At 11:17 AM 11/25/2007, s_pushparaj wrote:
>What is the command syntax to convert a previously defined string
>type variable into to a new numeric type variable in the same name.
In SPSS 16, see syntax command ALTER TYPE. Otherwise, it's a little
crude. If your initial data is,
|-----------------------------|---------------------------|
|Output Created |26-NOV-2007 18:22:04 |
|-----------------------------|---------------------------|
CaseID Value Alpha
1 6.0 Alpha
2 5 Beta
3 004 Gamma
Number of cases read: 3 Number of cases listed: 3
where 'Value' is a four-character string variable (A4), you can do this:
NUMERIC NewValu (F3).
COMPUTE NewValu = NUMBER(Value,F4).
RENAME VARIABLES
(Value NewValu=OldValue Value).
LIST.
List
|-----------------------------|---------------------------|
|Output Created |26-NOV-2007 18:22:31 |
|-----------------------------|---------------------------|
CaseID OldValue Alpha Value
1 6.0 Alpha 6
2 5 Beta 5
3 004 Gamma 4
Number of cases read: 3 Number of cases listed: 3
However, it does leave the original string variable in the file,
under a changed name; and it puts the new numeric variable at the end
of the variable list, rather than at the original variable's place.
===================
APPENDIX: Test data
===================
DATA LIST LIST
/CaseID (F3) Value (A4) Alpha (A6).
BEGIN DATA
01 6.0 Alpha
02 5 Beta
03 004 Gamma
END DATA.
LIST.
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