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NMISS function in SPSS 16.

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Art Kendall

NMISS function in SPSS 16.

I thought that SPSS 16 was supposed to handle missing values in *string
*variables.
However, I get this error when I run the syntax below.

>Error # 4310 in column 26. Text: )
>The *numeric* argument required for the function specified was not
supplied.
>This command not executed.

new file.
data list list/ id(a3) latcod(a10) loncod(a10).
begin data
'001' '033232620' '-087582480'
'002' '041650330' '-081367290'
'003' 'N ' 'N '
'004' 'M ' 'M '
end data.

missing values LATCOD LONCOD('M', 'N').
numeric Latitude Longitude (f12.6).
compute latitude = 999.
compute longitude= 999.
do if nmiss(LATCOD,LONCOD) eq 0.
compute latitude = number(latcod, f12.6).
compute longitude = number(loncod, f12.6).
end if.
var labels Latitude 'latitude in decimal degrees'
Longitude 'longitude in decimal degrees'.
missing values Latitude Longitude (999).
list.

I get the same message if I use
do if nvalid(LATCOD,LONCOD) eq 2.

I can work around this by having the do if condition explicitly test for
the string values that I want treated as missing.

Am I missing something obvious? (Not enough or too much coffee?)
Am I misreading the help?

Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants

=====================
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Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants

Peck, Jon

Re: NMISS function in SPSS 16.

From the CSR:

With the exception of the MISSING function, only numeric values can be used as arguments in
missing-value functions.

The reason for this has to do with the MISSING function requiring a variable name while the other missing value functions accept general expressions.

HTH,
Jon Peck

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Art Kendall
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:08 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [SPSSX-L] NMISS function in SPSS 16.

I thought that SPSS 16 was supposed to handle missing values in *string
*variables.
However, I get this error when I run the syntax below.

>Error # 4310 in column 26. Text: )
>The *numeric* argument required for the function specified was not
supplied.
>This command not executed.

new file.
data list list/ id(a3) latcod(a10) loncod(a10).
begin data
'001' '033232620' '-087582480'
'002' '041650330' '-081367290'
'003' 'N ' 'N '
'004' 'M ' 'M '
end data.

missing values LATCOD LONCOD('M', 'N').
numeric Latitude Longitude (f12.6).
compute latitude = 999.
compute longitude= 999.
do if nmiss(LATCOD,LONCOD) eq 0.
compute latitude = number(latcod, f12.6).
compute longitude = number(loncod, f12.6).
end if.
var labels Latitude 'latitude in decimal degrees'
Longitude 'longitude in decimal degrees'.
missing values Latitude Longitude (999).
list.

I get the same message if I use
do if nvalid(LATCOD,LONCOD) eq 2.

I can work around this by having the do if condition explicitly test for
the string values that I want treated as missing.

Am I missing something obvious? (Not enough or too much coffee?)
Am I misreading the help?

Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants

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

Oliver, Richard

Re: NMISS function in SPSS 16.

In reply to this post by Art Kendall

The only enhancement for missing values in SPSS 16 is the ability to define missing values for long string variables -- but the values defined as missing are restricted to 8 bytes.

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Art Kendall
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:08 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: NMISS function in SPSS 16.

I thought that SPSS 16 was supposed to handle missing values in *string
*variables.
However, I get this error when I run the syntax below.

>Error # 4310 in column 26. Text: )
>The *numeric* argument required for the function specified was not
supplied.
>This command not executed.

new file.
data list list/ id(a3) latcod(a10) loncod(a10).
begin data
'001' '033232620' '-087582480'
'002' '041650330' '-081367290'
'003' 'N ' 'N '
'004' 'M ' 'M '
end data.

missing values LATCOD LONCOD('M', 'N').
numeric Latitude Longitude (f12.6).
compute latitude = 999.
compute longitude= 999.
do if nmiss(LATCOD,LONCOD) eq 0.
compute latitude = number(latcod, f12.6).
compute longitude = number(loncod, f12.6).
end if.
var labels Latitude 'latitude in decimal degrees'
Longitude 'longitude in decimal degrees'.
missing values Latitude Longitude (999).
list.

I get the same message if I use
do if nvalid(LATCOD,LONCOD) eq 2.

I can work around this by having the do if condition explicitly test for
the string values that I want treated as missing.

Am I missing something obvious? (Not enough or too much coffee?)
Am I misreading the help?

Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants

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

Art Kendall

Re: NMISS function in SPSS 16.

In reply to this post by Art Kendall

Someone asked me offline what my workaround was, and if it works on
earlier versions.

I don't have earlier versions up to test it, but I think it would since
this is what we had to do before long strings could have missing values.

this is the workaround syntax.

new file.
data list list/ id(a3) latcod(a10) loncod(a10).
begin data
'001' '033232620' '-087582480'
'002' '041650330' '-081367290'
'003' 'N ' 'N '
'004' 'M ' 'M '
end data.

missing values LATCOD LONCOD('M', 'N').
numeric Latitude Longitude (f12.6).
if loncod eq 'M' latitude = 999.
if latcod eq 'M' longitude = 999.
if loncod eq 'N' latitude = 998.
if latcod eq 'N' longitude = 998.

do if not any(latcod,'M','N') and not any(loncod,'M','N').
compute latitude = number(latcod, f12.6).
compute longitude = number(loncod, f12.6).
end if.
var labels Latitude 'latitude in decimal degrees'
Longitude 'longitude in decimal degrees'.
missing values Latitude Longitude (998,999).
value labels latitude longitude 998 'n/a' 999 'data missing'.
list.

Art

Art Kendall wrote:

> I thought that SPSS 16 was supposed to handle missing values in *string
> *variables.
> However, I get this error when I run the syntax below.
>
> >Error # 4310 in column 26. Text: )
> >The *numeric* argument required for the function specified was not
> supplied.
> >This command not executed.
>
>
> new file.
> data list list/ id(a3) latcod(a10) loncod(a10).
> begin data
> '001' '033232620' '-087582480'
> '002' '041650330' '-081367290'
> '003' 'N ' 'N '
> '004' 'M ' 'M '
> end data.
>
> missing values LATCOD LONCOD('M', 'N').
> numeric Latitude Longitude (f12.6).
> compute latitude = 999.
> compute longitude= 999.
> do if nmiss(LATCOD,LONCOD) eq 0.
> compute latitude = number(latcod, f12.6).
> compute longitude = number(loncod, f12.6).
> end if.
> var labels Latitude 'latitude in decimal degrees'
> Longitude 'longitude in decimal degrees'.
> missing values Latitude Longitude (999).
> list.
>
>
>
> I get the same message if I use
> do if nvalid(LATCOD,LONCOD) eq 2.
>
> I can work around this by having the do if condition explicitly test for
> the string values that I want treated as missing.
>
> Am I missing something obvious? (Not enough or too much coffee?)
> Am I misreading the help?
>
>
> Art Kendall
> Social Research Consultants
>
> =====================
> 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
>
>

Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants

Art Kendall

Re: NMISS function in SPSS 16.

In reply to this post by Oliver, Richard

In my example, the values defined as missing are one byte.

Art

Oliver, Richard wrote:

> The only enhancement for missing values in SPSS 16 is the ability to define missing values for long string variables -- but the values defined as missing are restricted to 8 bytes.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Art Kendall
> Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:08 AM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: NMISS function in SPSS 16.
>
> I thought that SPSS 16 was supposed to handle missing values in *string
> *variables.
> However, I get this error when I run the syntax below.
>
> >Error # 4310 in column 26. Text: )
> >The *numeric* argument required for the function specified was not
> supplied.
> >This command not executed.
>
>
> new file.
> data list list/ id(a3) latcod(a10) loncod(a10).
> begin data
> '001' '033232620' '-087582480'
> '002' '041650330' '-081367290'
> '003' 'N ' 'N '
> '004' 'M ' 'M '
> end data.
>
> missing values LATCOD LONCOD('M', 'N').
> numeric Latitude Longitude (f12.6).
> compute latitude = 999.
> compute longitude= 999.
> do if nmiss(LATCOD,LONCOD) eq 0.
> compute latitude = number(latcod, f12.6).
> compute longitude = number(loncod, f12.6).
> end if.
> var labels Latitude 'latitude in decimal degrees'
> Longitude 'longitude in decimal degrees'.
> missing values Latitude Longitude (999).
> list.
>
>
>
> I get the same message if I use
> do if nvalid(LATCOD,LONCOD) eq 2.
>
> I can work around this by having the do if condition explicitly test for
> the string values that I want treated as missing.
>
> Am I missing something obvious? (Not enough or too much coffee?)
> Am I misreading the help?
>
>
> Art Kendall
> Social Research Consultants
>
> =====================
> 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
>
>
>

Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants

Art Kendall

Re: NMISS function in SPSS 16.

In reply to this post by Peck, Jon

Sorry for the post, I should have done more than use the <help> command.

Art

Peck, Jon wrote:

> From the CSR:
>
> With the exception of the MISSING function, only numeric values can be used as arguments in
> missing-value functions.
>
> The reason for this has to do with the MISSING function requiring a variable name while the other missing value functions accept general expressions.
>
> HTH,
> Jon Peck
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Art Kendall
> Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:08 AM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: [SPSSX-L] NMISS function in SPSS 16.
>
> I thought that SPSS 16 was supposed to handle missing values in *string
> *variables.
> However, I get this error when I run the syntax below.
>
> >Error # 4310 in column 26. Text: )
> >The *numeric* argument required for the function specified was not
> supplied.
> >This command not executed.
>
>
> new file.
> data list list/ id(a3) latcod(a10) loncod(a10).
> begin data
> '001' '033232620' '-087582480'
> '002' '041650330' '-081367290'
> '003' 'N ' 'N '
> '004' 'M ' 'M '
> end data.
>
> missing values LATCOD LONCOD('M', 'N').
> numeric Latitude Longitude (f12.6).
> compute latitude = 999.
> compute longitude= 999.
> do if nmiss(LATCOD,LONCOD) eq 0.
> compute latitude = number(latcod, f12.6).
> compute longitude = number(loncod, f12.6).
> end if.
> var labels Latitude 'latitude in decimal degrees'
> Longitude 'longitude in decimal degrees'.
> missing values Latitude Longitude (999).
> list.
>
>
>
> I get the same message if I use
> do if nvalid(LATCOD,LONCOD) eq 2.
>
> I can work around this by having the do if condition explicitly test for
> the string values that I want treated as missing.
>
> Am I missing something obvious? (Not enough or too much coffee?)
> Am I misreading the help?
>
>
> Art Kendall
> Social Research Consultants
>
> =====================
> 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
>

Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants

Oliver, Richard

Re: NMISS function in SPSS 16.

In reply to this post by Art Kendall

I'm sorry. I was somewhat vague. My point was that the only enhancement introduced in version 16 for missing values in string variables was to allow long string variables to have user-defined missing values. We didn't change the behavior of any existing functions to provide additional support for string variables.

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Art Kendall
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:31 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: NMISS function in SPSS 16.

In my example, the values defined as missing are one byte.

Art

Oliver, Richard wrote:

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

Art Kendall

Re: NMISS function in SPSS 16.

Enhancing the missing data functions would be a good idea for the next
version.

Art

Oliver, Richard wrote:

> I'm sorry. I was somewhat vague. My point was that the only enhancement introduced in version 16 for missing values in string variables was to allow long string variables to have user-defined missing values. We didn't change the behavior of any existing functions to provide additional support for string variables.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Art Kendall
> Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:31 AM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: NMISS function in SPSS 16.
>
> In my example, the values defined as missing are one byte.
>
> Art
>
> Oliver, Richard wrote:
>
>> The only enhancement for missing values in SPSS 16 is the ability to define missing values for long string variables -- but the values defined as missing are restricted to 8 bytes.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Art Kendall
>> Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:08 AM
>> To: [hidden email]
>> Subject: NMISS function in SPSS 16.
>>
>> I thought that SPSS 16 was supposed to handle missing values in *string
>> *variables.
>> However, I get this error when I run the syntax below.
>>
>> >Error # 4310 in column 26. Text: )
>> >The *numeric* argument required for the function specified was not
>> supplied.
>> >This command not executed.
>>
>>
>> new file.
>> data list list/ id(a3) latcod(a10) loncod(a10).
>> begin data
>> '001' '033232620' '-087582480'
>> '002' '041650330' '-081367290'
>> '003' 'N ' 'N '
>> '004' 'M ' 'M '
>> end data.
>>
>> missing values LATCOD LONCOD('M', 'N').
>> numeric Latitude Longitude (f12.6).
>> compute latitude = 999.
>> compute longitude= 999.
>> do if nmiss(LATCOD,LONCOD) eq 0.
>> compute latitude = number(latcod, f12.6).
>> compute longitude = number(loncod, f12.6).
>> end if.
>> var labels Latitude 'latitude in decimal degrees'
>> Longitude 'longitude in decimal degrees'.
>> missing values Latitude Longitude (999).
>> list.
>>
>>
>>
>> I get the same message if I use
>> do if nvalid(LATCOD,LONCOD) eq 2.
>>
>> I can work around this by having the do if condition explicitly test for
>> the string values that I want treated as missing.
>>
>> Am I missing something obvious? (Not enough or too much coffee?)
>> Am I misreading the help?
>>
>>
>> Art Kendall
>> Social Research Consultants
>>
>> =====================
>> 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
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> =====================
> 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
>
>
>

Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants