FYI

If the variables are not consecutive in the file, you can easily make them consecutive using the macro in file #4 of http://pages.infinit.net/rlevesqu/Macros.htm#MacroGems

Regards

Raynald Levesque rlevesque@videotron.ca Visit my SPSS site: http://pages.infinit.net/rlevesqu/

-----Original Message----- From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf Of Barnett, Adrian (HEALTH) Sent: July 20, 2004 2:26 AM To: SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Subject: Re: Loops & variable names

Hi Rob, If your offence date variables are contiguous in the file you could write a short DO REPEAT structure:

Do repeat X=OFFDATE.1 to OFFDATE.250. - if (x gt DATEADULT) OFFENCES_ADULT = OFFENCES_ADULT + 1. End repeat.

If these variables aren't contiguous, you will have a bit of typing in front of you, but you can probably do a bit of cut-and-paste from the output of a FILE>DISPLAY DATA FILE INFORMATION in the data editor to make this a bit easier

The code would be a tiny bit easier if each offence date was a new record, but the above is not too bad

Regards

Adrian

-- Adrian Barnett Research & Information Officer Ph: +61 8 82266615 Research, Analysis and Evaluation Fax: +61 8 82267088 Strategic Planning and Research Branch Strategic Planning and Population Health Division Department of Health email: Barnett.Adrian@saugov.sa.gov.au

God is good but don't dance in a currach. - Irish proverb

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-----Original Message----- From: Potter, Robert (OCS) [mailto:Potter.Robert2@saugov.sa.gov.au] Sent: Tuesday, 20 July 2004 2:33 To: SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Subject: Loops & variable names

I have a large file with about 270 variables that are defined as offdate.1 thru to offdate.250 plus a few other demographic things. These are all offence dates listed for individuals across about 10 years. What I want to do is compute a count of the number of offences each individual commits after a certain date. Can I do this within a loop or do I have to write 250 compute statements?

Basically the syntax goes;

IF (offdate.1 > dateadult) offences_adult = offences_adult + 1 . VARIABLE LABELS offences_adult 'number of offences as an adult'. EXECUTE . IF (offdate.2 > dateadult) offences_adult = offences_adult + 1 . VARIABLE LABELS offences_adult 'number of offences as an adult'. EXECUTE . . . . . IF (offdate.250 > dateadult) offences_adult = offences_adult + 1 . VARIABLE LABELS offences_adult 'number of offences as an adult'. EXECUTE .

Can I set up a loop that allows the loop number to define the variable name IE - LOOP i=1 to 250 IF (offdate.i > dateadult) offences_adult = offences_adult + 1 . VARIABLE LABELS offences_adult 'number of offences as an adult'. EXECUTE . END LOOP