Aren't u forgetting the commas in between the operands for sum? Hope you are keeping a space between ge operator and the value 5. Put the EXECUTE command to execute. HTH.  Samir Paul 382 Main Street ON M4C 4X8, Toronto Canada Cell - (416) 570 5696 Home - (416) 686 9958 Fax - (416) 686 9958 Skype - paulsamir.2009 ________________________________ From: J McClure <mc006@pacbell.net> To: SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Sent: Sat, August 7, 2010 9:47:19 AM Subject: conditional compute syntax incorrect I am now calculating the score of a 9 item depression questionnaire (PHQ-9). I have dichotomized the 9 questions into the variables PHQ_tiredS, PHQ_sleepS,  PHQ_eatS, PHQ_concS, PHQ_badS,  PHQ_movemtS, PHQ_anhedS,  PHQ_downS, and PHQ_deathS (0=no and 1=yes). The criteria for the new variable ( MajDeprsn) to be positive (yes=1) is two part. First either PHQ_anhedS or  PHQ_downS must be positive (=1) and then the sum of all 9 variables must be 5 or greater. Results from this code are all 482 cases=0. I think my parenthesis are wrong.  Thanks, Jan Compute MajDeprsn=0. If (PHQ_anhedS=1 or PHQ_downS=1) and sum(PHQ_tiredS PHQ_sleepS PHQ_eatS PHQ_concS PHQ_badS   PHQ_movemtS PHQ_anhedS PHQ_downS PHQ_deathS) ge5  MajDeprsn=1. FREQUENCIES  MajDeprsn. ===================== To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the command. To leave the list, send the command SIGNOFF SPSSX-L For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command INFO REFCARD