. I have no SPSS on this machine, so the following is untested. But I think it should do the trick. I assume your x1 is a numeric variable formatted as N3. (If not, this definitely won't work.)

COMPUTE x4 = SUM(x1*100, x2*10, x3).
FORMATS x4 (N5). /* Keep leading zeros.
* List first 5 cases to check.
LIST VARIABLES= x1 to x4 /CASES=FROM 1 TO 5.

Cheers,
Bruce

Ryan Black wrote

Dear SPSS-L,

I have a data set in which three numeric variables need to be combined into
one variable.

The three variables look like this in the data set:

x1 x2 x3
001 1 0
002 0 1
003 0 1
. . .
. . .
500 1 1

Note that x1 has leading zeros for numbers less than 100 which must remain
in the combined variable. The combined variable should look like this:

x4
00110
00201
00301
.
.
50011

Any help would be appreciated. Apologies if this has been discussed
previously.

Best,

Ryan

=====================
To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to
[hidden email] (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
command. To leave the list, send the command
SIGNOFF SPSSX-L
For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
INFO REFCARD

John F Hall

Re: Combine Numeric Variables

In reply to this post by Ryan

Ryan

That’s a natty little trick often used for data management. Together with RECODE it can be a simple alternative to a series of IF or DO IF commands to create conditional combinations. For instance a social services client once wanted secondary analysis of their own local authority data from a regional health and lifestyle survey* to produce a new variable combining responsibility for children with marital status:

freq v670 v715.

RESPONSIBLE FOR CHILDREN
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Yes	432	30.6	30.6	30.6
	No	953	67.5	67.5	98.2
	3	26	1.8	1.8	100.0
	Total	1411	100.0	100.0

MARITAL STATUS
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	SINGLE	526	37.3	37.5	37.5
	MARRIED	467	33.1	33.3	70.8
	COHABITING	73	5.2	5.2	76.0
	SEPARATED	50	3.5	3.6	79.5
	DIVORCED	122	8.6	8.7	88.2
	WIDOWED	160	11.3	11.4	99.6
	OTHER	5	.4	.4	100.0
	Total	1403	99.4	100.0
Missing	System	8	.6
Total		1411	100.0

The new variable was generated by:

compute famstat=v670*10+v715.

recode famstat (21 24 25 26=1)(22 23=2)(11 14 15 16=3)(12 13=2)(else=sysmis).

value labels famstat

1 'Single: no kids' 2 'Couple: no kids' 3 'Single: + kids' 4 'Couple: + kids'.

freq var famstat.

Et voilà!

famstat
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Single: no kids	671	47.6	48.9	48.9
	Couple: no kids	535	37.9	39.0	87.8
	Single: + kids	167	11.8	12.2	100.0
	Total	1373	97.3	100.0
Missing	System	38	2.7
Total		1411	100.0

. . which was then tabulated against a range of income, diet and health measures.

The list has many instances of similar tricks of the trade.

John F Hall (Mr)

[Retired academic survey researcher]

Email: [hidden email]

Website: www.surveyresearch.weebly.com

SPSS start page: www.surveyresearch.weebly.com/1-survey-analysis-workshop

* Griffiths S

Unfair Shares: an investigation of the effects the Social Security Act in Islington

Welfare Rights Unit, Islington 1989

From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Ryan Black
Sent: 16 January 2016 20:46
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: Combine Numeric Variables

Hi Bruce.Worked like a charm. Thank you. -Ryan

On Sat, Jan 16, 2016 at 2:23 PM, Bruce Weaver <[hidden email]> wrote:

Hi Ryan. I have no SPSS on this machine, so the following is untested. But
I think it should do the trick. I assume your x1 is a numeric variable
formatted as N3. (If not, this definitely won't work.)

COMPUTE x4 = SUM(x1*100, x2*10, x3).
FORMATS x4 (N5). /* Keep leading zeros.
* List first 5 cases to check.
LIST VARIABLES= x1 to x4 /CASES=FROM 1 TO 5.

Cheers,
Bruce

Ryan Black wrote
> Dear SPSS-L,

>
> I have a data set in which three numeric variables need to be combined
> into
> one variable.
>
> The three variables look like this in the data set:
>
> x1 x2 x3
> 001 1 0
> 002 0 1
> 003 0 1
> . . .
> . . .
> 500 1 1
>
> Note that x1 has leading zeros for numbers less than 100 which must remain
> in the combined variable. The combined variable should look like this:
>
> x4
> 00110
> 00201
> 00301
> .
> .
> 50011
>
> Any help would be appreciated. Apologies if this has been discussed
> previously.
>
> Best,
>
> Ryan
>
> =====================
> To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to

> [hidden email]

> (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
> command. To leave the list, send the command
> SIGNOFF SPSSX-L
> For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
> INFO REFCARD

-----
--
Bruce Weaver
[hidden email]
http://sites.google.com/a/lakeheadu.ca/bweaver/

"When all else fails, RTFM."

NOTE: My Hotmail account is not monitored regularly.
To send me an e-mail, please use the address shown above.

--
View this message in context: http://spssx-discussion.1045642.n5.nabble.com/Combine-Numeric-Variables-tp5731311p5731312.html
Sent from the SPSSX Discussion mailing list archive at Nabble.com.

=====================
To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to
[hidden email] (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
command. To leave the list, send the command
SIGNOFF SPSSX-L
For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
INFO REFCARD

Ryan

Re: Combine Numeric Variables

Very clever, John! Thank you, and thanks to everybody who responded. -Ryan

On Sun, Jan 17, 2016 at 1:30 AM, John F Hall <[hidden email]> wrote:

Ryan

That’s a natty little trick often used for data management. Together with RECODE it can be a simple alternative to a series of IF or DO IF commands to create conditional combinations. For instance a social services client once wanted secondary analysis of their own local authority data from a regional health and lifestyle survey* to produce a new variable combining responsibility for children with marital status:

freq v670 v715.

RESPONSIBLE FOR CHILDREN

Frequency
Percent
Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent
Valid
Yes
432
30.6
30.6
30.6
No
953
67.5
67.5
98.2
3
26
1.8
1.8
100.0
Total
1411
100.0
100.0

MARITAL STATUS

Frequency
Percent
Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent
Valid
SINGLE
526
37.3
37.5
37.5
MARRIED
467
33.1
33.3
70.8
COHABITING
73
5.2
5.2
76.0
SEPARATED
50
3.5
3.6
79.5
DIVORCED
122
8.6
8.7
88.2
WIDOWED
160
11.3
11.4
99.6
OTHER
5
.4
.4
100.0
Total
1403
99.4
100.0

Missing
System
8
.6

Total
1411
100.0

The new variable was generated by:

compute famstat=v670*10+v715.
recode famstat (21 24 25 26=1)(22 23=2)(11 14 15 16=3)(12 13=2)(else=sysmis).
value labels famstat
1 'Single: no kids' 2 'Couple: no kids' 3 'Single: + kids' 4 'Couple: + kids'.
freq var famstat.

Et voilà!
famstat

Frequency
Percent
Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent
Valid
Single: no kids
671
47.6
48.9
48.9
Couple: no kids
535
37.9
39.0
87.8
Single: + kids
167
11.8
12.2
100.0
Total
1373
97.3
100.0

Missing
System
38
2.7

Total
1411
100.0

. . which was then tabulated against a range of income, diet and health measures.

The list has many instances of similar tricks of the trade.

John F Hall (Mr)
[Retired academic survey researcher]

Email: [hidden email]
Website: www.surveyresearch.weebly.com
SPSS start page: www.surveyresearch.weebly.com/1-survey-analysis-workshop

* Griffiths S
Unfair Shares: an investigation of the effects the Social Security Act in Islington
Welfare Rights Unit, Islington 1989

From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Ryan Black
Sent: 16 January 2016 20:46
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: Combine Numeric Variables

Hi Bruce.Worked like a charm. Thank you. -Ryan

On Sat, Jan 16, 2016 at 2:23 PM, Bruce Weaver <[hidden email]> wrote:
Hi Ryan. I have no SPSS on this machine, so the following is untested. But
I think it should do the trick. I assume your x1 is a numeric variable
formatted as N3. (If not, this definitely won't work.)

COMPUTE x4 = SUM(x1*100, x2*10, x3).
FORMATS x4 (N5). /* Keep leading zeros.
* List first 5 cases to check.
LIST VARIABLES= x1 to x4 /CASES=FROM 1 TO 5.

Cheers,
Bruce

Ryan Black wrote
> Dear SPSS-L,

>
> I have a data set in which three numeric variables need to be combined
> into
> one variable.
>
> The three variables look like this in the data set:
>
> x1 x2 x3
> 001 1 0
> 002 0 1
> 003 0 1
> . . .
> . . .
> 500 1 1
>
> Note that x1 has leading zeros for numbers less than 100 which must remain
> in the combined variable. The combined variable should look like this:
>
> x4
> 00110
> 00201
> 00301
> .
> .
> 50011
>
> Any help would be appreciated. Apologies if this has been discussed
> previously.
>
> Best,
>
> Ryan
>
> =====================
> To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to

> [hidden email]

> (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
> command. To leave the list, send the command
> SIGNOFF SPSSX-L
> For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
> INFO REFCARD

-----
--
Bruce Weaver
[hidden email]
http://sites.google.com/a/lakeheadu.ca/bweaver/

"When all else fails, RTFM."

NOTE: My Hotmail account is not monitored regularly.
To send me an e-mail, please use the address shown above.

--
View this message in context: http://spssx-discussion.1045642.n5.nabble.com/Combine-Numeric-Variables-tp5731311p5731312.html
Sent from the SPSSX Discussion mailing list archive at Nabble.com.

=====================
To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to
[hidden email] (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
command. To leave the list, send the command
SIGNOFF SPSSX-L
For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
INFO REFCARD

===================== To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to [hidden email] (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the command. To leave the list, send the command SIGNOFF SPSSX-L For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command INFO REFCARD