Merging string variables help

[Maria Suchard]

Hello List,

Please, please I need your help.  I have a large data set with 2 string variables.  The variables in question are both email variables and I need this variable to be in my final data set.  I have found the "recode into a different variable" option and I can copy 1 of the variables into a new field. But I can't figure out how to get it to copy the second variable into the new variable if the first email variable is null.

What I need it to do is something like this:
Variables Email1 & Email2
If(Email1=not null (populated) = new variable)
IF(Email1=is null (not populated), use Email2= new variable)
IF (Email1=not null & Email2=not null, then use Email1=new variable)

I would greatly appreciate any help.

Thank you in advance!
Maria

[Bruce Weaver]

Something like this, perhaps?

STRING NewEmail(a50).
COMPUTE NewEmail = Email1.
IF (NewEmail EQ "") NewEmail = Email2.

Maria Suchard wrote

Hello List,

Please, please I need your help.  I have a large data set with 2 string variables.  The variables in question are both email variables and I need this variable to be in my final data set.  I have found the "recode into a different variable" option and I can copy 1 of the variables into a new field. But I can't figure out how to get it to copy the second variable into the new variable if the first email variable is null.

What I need it to do is something like this:
Variables Email1 & Email2
If(Email1=not null (populated) = new variable)
IF(Email1=is null (not populated), use Email2= new variable)
IF (Email1=not null & Email2=not null, then use Email1=new variable)

I would greatly appreciate any help.

Thank you in advance!
Maria

[Rick Oliver-3]

Use DO IF and COMPUTE.

Rick Oliver
Senior Information Developer
IBM Business Analytics (SPSS)
E-mail: [hidden email]



From:        Maria Suchard <[hidden email]>
To:        [hidden email],
Date:        06/20/2014 09:06 AM
Subject:        Merging string variables help
Sent by:        "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <[hidden email]>

---

Hello List,

Please, please I need your help.  I have a large data set with 2 string
variables.  The variables in question are both email variables and I need
this variable to be in my final data set.  I have found the "recode into a
different variable" option and I can copy 1 of the variables into a new
field. But I can't figure out how to get it to copy the second variable into
the new variable if the first email variable is null.

What I need it to do is something like this:
Variables Email1 & Email2
If(Email1=not null (populated) = new variable)
IF(Email1=is null (not populated), use Email2= new variable)
IF (Email1=not null & Email2=not null, then use Email1=new variable)

I would greatly appreciate any help.

Thank you in advance!
Maria






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