Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 08:49:44 -0600
Reply-To: Melissa Ives <mives@chestnut.org>
Sender: "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From: Melissa Ives <mives@chestnut.org>
Subject: Re: CASESTOVARS when a variable is currently missing
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Dennis,
Look into the /AUTOFIX=No and /FIXED subcommands in CASETOVARS. It
allows you to specify which items are fixed (so would only need one
response) or not fixed (and would need to have all values calculated).
The AUTOFIX subcommand evaluates candidate variables and classifies them
as either fixed or as the source of a variable group.
An original variable that does not vary within the row group is
classified as a fixed variable and is copied into a single variable in
the new data file.
An original variable that does vary within the row group is classified
as the source of a variable group. It becomes a variable group in the
new data file.
The FIXED subcommand names the variables that should be copied from the
original data to the new data file.
CASESTOVARS assumes that variables named on the FIXED subcommand do not
vary within row groups in the original data. If they vary, a warning
message is generated and the command is executed.
Fixed variables appear as a single column in the new data file. Their
values are simply copied to the new file.
Melissa
-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
Dennis Deck
Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2008 9:11 PM
To: SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: [SPSSX-L] CASESTOVARS when a variable is currently missing
Context: Responses to an online survey are captured in a database. The
original database table stores a record for each response to each item
on the survey. In SPSS I roll up the item responses for a particular
time point into a single record using CASESTOVARS. There are periodicl
updates so over time we willl have multiple records for each individual.
Problem: There are a few items to which no respondent has yet responded
to so CASESTOVARS fails to create these in the data set. For now i must
add them by brute force (I use a series of commands like "COMPUTE VarX
= $sysmis.") but would prefer a more elegant solution because I will
have no warning when someone eventually completes these items. This
COMPUTE will over write the actual responses.
Can anyone offer a solution? I thought about adding a dummy set of
records with all the items defined when i read the file and then remove
the resulting dummy record after the CASESTOVARS but this would be
awkward.
Dennis Deck, PhD
RMC Research Corporation
111 SW Columbia Street, Suite 1200
Portland, Oregon 97201-5843
voice: 503-223-8248 x715
voice: 800-788-1887 x715
fax: 503-223-8248
ddeck@rmccorp.com
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