Problem with Custom Attributes

[Andrew Lawrence-2]

Hi There, I'd be very grateful for some help with the following issue I'm
having with SPSS v16.0.2.

I'm trying to create a custom variable attribute, from syntax, to add some
comments to certain variables in a file.

The syntax i'm using looks like this:

---
VARIABLE ATTRIBUTE
VARIABLES = VarA VarB VarC
ATTRIBUTE = FormulaNotes('comments go here').

VARIABLE ATTRIBUTE
VARIABLES = VarD VarE VarF
ATTRIBUTE = FormulaNotes('more comments go here').
---

Note, There are lots of variables in the file, and I want to add different
comments for different vars or groups of vars. The comments are text
between about 15 and 150 characters long.

I can create the custom attribute ('FormulaNotes') without issue, and have
used the 'customise variable view' menu item to get it to appear as a
column heading in Variable View, but the contents of the attribute won't
display.

I know that the contents are there because DISPLAY DICTIONARY or DISPLAY
ATTRIBUTES commands produce a table in which the comments appear as
entered. But the relevent field in Variable view is empty.

Any Ideas on how to get this information to display in Variable View?

Thanks in Advance,


Andrew Lawrence

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[Fry, Jonathan B.]

If the column is not appearing, you might try this:

From the menus, open View->Customize Variable View.  Press "Restore Defaults", then "OK".  There is a known bug that hides variable attributes that is fixed in release 18.

Jonathan Fry
SPSS Inc.

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Andrew Lawrence
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2009 7:18 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Problem with Custom Attributes

Hi There, I'd be very grateful for some help with the following issue I'm
having with SPSS v16.0.2.

I'm trying to create a custom variable attribute, from syntax, to add some
comments to certain variables in a file.

The syntax i'm using looks like this:

---
VARIABLE ATTRIBUTE
VARIABLES = VarA VarB VarC
ATTRIBUTE = FormulaNotes('comments go here').

VARIABLE ATTRIBUTE
VARIABLES = VarD VarE VarF
ATTRIBUTE = FormulaNotes('more comments go here').
---

Note, There are lots of variables in the file, and I want to add different
comments for different vars or groups of vars. The comments are text
between about 15 and 150 characters long.

I can create the custom attribute ('FormulaNotes') without issue, and have
used the 'customise variable view' menu item to get it to appear as a
column heading in Variable View, but the contents of the attribute won't
display.

I know that the contents are there because DISPLAY DICTIONARY or DISPLAY
ATTRIBUTES commands produce a table in which the comments appear as
entered. But the relevent field in Variable view is empty.

Any Ideas on how to get this information to display in Variable View?

Thanks in Advance,


Andrew Lawrence

=====================
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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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=====================
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[Heidi Green]

I wonder if this is a version issue? I have been playing with your
syntax and variable attributes in general in Version 17.0.2 and it
appears to show up fine on that version.

I did notice that if I created more than one Attribute column
(FormulaNotes & then later created one called just Notes), I had to go
back to Customize Variable View and click the box to show the additional
column.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.



-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of
Andrew Lawrence
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2009 5:18 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Problem with Custom Attributes

Hi There, I'd be very grateful for some help with the following issue
I'm
having with SPSS v16.0.2.

I'm trying to create a custom variable attribute, from syntax, to add
some
comments to certain variables in a file.

The syntax i'm using looks like this:

---
VARIABLE ATTRIBUTE
VARIABLES = VarA VarB VarC
ATTRIBUTE = FormulaNotes('comments go here').

VARIABLE ATTRIBUTE
VARIABLES = VarD VarE VarF
ATTRIBUTE = FormulaNotes('more comments go here').
---

Note, There are lots of variables in the file, and I want to add
different
comments for different vars or groups of vars. The comments are text
between about 15 and 150 characters long.

I can create the custom attribute ('FormulaNotes') without issue, and
have
used the 'customise variable view' menu item to get it to appear as a
column heading in Variable View, but the contents of the attribute won't
display.

I know that the contents are there because DISPLAY DICTIONARY or DISPLAY
ATTRIBUTES commands produce a table in which the comments appear as
entered. But the relevent field in Variable view is empty.

Any Ideas on how to get this information to display in Variable View?

Thanks in Advance,


Andrew Lawrence

=====================
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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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----------------

Defender MX2 - QLAN

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[Andrew Lawrence-2]

Thank you for your help, unfortunately this isn't quite the problem. I
had managed to make the column appear, however it's contents are blank
in the GUI 'variable view' despite the comments being entered correctly
and viewable using syntax ('DISPLAY DICTIONARY' will output the comments).
I can make custom attributes work using the GUI menu 'Data'->'new custom
attribute', but I'm finding that adding attribute data via syntax will
only display using syntax.

@Heidi: I suspect a version problem too, I will try to replicate on a
colleague's system running the same version, just in case there is
something unusual with my file or SPSS setup.


Fry, Jonathan B. wrote:

> If the column is not appearing, you might try this:
>
> >From the menus, open View->Customize Variable View.  Press "Restore Defaults", then "OK".  There is a known bug that hides variable attributes that is fixed in release 18.
>
> Jonathan Fry
> SPSS Inc.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Andrew Lawrence
> Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2009 7:18 AM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: Problem with Custom Attributes
>
> Hi There, I'd be very grateful for some help with the following issue I'm
> having with SPSS v16.0.2.
>
> I'm trying to create a custom variable attribute, from syntax, to add some
> comments to certain variables in a file.
>
> The syntax i'm using looks like this:
>
> ---
> VARIABLE ATTRIBUTE
> VARIABLES = VarA VarB VarC
> ATTRIBUTE = FormulaNotes('comments go here').
>
> VARIABLE ATTRIBUTE
> VARIABLES = VarD VarE VarF
> ATTRIBUTE = FormulaNotes('more comments go here').
> ---
>
> Note, There are lots of variables in the file, and I want to add different
> comments for different vars or groups of vars. The comments are text
> between about 15 and 150 characters long.
>
> I can create the custom attribute ('FormulaNotes') without issue, and have
> used the 'customise variable view' menu item to get it to appear as a
> column heading in Variable View, but the contents of the attribute won't
> display.
>
> I know that the contents are there because DISPLAY DICTIONARY or DISPLAY
> ATTRIBUTES commands produce a table in which the comments appear as
> entered. But the relevent field in Variable view is empty.
>
> Any Ideas on how to get this information to display in Variable View?
>
> Thanks in Advance,
>
>
> Andrew Lawrence
>
> =====================
> 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
>
>

--
Andrew J. Lawrence
Research Psychologist
Centre for Clinical Neuroscience
St George's University of London
Cranmer Terrace
London
SW17 0RE

[hidden email]
tel: [phone]
fax: [phone]

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