http://spssx-discussion.165.s1.nabble.com/loop-and-do-repeat-problem-with-thousands-of-unique-values-to-insert-tp4268902p4269402.html
this solution crossed my mind. But I dismissed it.
The only thing I worry about is having to sort on the 14 variables. I
sort cases by name1 name2 name3 ... name14.
Still, with two hours before going to bed, this seems the most likely candidate.
> Maurice,
>
> There's another solution to this. I don't know whether it is faster than
> autorecode or David's varstocases restructure. (I think you should try the
> varstocases because, if I understand your correctly, you have only 14
> variables. Not to be snarky, but that is a trivial number of variables.)
> However, maybe it's not. So, the basic problem is that across the 14
> variables you want to make sure the same string value gets the same numeric
> value in the corresponding new variable. Sort the master file by string
> value and use $casenum to assign the numeric value. Save it. Open up the
> file with the 14 variables and sort by the first variable, call it var1. Do
> a match files with table and a rename for the two variables in the master
> file so that the string value variable name is var1 and the numeric value
> variable will be unique and the var1 as the by variable. You'll need to
> repeat that sequence of sort cases-match files 14 times, once for each of
> your 14 variables.
>
> Gene Maguin
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:
[hidden email]] On Behalf Of
> Maurice Vergeer
> Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2011 8:29 AM
> To:
[hidden email]
> Subject: Re: loop and do repeat problem with thousands of unique values to
> insert
>
> dear all,
>
> thanks for your suggestions.
>
> Regarding autorecode (David and Art's suggestion): I tried this, but
> it took enormously long, so I interrupted it. The point is, there are
> thousands of unique values, but appr. 4.5 million records (file size
> over 3 gigabyte). So, it's large.
>
> regarding vartstocase option, I'm not sure whether spss allows so many
> columns. The values as such are not necessarily meaningful but need to
> stay unique.
>
> It appears there is no easy or obvious solution.
> One option not explored yet is just inserting the string values and
> numerical values in the do repeat.
> This would result in a very large syntax file. This is a dirty
> solution, not sure whether it's quick either.
>
> Tonight I'll try to run one of options above and see whether it'll be
> finished when I return from work tomorrow afternoon.
>
> I'll let you kno whether it worked.
>
> thanks again
> Maurice
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, Mar 29, 2011 at 20:37, David Marso <
[hidden email]> wrote:
>> Hi Maurice,
>> If the AUTORECODE ../GROUP is not what you wish (ie your numeric codes
> have
>> some specific meaning).
>> SORT your external system file by the string variable and save it.
>> Transform your master file from wide to long using VARSTOCASES retaining
>> caseidentifier and string and index.
>> SORT by string.
>> MATCH FILES using the external file as a table with the string as a key.
>> transform the file from long to wide.
>> Done.
>> HTH, David
>> --
>>
>> Maurice Vergeer wrote:
>>>
>>> dear fellow list visitors,
>>>
>>> please help me with this problem.
>>> I have the following syntax which works perfectly.
>>>
>>> It 'replaces' strings in old variables (name1 to name14) into
>>> numerical ones in a new variable (newname1 to newname14).
>>>
>>> example:
>>> vector name=name1 to name14.
>>> vector newname(14).
>>> loop i=1 to 14.
>>> do repeat a="alpha" "beta" "gamma" / b=1 2
>>> 3.
>>> - if name(i) = a newname(i)=b.
>>> end repeat print.
>>> end loop.
>>>
>>>
>>> However, instead of three values (alpha beta and gamma) I have
>>> thousands of unique string values stored in a separate system file,
>>> each identified with a unique numerical code.
>>> How can I insert these values in the do repeat function (after 'a='
>>> and after 'b=')?
>>>
>>> The reason why I want to change these from string to numeric ones is
>>> that I know the system file will be smaller and hopefully also faster
>>> to read.
>>>
>>> You help is much appreciated.
>>>
>>> sincerely
>>> Maurice
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> ___________________________________________________________________
>>> Maurice Vergeer
>>> Department of communication, Radboud University? � (www.ru.nl)
>>> PO Box 9104, NL-6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands
>>>
>>> Visiting Professor Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, South Korea
>>>
>>> Recent publications:
>>> -Vergeer, M., Hermans, L., & Sams, S. (accepted for publication).
>>> Online social networks and micro-blogging in political campaigning:
>>> The exploration of a new campaign tool and a new campaign style. Party
>>> Politics.
>>> -Eisinga, R., Franses, Ph.H., & Vergeer, M. (2010). Weather
> conditions
>>> and daily television use in the Netherlands, 1996-2005. International
>>> Journal of Meteorology.
>>>
>>> Webspace
>>> www.mauricevergeer.nl
>>>
http://blog.mauricevergeer.nl/>>> www.journalisteninhetdigitaletijdperk.nl
>>> maurice.vergeer (skype)
>>> ___________________________________________________________________
>>>
>>> =====================
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>>
>>
>> --
>> View this message in context:
>
http://spssx-discussion.1045642.n5.nabble.com/loop-and-do-repeat-problem-wit> h-thousands-of-unique-values-to-insert-tp4268902p4269231.html
>> Sent from the SPSSX Discussion mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
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>
>
>
> --
> ___________________________________________________________________
> Maurice Vergeer
> Department of communication, Radboud University � (www.ru.nl)
> PO Box 9104, NL-6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands
>
> Visiting Professor Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, South Korea
>
> Recent publications:
> -Vergeer, M., Hermans, L., & Sams, S. (accepted for publication).
> Online social networks and micro-blogging in political campaigning:
> The exploration of a new campaign tool and a new campaign style. Party
> Politics.
> -Eisinga, R., Franses, Ph.H., & Vergeer, M. (2010). Weather conditions
> and daily television use in the Netherlands, 1996-2005. International
> Journal of Meteorology.
>
> Webspace
> www.mauricevergeer.nl
>
http://blog.mauricevergeer.nl/> www.journalisteninhetdigitaletijdperk.nl
> maurice.vergeer (skype)
> ___________________________________________________________________
>
> =====================
> 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
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> INFO REFCARD
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> =====================
> To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to
>
[hidden email] (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
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> INFO REFCARD
>
-Vergeer, M., Hermans, L., & Sams, S. (accepted for publication).
The exploration of a new campaign tool and a new campaign style. Party
-Eisinga, R., Franses, Ph.H., & Vergeer, M. (2010). Weather conditions
and daily television use in the Netherlands, 1996–2005. International
command. To leave the list, send the command