Date:         Mon, 3 Jul 2006 10:14:28 +0200
Reply-To:     a.smulders@beke.nl
Sender:       "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Antoon Smulders <a.smulders@beke.nl>
Subject:      Re: Stacking Variables Into a New Variable
Comments: To: Richard Ristow <wrristow@mindspring.com>
In-Reply-To:  <FABE7BF4C8A9B647A083DCEB99A792CF2075BB@beke01.beke.local>
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-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] Namens Richard
Ristow
Verzonden: vrijdag 30 juni 2006 0:13
Aan: SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Onderwerp: Re: Stacking Vartibles Into a New Variable

At 04:54 PM 6/29/2006, Gene Maguin wrote:

>This should do it.
>
>If (class eq 1) v44=v11.
>If (class eq 2) v44=v21.
>If (class eq 3) v44=v34.

It should, indeed. I'd say, that's the way to do it.

But, just to be 'cute', there's

COMPUTE V44 = MAX(v11,v21,v34).

Now, if a value is filled in that shouldn't be, say v34 has a value for
a class-1 respondent, Gene's code handles it about as reasonably as
possible, and mine won't.

But, hey, coding tricks are fun.

-Onward,
  Richard

Well, SPSS itself is tricky sometimes too!
Richard made me realize that, if it is really important to know which
variable has the highest value, you can NOT use the MAX function. How does
SPSS "know" that missing values are smaller than non missings?

Antoon