=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:01:35 -0400
Reply-To:     RAbraham@aaalife.com
Sender:       "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Renji Abraham <RAbraham@aaalife.com>
Subject:      Re: reverse concat
In-Reply-To:  <AC7C0EC28F84ED43AA2F943F1E62EB6D02E52FAB@hqemail2.spss.com>
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Though not a big time syntax user, I do share with ViAnn's point. But its
always rewarding for me to see others offering corrections, and much
simpler efficient solutions. Many thanks to the rich contributors in this
list.






"Beadle, ViAnn" <viann@spss.com>
Sent by: "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
07/12/2006 08:04 AM
Please respond to
"Beadle, ViAnn" <viann@spss.com>


To
SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
cc

Subject
Re: reverse concat






OK, I'll take your bait.

I don't actually use EXECUTE in syntax but when I'm work out gnarly
transformation problems I frequently Run Pending Transformations (which
generates your dreaded EXECUTE) from the data editor and see the effects
of my transformations immediately. My strategy is to work through the
problem a "executable" unit at a time and check out the unit by running
the pending transformations. Unless your dealing with wide (more than 200
or so variables) or long (more than 10,000) or more cases the time to
actually do the transformation is much less than the think time to step
mentally through the process.

What does that extra processing really cost you? It's not like the bad old
days when every job submittal at $1.00 a pop ate up my account at the
University of Chicago Comp Center.

________________________________

From: SPSSX(r) Discussion on behalf of Richard Ristow
Sent: Tue 7/11/2006 7:02 PM
To: SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: reverse concat



OK, I guess most of you know my diatribe. Many
thanks to Jim Marks and for noting this in thread "Easy problem".

<big snip/>


The logic looks fine. But the EXECUTE statements
*are not recommended*. They contribute nothing;
they slow processing, by forcing the whole file
to be read for each one.

Now, diatribe isn't always the best way to make a
point. Would anybody who's an 'EXECUTE' user,
like to say why the statement seems to be a good