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Syntax for adding suffix to all variable names in a file doesn't work

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Ruben Geert van den Berg
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Syntax for adding suffix to all variable names in a file doesn't work

Ruben Geert van den Berg
Dear all,
 
I'm sorry to bother the list again but I just can't figure this out:
 
I'm trying to add the suffix "_R" to all my variable names in the file. For most variables, it works fine but for some the suffix is reduced to just "_" instead of "_R". I don't see any systematic difference between the ones that work and the ones that don't. Unfortunately, this causes the next syntax to break down (some variables ending with "_" are not found because they're specified in the syntax as ending with "_R").
 
Could anyone please have a look?
 
TIA once again!!
 
 
GET FIL 'RvB_1.sav'.
DATAS NAM RvB_1.
DATAS DEC VarsRvB.
 
OMS
/SEL TAB
/IF COM=['File Information'] sub=['Variable Information']
/DES FOR=SAV
OUTFILE=VarsRvB
VIE=NO.
 
DISP VAR.
 
OMSEND.
 
DATAS ACT VarsRvB.
 
*SAV OUT 'VARS_RvB.sav'
*/COM.
*SHOW DIR.
 
STR Suff (A2).
STR Newname(A11).
STR Sps (A200).
COMP Suff="_R".
COMP Newname=CONCAT(RTRIM(Var1),Suff).
COMP Sps=CONCAT("REN VAR ",RTRIM(Var1),"=",RTRIM(Newname)).
EXE.
 
SAV TRA OUT '2A2_REN_VAR_R.sps'
/TYP TAB
/KEE Sps
/REP.

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peter link
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Re: Syntax for adding suffix to all variable names in a file doesn't work

peter link
Ruben - Total shot in the dark, but older versions of SPSS require variable names to be 8 characters or less.  Maybe the '_R' puts some variables over 8 characters?  I use 11.5 and I'm restricted to 8 characters.  The change to longer var names was made in v12 or v13, I believe.
 
Peter Link
VA San Diego Healthcare System
-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of Ruben van den Berg
Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 8:47 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Syntax for adding suffix to all variable names in a file doesn't work

Dear all,
 
I'm sorry to bother the list again but I just can't figure this out:
 
I'm trying to add the suffix "_R" to all my variable names in the file. For most variables, it works fine but for some the suffix is reduced to just "_" instead of "_R". I don't see any systematic difference between the ones that work and the ones that don't. Unfortunately, this causes the next syntax to break down (some variables ending with "_" are not found because they're specified in the syntax as ending with "_R").
 
Could anyone please have a look?
 
TIA once again!!
 
 
GET FIL 'RvB_1.sav'.
DATAS NAM RvB_1.
DATAS DEC VarsRvB.
 
OMS
/SEL TAB
/IF COM=['File Information'] sub=['Variable Information']
/DES FOR=SAV
OUTFILE=VarsRvB
VIE=NO.
 
DISP VAR.
 
OMSEND.
 
DATAS ACT VarsRvB.
 
*SAV OUT 'VARS_RvB.sav'
*/COM.
*SHOW DIR.
 
STR Suff (A2).
STR Newname(A11).
STR Sps (A200).
COMP Suff="_R".
COMP Newname=CONCAT(RTRIM(Var1),Suff).
COMP Sps=CONCAT("REN VAR ",RTRIM(Var1),"=",RTRIM(Newname)).
EXE.
 
SAV TRA OUT '2A2_REN_VAR_R.sps'
/TYP TAB
/KEE Sps
/REP.

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Art Kendall
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Re: Syntax for adding suffix to all variable names in a file doesn't work

Art Kendall
In reply to this post by Ruben Geert van den Berg
A guess: the original variable names are longer than you expected.

try something like this untested syntax.
compute howlong = length (RTRIM(Var1)).
frequencies vars = howlong.


Btw, it is often more useful in the long run to use prefixes rather than suffixes.

Suggestion to SPSS. It would be a nice feature for the syntax editor if it expanded abbreviations. 

Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants

Ruben van den Berg wrote:
Dear all,
 
I'm sorry to bother the list again but I just can't figure this out:
 
I'm trying to add the suffix "_R" to all my variable names in the file. For most variables, it works fine but for some the suffix is reduced to just "_" instead of "_R". I don't see any systematic difference between the ones that work and the ones that don't. Unfortunately, this causes the next syntax to break down (some variables ending with "_" are not found because they're specified in the syntax as ending with "_R").
 
Could anyone please have a look?
 
TIA once again!!
 
 
GET FIL 'RvB_1.sav'.
DATAS NAM RvB_1.
DATAS DEC VarsRvB.
 
OMS
/SEL TAB
/IF COM=['File Information'] sub=['Variable Information']
/DES FOR=SAV
OUTFILE=VarsRvB
VIE=NO.
 
DISP VAR.
 
OMSEND.
 
DATAS ACT VarsRvB.
 
*SAV OUT 'VARS_RvB.sav'
*/COM.
*SHOW DIR.
 
STR Suff (A2).
STR Newname(A11).
STR Sps (A200).
COMP Suff="_R".
COMP Newname=CONCAT(RTRIM(Var1),Suff).
COMP Sps=CONCAT("REN VAR ",RTRIM(Var1),"=",RTRIM(Newname)).
EXE.
 
SAV TRA OUT '2A2_REN_VAR_R.sps'
/TYP TAB
/KEE Sps
/REP.

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Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants
Ruben Geert van den Berg
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SOLVED: Syntax for adding suffix to all variable names in a file doesn't work

Ruben Geert van den Berg
Indeed, that was it! Increasing the length of Newname to (A15) just did the trick!
 
Thx a lot once again!
 
Kind regards,
 
Ruben

 
Date: Wed, 20 May 2009 13:02:53 -0400
From: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: Syntax for adding suffix to all variable names in a file doesn't work
To: [hidden email]

A guess: the original variable names are longer than you expected.

try something like this untested syntax.
compute howlong = length (RTRIM(Var1)).
frequencies vars = howlong.


Btw, it is often more useful in the long run to use prefixes rather than suffixes.

Suggestion to SPSS. It would be a nice feature for the syntax editor if it expanded abbreviations. 

Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants

Ruben van den Berg wrote:
Dear all,
 
I'm sorry to bother the list again but I just can't figure this out:
 
I'm trying to add the suffix "_R" to all my variable names in the file. For most variables, it works fine but for some the suffix is reduced to just "_" instead of "_R". I don't see any systematic difference between the ones that work and the ones that don't. Unfortunately, this causes the next syntax to break down (some variables ending with "_" are not found because they're specified in the syntax as ending with "_R").
 
Could anyone please have a look?
 
TIA once again!!
 
 
GET FIL 'RvB_1.sav'.
DATAS NAM RvB_1.
DATAS DEC VarsRvB.
 
OMS
/SEL TAB
/IF COM=['File Information'] sub=['Variable Information']
/DES FOR=SAV
OUTFILE=VarsRvB
VIE=NO.
 
DISP VAR.
 
OMSEND.
 
DATAS ACT VarsRvB.
 
*SAV OUT 'VARS_RvB.sav'
*/COM.
*SHOW DIR.
 
STR Suff (A2).
STR Newname(A11).
STR Sps (A200).
COMP Suff="_R".
COMP Newname=CONCAT(RTRIM(Var1),Suff).
COMP Sps=CONCAT("REN VAR ",RTRIM(Var1),"=",RTRIM(Newname)).
EXE.
 
SAV TRA OUT '2A2_REN_VAR_R.sps'
/TYP TAB
/KEE Sps
/REP.

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