simplifying syntax

[Larry Hawk]

I have vars d1 to d85.  I want to scan them for the first instance of a
missing value and set a new variable to that integer number.  For
example, if d32 was the first variable with a missing value for that
case, firstmiss = 32.  I have tinkered with loop and do repeat syntax
but have been unsuccessful.  Suggestions?

--

Larry W. Hawk, Jr., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychology
Park Hall, Box 604110
The University of Buffalo, SUNY
Buffalo, NY  14260-4110
Phone:  [phone] x231
Fax:    [phone]
E-mail: [hidden email]

[Richard Ristow]

At 05:28 PM 8/29/2007, Larry Hawk wrote:

>I have vars d1 to d85.  I want to scan them for the first instance of
>a missing value and set a new variable to that integer number.  For
>example, if d32 was the first variable with a missing value for that
>case, firstmiss = 32.  I have tinkered with loop and do repeat syntax
>but have been unsuccessful.

Either LOOP or DO REPEAT should work. Here's a LOOP solution, though
not tested:

NUMERIC firstmiss (F4).
VECTOR  D_var=d1 TO d85.
LOOP   #I = 1 TO 85.
.  IF MISSING(D_var(#I)) firstmiss = #I.
END LOOP IF NOT MISSING(firstmiss).

[Larry Hawk]

Thanks, Dan!  This was perfect!  Thanks also to Richard Ristow, who also
responded.


Daniel E WILLIAMS wrote:

> Try this:
>
> DATA LIST FREE / d1 d2 d3 d4 d5.
> BEGIN DATA
> 1,,3,4,5, 1,2,3,,5, 1,2,3,4,5, 1,,3,,5
> END DATA.
>
> COMPUTE first_missing = $SYSMIS.
> EXECUTE.
>
> VECTOR D=D1 TO D5.
> LOOP #I=1 TO 5.
> + IF MISSING(D(#I)) AND MISSING(first_missing) first_missing = #I.
> END LOOP.
> EXECUTE.
> The value of first_missing retains a missing value if there are no
> missing values in d1 through d5.  If there are more than one missing
> value, first_missing is set to the first of them.  I hope this helps!
>
>
>
> Dan Williams
> Forecasting, Research and Analysis Office
> Department of Human Services
> State of Oregon, USA
> 503 947 5354
>
> >>> "Larry Hawk" <[hidden email]> 8/29/2007 2:28:50 PM >>>
> I have vars d1 to d85.  I want to scan them for the first instance of a
> missing value and set a new variable to that integer number.  For
> example, if d32 was the first variable with a missing value for that
> case, firstmiss = 32.  I have tinkered with loop and do repeat syntax
> but have been unsuccessful.  Suggestions?
>
> --
>
> Larry W. Hawk, Jr., Ph.D.
> Associate Professor of Psychology
> Park Hall, Box 604110
> The University of Buffalo, SUNY
> Buffalo, NY  14260-4110
> Phone:  [phone] x231
> Fax:    [phone]
> E-mail: [hidden email]
>

--
--

Larry W. Hawk, Jr., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychology
231 Park Hall, Box 604110
The University of Buffalo, SUNY
Buffalo, NY  14260-4110
Phone:  [phone] x231
Fax:    [phone]
E-mail: [hidden email]

[Fry, Jonathan B.]

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Larry Hawk
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 4:29 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: simplifying syntax

I have vars d1 to d85.  I want to scan them for the first instance of a
missing value and set a new variable to that integer number.  For
example, if d32 was the first variable with a missing value for that
case, firstmiss = 32.  I have tinkered with loop and do repeat syntax
but have been unsuccessful.  Suggestions?

-----------------

Vector d = d1 to d85.
Loop firstmissing = 1 to 85.
   Do if (missing(d(firstmissing))).
        break.
   End if.
End loop.
execute.

Firstmissing will have the value 86 if the row contains no missing values.

Jonathan Fry
SPSS Inc.

[Richard Ristow]

At 08:53 PM 8/29/2007, Fry, Jonathan B. wrote:

>Vector d = d1 to d85.
>Loop firstmissing = 1 to 85.
>    Do if (missing(d(firstmissing))).
>         break.
>    End if.
>End loop.

Cute! Not needing a separate loop counter.

>Firstmissing will have the value 86 if the row contains no missing
>values.

So, probably, follow by

RECODE firstmissing (86=SYSMIS).