Date:         Tue, 20 Apr 2004 16:10:40 -0400
Reply-To:     Doug Fuller <ao5631@wayne.edu>
Sender:       "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Doug Fuller <ao5631@wayne.edu>
Subject:      Re: Joining two numeric variables
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

>I want to join (concatenate) the values of two numeric
>variables into a new variable.  One variable is a four
>digit coalition site number and the other is a student id
>number.  By joining the two variables I will be able to
>create a set of unique id numbers across several coalition
>sites.

I've noticed a lot of replies involve changing formats from
numeric to string then back to numeric.  Is there any reason
something like this wouldn't work?  (Assumes the longest
student ID is 6 digits long)

*Basically, shift site_id by 6 digits and add stdnt_id.
compute new_id = (site_id * 1000000) + stdnt_id.

*Then, if you require leading zeroes.
formats new_id (n10).

This syntax works for me in V9.  Adjust the 1000000 and
formats line, suit to taste.

It's quick, dirty, and not terribly flexible, but if you
have a constant maximum length for the student ID, it will
preserve leading zeroes for it; leading zeroes in the
site_id, if necessary, are handled by the additional formats
line.
--
Doug Fuller
dfuller@wayne.edu
Research Technician, Wayne State University
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences