Interleaving Cases within the same file

[Matt Freeman]

I've written the following syntax to interleave two files:

ADD FILES FILE = "X"
/FILE = "Y"
/BY ID
SAVE OUTFILE = "Z".

The interleaving was completed but the data are in two columns.  How do I
merge these two columns into one?

Thanks!

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[Poes, Matthew Joseph]

If you are trying to, essentially, run an update query on your data, I believe the solution is to merge the two data columns into a new data column.  It depends on the known properties what you do.  If there is a possibility that two data columns could both have data, and the data could be different, that complicates things.  Let's assume that you have cases that ether have the data or don't, and the new data file contains an update.  My solution is simply to add the two variables together into a new third variable.  Essentially the logic is 1+missing=1 in this case, so there is no reason this isn't possible.  If you want, you can also create if statements that indicate that the third variable V3 is equal to V1 or V2, depending on which one is not missing.  I use do if loops for that.

What you're doing below is attempting to add variables to existing cases (that's the assumption SPSS is making) when in fact, for that variable, the case is actually missing, and you actually need to add cases to variables.  Hence why I use the above approach instead.

Might I add, I do think there are other programs better suited to this level of data management, namely, SQL, even Access, and would suggest that as a better approach.  I use the above approach only when in a pinch or working quickly, if I need to make updates on a regular basis, I do this in a database.


Matthew J Poes
Research Data Specialist
Center for Prevention Research and Development
University of Illinois
510 Devonshire Dr.
Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: [phone]
email: [hidden email]


-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Matt Freeman
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2012 4:24 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Interleaving Cases within the same file

I've written the following syntax to interleave two files:

ADD FILES FILE = "X"
/FILE = "Y"
/BY ID
SAVE OUTFILE = "Z".

The interleaving was completed but the data are in two columns.  How do I merge these two columns into one?

Thanks!

=====================
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

=====================
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INFO REFCARD

[Bruce Weaver]

What variables are in files X and Y?  Presumably both have a variable called ID.  But what other variables do they have?  Include whether they are numeric or string, etc.

Matt Freeman wrote

I've written the following syntax to interleave two files:

ADD FILES FILE = "X"
/FILE = "Y"
/BY ID
SAVE OUTFILE = "Z".

The interleaving was completed but the data are in two columns.  How do I
merge these two columns into one?

Thanks!

=====================
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

[David Marso]

You do realize that you have left out CRUCIAL INFORMATION!!!
I'm going to let you guess what we might need to be able to help?
I don't do ESP on Fridays anymore.
-----------------------------------

Matt Freeman wrote

I've written the following syntax to interleave two files:

ADD FILES FILE = "X"
/FILE = "Y"
/BY ID
SAVE OUTFILE = "Z".

The interleaving was completed but the data are in two columns.  How do I
merge these two columns into one?

Thanks!

=====================
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]

I suppose InterneTelepathy is out of the question then too, is it?  :-|

David Marso wrote

You do realize that you have left out CRUCIAL INFORMATION!!!
I'm going to let you guess what we might need to be able to help?
I don't do ESP on Fridays anymore.
-----------------------------------

Matt Freeman wrote

I've written the following syntax to interleave two files:

ADD FILES FILE = "X"
/FILE = "Y"
/BY ID
SAVE OUTFILE = "Z".

The interleaving was completed but the data are in two columns.  How do I
merge these two columns into one?

Thanks!

=====================
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

[David Marso]

Yeah,  I turn off all the spooky shit at midnight on Thursdays!
It's almost Beer-O'Clock and the two just don't mix.
----
OP see RENAME subcmd? see MAX?
YMMV!

Bruce Weaver wrote

I suppose InterneTelepathy is out of the question then too, is it?  :-|

David Marso wrote

You do realize that you have left out CRUCIAL INFORMATION!!!
I'm going to let you guess what we might need to be able to help?
I don't do ESP on Fridays anymore.
-----------------------------------

Matt Freeman wrote

I've written the following syntax to interleave two files:

ADD FILES FILE = "X"
/FILE = "Y"
/BY ID
SAVE OUTFILE = "Z".

The interleaving was completed but the data are in two columns.  How do I
merge these two columns into one?

Thanks!

=====================
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

[Melissa Ives]

Matt,
If what you are attempting is something like

File X
ID      Var1
1       A
3       C

File Y
ID      Var1
2       B
4       D

To make:
File Z
ID      Var1
1       A
2       B
3       C
4       D
Then the syntax you wrote should work, but it sounds like  you are getting:
File Z
ID      Var1  Var2 <---it would help to know more about what the file you are getting looks like (what does 'in two columns' actually mean?)
1       A       .
2       .       B
3       C       .
4       .       D

If this is so, I would check the variable names and formats in File X and File Y as it seems like something is different.
Melissa

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Poes, Matthew Joseph
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2012 4:55 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [SPSSX-L] Interleaving Cases within the same file

If you are trying to, essentially, run an update query on your data, I believe the solution is to merge the two data columns into a new data column.  It depends on the known properties what you do.  If there is a possibility that two data columns could both have data, and the data could be different, that complicates things.  Let's assume that you have cases that ether have the data or don't, and the new data file contains an update.  My solution is simply to add the two variables together into a new third variable.  Essentially the logic is 1+missing=1 in this case, so there is no reason this isn't possible.  If you want, you can also create if statements that indicate that the third variable V3 is equal to V1 or V2, depending on which one is not missing.  I use do if loops for that.

What you're doing below is attempting to add variables to existing cases (that's the assumption SPSS is making) when in fact, for that variable, the case is actually missing, and you actually need to add cases to variables.  Hence why I use the above approach instead.

Might I add, I do think there are other programs better suited to this level of data management, namely, SQL, even Access, and would suggest that as a better approach.  I use the above approach only when in a pinch or working quickly, if I need to make updates on a regular basis, I do this in a database.


Matthew J Poes
Research Data Specialist
Center for Prevention Research and Development University of Illinois
510 Devonshire Dr.
Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: [phone]
email: [hidden email]


-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Matt Freeman
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2012 4:24 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Interleaving Cases within the same file

I've written the following syntax to interleave two files:

ADD FILES FILE = "X"
/FILE = "Y"
/BY ID
SAVE OUTFILE = "Z".

The interleaving was completed but the data are in two columns.  How do I merge these two columns into one?

Thanks!

=====================
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

=====================
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