check to see formula used for computing variable

[jimjohn]

hi guys. I had created a new variable, by compute variable and then entered a formula based on the values of other variables in my data set. if i want to go back and see what formula was used for these new variables, is there any way to see that? I know if I go to compute variable now, it will show me the formula used for the last variable created, but if I want to see the formulas for the ones before that too? thanks.

[Whanger, J. Mr. CTR]

I don't believe you can. Unlike spreadsheets (e.g., Excel), SPSS does
not save the formula used to generate variable values as far as I know.
You may want to consider regularly using syntax that you document with
notes.  This would allow you to easily go back and recreate what was
done to the database.

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of
jimjohn
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 1:56 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: check to see formula used for computing variable

hi guys. I had created a new variable, by compute variable and then
entered a formula based on the values of other variables in my data set.
if i want to go back and see what formula was used for these new
variables, is there any way to see that? I know if I go to compute
variable now, it will show me the formula used for the last variable
created, but if I want to see the formulas for the ones before that too?
thanks.
--
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[ViAnn Beadle]

Assuming that journaling is on, all the various compute statements that are
generated with the UI are saved there. By default, journaling is on and the
location of the journal (varies by OS) is displayed in the Options dialog.

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of
Whanger, J. Mr. CTR
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 12:21 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: check to see formula used for computing variable

I don't believe you can. Unlike spreadsheets (e.g., Excel), SPSS does
not save the formula used to generate variable values as far as I know.
You may want to consider regularly using syntax that you document with
notes.  This would allow you to easily go back and recreate what was
done to the database.

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of
jimjohn
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 1:56 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: check to see formula used for computing variable

hi guys. I had created a new variable, by compute variable and then
entered a formula based on the values of other variables in my data set.
if i want to go back and see what formula was used for these new
variables, is there any way to see that? I know if I go to compute
variable now, it will show me the formula used for the last variable
created, but if I want to see the formulas for the ones before that too?
thanks.
--
View this message in context:
http://www.nabble.com/check-to-see-formula-used-for-computing-variable-t
p15166633p15166633.html
Sent from the SPSSX Discussion mailing list archive at Nabble.com.

=====================
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[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
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=====================
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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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For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
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=====================
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[Oliver, Richard]

If you use the Compute Variable dialog to create the computed variable, there is an option to save the syntax as the variable label. You could also use the VARIABLE ATTRIBUTE command to save a record of the syntax with the data file, as in:

compute newvar1=oldvar*10.
variable attribute variables=newvar
  attribute=CommandSyntax('compute newvar=oldvar*10').

But as ViAnn points out, when all else fails the journal file may have what you need.

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of ViAnn Beadle
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 2:16 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: check to see formula used for computing variable

Assuming that journaling is on, all the various compute statements that are
generated with the UI are saved there. By default, journaling is on and the
location of the journal (varies by OS) is displayed in the Options dialog.

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of
Whanger, J. Mr. CTR
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 12:21 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: check to see formula used for computing variable

I don't believe you can. Unlike spreadsheets (e.g., Excel), SPSS does
not save the formula used to generate variable values as far as I know.
You may want to consider regularly using syntax that you document with
notes.  This would allow you to easily go back and recreate what was
done to the database.

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of
jimjohn
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 1:56 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: check to see formula used for computing variable

hi guys. I had created a new variable, by compute variable and then
entered a formula based on the values of other variables in my data set.
if i want to go back and see what formula was used for these new
variables, is there any way to see that? I know if I go to compute
variable now, it will show me the formula used for the last variable
created, but if I want to see the formulas for the ones before that too?
thanks.
--
View this message in context:
http://www.nabble.com/check-to-see-formula-used-for-computing-variable-t
p15166633p15166633.html
Sent from the SPSSX Discussion mailing list archive at Nabble.com.

=====================
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[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
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=====================
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For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
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=====================
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[Mark.W.Andrews-2]

I have always been curious why SPSS doesn't do something about this. In
grad school I used a program called JMPIN. You can do a right click on
any calculated variable and it will give you the formula. This is great
when you are running lots of different regression models or factor
analysis and saving scores. You can see which model created the variable
with one touch. It would be a little difficult to keep a history of all
variable changes like manual recodes. But it would be nice to have some
variable specific source and history data. I think SPSS could accomplish
this with minimal extra computing resources.

Of course, you would need some way to erase these records.





-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of
Whanger, J. Mr. CTR
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 2:21 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: check to see formula used for computing variable

I don't believe you can. Unlike spreadsheets (e.g., Excel), SPSS does
not save the formula used to generate variable values as far as I know.
You may want to consider regularly using syntax that you document with
notes.  This would allow you to easily go back and recreate what was
done to the database.

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of
jimjohn
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 1:56 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: check to see formula used for computing variable

hi guys. I had created a new variable, by compute variable and then
entered a formula based on the values of other variables in my data set.
if i want to go back and see what formula was used for these new
variables, is there any way to see that? I know if I go to compute
variable now, it will show me the formula used for the last variable
created, but if I want to see the formulas for the ones before that too?
thanks.
--
View this message in context:
http://www.nabble.com/check-to-see-formula-used-for-computing-variable-t
p15166633p15166633.html
Sent from the SPSSX Discussion mailing list archive at Nabble.com.

=====================
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[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

=====================
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command. To leave the list, send the command
SIGNOFF SPSSX-L
For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
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