Remove values in several hundred consecutive varaibles

[Jim Arnold-3]

Hello List,

I am attempting to delete the values in a consecutive series of variables (several thousand of them) using the following syntax:

do if comp ne 1.

do repeat clear = Q1 to D7.

compute clear = $sysmis.

end repeat.

end if.

exe.

I am rather new with SPSS syntax so I'm guessing there's something very fundamental at work here that's causing the problem.  The above code runs but it does not do as I need.  Values are not cleared from the variables from Q1 to D7.  What am I missing here?

[ViAnn Beadle]

What is your goal?

 

From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Jim Arnold
Sent: Sunday, May 03, 2009 3:25 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Remove values in several hundred consecutive varaibles

 

Hello List,

 

I am attempting to delete the values in a consecutive series of variables (several thousand of them) using the following syntax:

 

do if comp ne 1.

do repeat clear = Q1 to D7.

compute clear = $sysmis.

end repeat.

end if.

exe.

 

I am rather new with SPSS syntax so I'm guessing there's something very fundamental at work here that's causing the problem.  The above code runs but it does not do as I need.  Values are not cleared from the variables from Q1 to D7.  What am I missing here?

[Jim Arnold-3]

To remove any and all values stored within the variables.  Blank-em out.

On Sun, May 3, 2009 at 7:47 PM, ViAnn Beadle <[hidden email]> wrote:

What is your goal?

 

From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Jim Arnold
Sent: Sunday, May 03, 2009 3:25 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Remove values in several hundred consecutive varaibles

 

Hello List,

 

I am attempting to delete the values in a consecutive series of variables (several thousand of them) using the following syntax:

 

do if comp ne 1.

do repeat clear = Q1 to D7.

compute clear = $sysmis.

end repeat.

end if.

exe.

 

I am rather new with SPSS syntax so I'm guessing there's something very fundamental at work here that's causing the problem.  The above code runs but it does not do as I need.  Values are not cleared from the variables from Q1 to D7.  What am I missing here?

[Art Kendall]

It is poor programming to have $sysmis on the right hand side of a command.

One of the strengths of SPSS is the distinction between user missing and
system missing.  If you preserve this distinction it can be a great help
to you as you go through the drafts of your application.  System missing
values should only appear when the program is unable to do what you tell
it and the missing value is assigned by the system.
Examples are when the data cannot be read as you instruct in the format
Examples are: 'd/k' is not a valid number.  The program cannot divide by
zero, nor can it find the sum of a valid number and a missing number., etc.
When the user tells the program to treat a value as missing that means
the value is "user missing". These are given value labels that are
outside the valid range of responses.
value labels item01 to item 10
  1 'strongly disagree'
  2 'disagree'
  3 'neither'
  4 'agree'
  5 'strongly agree'
 -1 'interviewer forgot to ask'
 -2 'refused to answer'
 -3 'respondent said not applicable'
 -4 'form mangled in mail unreadable'
 -5 'legitimate skip'.
missing values item01 to item10 (lo thru -1).

Open a new instance of SPSS.  Copy the syntax below to a syntax file.
Click <run>. Click <all>.
Is this what you are looking for?

data list list /id (f3) comp (f1) q1 (f4) something(f4) d7 (f4).
begin data
1 1 1 1 1
2 1 2 2 2
3 2 1 1 1
4 2 2 2 2
end data.
do if comp ne 1.
do repeat clear = Q1 to D7.
compute clear = -999.
end repeat.
end if.
missing values q1 to d7(lo thru -1).
add value labels q1 to d7 -999 'whatever reason'.
list.

Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants

Jim Arnold wrote:

> Hello List,
>
> I am attempting to delete the values in a consecutive series of
> variables (several thousand of them) using the following syntax:
>
> do if comp ne 1.
> do repeat clear = Q1 to D7.
> compute clear = $sysmis.
> end repeat.
> end if.
> exe.
>
> I am rather new with SPSS syntax so I'm guessing there's something
> very fundamental at work here that's causing the problem.  The above
> code runs but it does not do as I need.  Values are not cleared from
> the variables from Q1 to D7.  What am I missing here?

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[Richard Ristow]

At 05:24 PM 5/3/2009, Jim Arnold wrote:

I am attempting to delete the values in a consecutive series of variables (several thousand of them) using the following syntax:

do if comp ne 1.
do repeat clear = Q1 to D7.
compute clear = $sysmis.
end repeat.
end if.

I think the simplest way is with RECODE; see the following example. But your syntax should work. It works for me (see test, below). Do you get any error messages? Are Q1 to D7 contiguous in your file?

[TestData]
 CaseID Comp  Q1  Q2  Q3  D5  D6  D7

  001    0    5   4   3   2   1   0
  002    1   19  20  21  22  23  24
  003    0    1   4   9  16  25  36
  004    1    2   3   5   7  11  13
Number of cases read:  4    Number of cases listed:  4

 
DATASET ACTIVATE TestData.
DATASET COPY     Recode.
DATASET ACTIVATE Recode.
do if comp ne 1.
.  RECODE Q1 to D7 (ELSE = SYSMIS).
end if.

LIST.
|-----------------------------|---------------------------|
|Output Created               |04-MAY-2009 12:03:43       |
|-----------------------------|---------------------------|
[Recode]
CaseID Comp  Q1  Q2  Q3  D5  D6  D7

  001    0    .   .   .   .   .   .
  002    1   19  20  21  22  23  24
  003    0    .   .   .   .   .   .
  004    1    2   3   5   7  11  13

Number of cases read:  4    Number of cases listed:  4


Test of DO REPEAT syntax:

DATASET ACTIVATE TestData.
DATASET COPY     Do_Repeat.
DATASET ACTIVATE Do_Repeat.
do if comp ne 1.
.  do repeat clear = Q1 to D7.
.     compute clear = $sysmis.
.  end repeat.
end if.

LIST.

List
|-----------------------------|---------------------------|
|Output Created               |04-MAY-2009 12:03:44       |
|-----------------------------|---------------------------|
[Do_Repeat]
 
CaseID Comp  Q1  Q2  Q3  D5  D6  D7

  001    0    .   .   .   .   .   .
  002    1   19  20  21  22  23  24
  003    0    .   .   .   .   .   .
  004    1    2   3   5   7  11  13

Number of cases read:  4    Number of cases listed:  4
=============================
APPENDIX: Test data, and code
=============================
DATA LIST LIST/
  CaseID  Comp Q1 Q2 Q3 D5 D6 D7.
BEGIN DATA
   001      0  5   4  3 2   1 0
   002      1  19 20 21 22 23 24
   003      0  1 4 9 16 25 36 49
   004      1  2 3 5  7 11 13 17
END DATA.

FORMATS CASEID   (N3)
        Comp     (F2)
        Q1 TO D7 (F3).

DATASET NAME TestData.
LIST.

DATASET ACTIVATE TestData.
DATASET COPY     Recode.
DATASET ACTIVATE Recode.

do if comp ne 1.
.  RECODE Q1 to D7 (ELSE = SYSMIS).
end if.

LIST.


DATASET ACTIVATE TestData.
DATASET COPY     Do_Repeat.
DATASET ACTIVATE Do_Repeat.

do if comp ne 1.
.  do repeat clear = Q1 to D7.
.     compute clear = $sysmis.
.  end repeat.
end if.

LIST.

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