SPSSX Discussion

adding same variables in multiple files

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Hui Zhao

adding same variables in multiple files

Hello there,

I have a question that needs your kindly input. I want to add several
variables to muliple SPSS data files. Each added variable will have
same value for each case in a single file. Take an example of the
following syntax, suppose I need to create a variable "schoolname" in
both dataset school1 and school2, and assign a value "firstschool" in
dataset school1 and "secondschool" in school2. I've tried to do
multiple DEFINE at the same time (or call it nested define?) but
SPSS15 seems not to support that.
Any suggestions? Thanks!

hui

define !create (student=!CMDEND).

!let !datpath = !unquote("C:\mydata\").

!do !stu !in(!student).

!let !indata = !concat('"',!datpath,!stu,'.sav"').

get file = !indata .

DESCRIPTIVES
VARIABLES=q57
/STATISTICS=MEAN STDDEV MIN MAX .

!doend
!enddefine
!create student= school1 school2 .

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ViAnn Beadle

Re: adding same variables in multiple files

Without going into the details here (macros give me a headache and really
are unnecessary anymore), where are the compute statements to create
schoolname within this macro?

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Hui
Zhao
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2009 12:15 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: adding same variables in multiple files

Hello there,

I have a question that needs your kindly input. I want to add several
variables to muliple SPSS data files. Each added variable will have
same value for each case in a single file. Take an example of the
following syntax, suppose I need to create a variable "schoolname" in
both dataset school1 and school2, and assign a value "firstschool" in
dataset school1 and "secondschool" in school2. I've tried to do
multiple DEFINE at the same time (or call it nested define?) but
SPSS15 seems not to support that.
Any suggestions? Thanks!

hui

define !create (student=!CMDEND).

!let !datpath = !unquote("C:\mydata\").

!do !stu !in(!student).

!let !indata = !concat('"',!datpath,!stu,'.sav"').

get file = !indata .

DESCRIPTIVES
VARIABLES=q57
/STATISTICS=MEAN STDDEV MIN MAX .

!doend
!enddefine
!create student= school1 school2 .

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Hui Zhao

Re: adding same variables in multiple files

sorry about the confusion. I will try to explain more here. Suppose I
have two datasets saved on the same folder:
C:\mydata\school1
C:\mydata\school2

What I need to do is to add an additional string variable "schoolname"
in each file. And the data will look like:
In file C:\mydata\school1

schoolname
firstschool
firstschool
firstschool
...

In file C:\mydata\school2
schoolname
secondschool
secondschool
secondschool
...

Is there anyway to automate the whole process, because I have about
50 files to deal with? Thanks a lot!

hui
On Fri, Jan 30, 2009 at 2:49 PM, ViAnn Beadle <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Without going into the details here (macros give me a headache and really
> are unnecessary anymore), where are the compute statements to create
> schoolname within this macro?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Hui
> Zhao
> Sent: Friday, January 30, 2009 12:15 PM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: adding same variables in multiple files
>
> Hello there,
>
> I have a question that needs your kindly input. I want to add several
> variables to muliple SPSS data files. Each added variable will have
> same value for each case in a single file. Take an example of the
> following syntax, suppose I need to create a variable "schoolname" in
> both dataset school1 and school2, and assign a value "firstschool" in
> dataset school1 and "secondschool" in school2. I've tried to do
> multiple DEFINE at the same time (or call it nested define?) but
> SPSS15 seems not to support that.
> Any suggestions? Thanks!
>
> hui
>
> define !create (student=!CMDEND).
>
> !let !datpath = !unquote("C:\mydata\").
>
> !do !stu !in(!student).
>
> !let !indata = !concat('"',!datpath,!stu,'.sav"').
>
> get file = !indata .
>
> DESCRIPTIVES
> VARIABLES=q57
> /STATISTICS=MEAN STDDEV MIN MAX .
>
> !doend
> !enddefine
> !create student= school1 school2 .
>
> =====================
> 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
>
>

--
Hui Zhao, Ph.D.
Research & Evaluation Specialist I
Edvantia, Inc.
304.347.0411 (work)
360.232.3794 (cell)

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Hui Zhao

Re: adding same variables in multiple files

In reply to this post by ViAnn Beadle

sorry about the confusion. I will try to explain more here. Suppose I
have two datasets saved on the same folder:
C:\mydata\school1.sav
C:\mydata\school2.sav

What I need to do is to add an additional string variable "schoolname"
in each file. And the data will look like:
In file C:\mydata\school1.sav

schoolname
firstschool
firstschool
firstschool
...

In file C:\mydata\school2.sav
schoolname
secondschool
secondschool
secondschool
...

Is there anyway to automate the whole process, because I have about
50 files to deal with? Thanks a lot!

hui

On Fri, Jan 30, 2009 at 2:49 PM, ViAnn Beadle <[hidden email]> wrote: