Surprising message when second missing value spec exceeds 8 bytes.

[Art Kendall]

I have not often dealt with multiple missing values in string variables other than "blank" and " ".

I was surprised by the errors from the syntax below.

However, there is a different message when the second value specified as missing exceed 8 bytes. it says
>The missing value is specified more than once.

WorkAround
CamelCode "AutoSkip"  or "~ avail" or '~ applic"  work.



new file.
data list list/kind (f1) Mystring (a25).
begin data
1 "abcde fghij klmno'
1  "what ever it might be"
1 "blank"
1 "some real text"
1 "blank"
2 "abcde fghij klmno'
2  "what ever it might be"
2  "blank"
2  "some real text"
2 "blank"
end data.
dataset name testmissing.
dataset activate testmissing.

*these give no error.
missing values mystring ("blank","AutoSkip","").
missing values mystring ("+++++++").
missing values mystring ("-----").
missing values mystring ("n/a").
missing values mystring ("n/a","blank").
missing values mystring ("blank","AutoSkip","n/a").
*error is  >exceeds 8 bytes.
missing values mystring ("auto skip").
missing values mystring ("auto.skip").
missing values mystring ("auto_skip").
* however, >The missing value is specified more than once.
missing values mystring ("blank","auto.skip","").
*.
missing values mystring ("blank","auto_skip","").
*.
*this gives both messages.
missing values mystring ("auto skip", "auto jump").
missing values mystring ("blank","AutoSkip","~applic").

[Albert-Jan Roskam-2]

I knew about the 8-byte limit (that's just space for two East-Asian, 3-byte chars!). But do the other messages also occur when you start with these missing value declarations?


------------------------------
On Tue, Oct 21, 2014 7:19 PM CEST Art Kendall wrote:

>I have not often dealt with multiple missing values in string variables other
>than "blank" and " ".
>
>I was surprised by the errors from the syntax below.
>
>However, there is a different message when the second value specified as
>missing exceed 8 bytes. it says
>>The missing value is specified more than once.
>
>*WorkAround*
>*CamelCode "AutoSkip"  or "~ avail" or '~ applic"  work.*
>
>
>
>new file.
>data list list/kind (f1) Mystring (a25).
>begin data
>1 "abcde fghij klmno'
>1  "what ever it might be"
>1 "blank"
>1 "some real text"
>1 "blank"
>2 "abcde fghij klmno'
>2  "what ever it might be"
>2  "blank"
>2  "some real text"
>2 "blank"
>end data.
>dataset name testmissing.
>dataset activate testmissing.
>
>*these give no error.
>missing values mystring ("blank","AutoSkip",").
>missing values mystring ("+++++++").
>missing values mystring ("-----").
>missing values mystring ("n/a").
>missing values mystring ("n/a","blank").
>missing values mystring ("blank","AutoSkip","n/a").
>*error is  >exceeds 8 bytes.
>missing values mystring ("auto skip").
>missing values mystring ("auto.skip").
>missing values mystring ("auto_skip").
>* however, >The missing value is specified more than once.
>missing values mystring ("blank","auto.skip",").
>*.
>missing values mystring ("blank","auto_skip",").
>*.
>*this gives both messages.
>missing values mystring ("auto skip", "auto jump").
>missing values mystring ("blank","AutoSkip","~applic").
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>-----
>Art Kendall
>Social Research Consultants
>--
>View this message in context: http://spssx-discussion.1045642.n5.nabble.com/Surprising-message-when-second-missing-value-spec-exceeds-8-bytes-tp5727663.html
>Sent from the SPSSX Discussion mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>
>=====================
>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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command. To leave the list, send the command
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[Rick Oliver-3]

AFAIK, the only issue here is string missing values that exceed 8 bytes, but depending on other conditions, the wrong error message may be displayed.


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



From:        Albert-Jan Roskam <[hidden email]>
To:        [hidden email]
Date:        10/22/2014 01:53 PM
Subject:        Re: Surprising message when second missing value spec exceeds 8 bytes.
Sent by:        "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <[hidden email]>

---

I knew about the 8-byte limit (that's just space for two East-Asian, 3-byte chars!). But do the other messages also occur when you start with these missing value declarations?


------------------------------
On Tue, Oct 21, 2014 7:19 PM CEST Art Kendall wrote:

>I have not often dealt with multiple missing values in string variables other
>than "blank" and " ".
>
>I was surprised by the errors from the syntax below.
>
>However, there is a different message when the second value specified as
>missing exceed 8 bytes. it says
>>The missing value is specified more than once.
>
>*WorkAround*
>*CamelCode "AutoSkip"  or "~ avail" or '~ applic"  work.*
>
>
>
>new file.
>data list list/kind (f1) Mystring (a25).
>begin data
>1 "abcde fghij klmno'
>1  "what ever it might be"
>1 "blank"
>1 "some real text"
>1 "blank"
>2 "abcde fghij klmno'
>2  "what ever it might be"
>2  "blank"
>2  "some real text"
>2 "blank"
>end data.
>dataset name testmissing.
>dataset activate testmissing.
>
>*these give no error.
>missing values mystring ("blank","AutoSkip",").
>missing values mystring ("+++++++").
>missing values mystring ("-----").
>missing values mystring ("n/a").
>missing values mystring ("n/a","blank").
>missing values mystring ("blank","AutoSkip","n/a").
>*error is  >exceeds 8 bytes.
>missing values mystring ("auto skip").
>missing values mystring ("auto.skip").
>missing values mystring ("auto_skip").
>* however, >The missing value is specified more than once.
>missing values mystring ("blank","auto.skip",").
>*.
>missing values mystring ("blank","auto_skip",").
>*.
>*this gives both messages.
>missing values mystring ("auto skip", "auto jump").
>missing values mystring ("blank","AutoSkip","~applic").
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>-----
>Art Kendall
>Social Research Consultants
>--
>View this message in context: http://spssx-discussion.1045642.n5.nabble.com/Surprising-message-when-second-missing-value-spec-exceeds-8-bytes-tp5727663.html
>Sent from the SPSSX Discussion mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>
>=====================
>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]

If you are not using US settings they may be different for    you.

I used several variations in the syntax I post to demo some  of what happens.

On my system with SPSS 21, if the first missing value specified in more    than 8 bytes, I get a message about 8 bytes.

When the first specification is within 8 bytes, but the second is not, I get a message about specifying  twice.

The my post made a couple of suggestions for some common situations , e.g., missing because of a legitimate skip, and avoiding the ambiguous "n/a" by using "~ Avail" and "~ Applic"

I messed myself up by trying to specify
Missing values myvar ("blank","Auto Skip").
my workaround was to just camel code.
Missing values myvar ("blank","AutoSkip").