Hi Behkami,

I am not sure if someone had answered you on converting a set of string variables into numeric question part.

Assuming that your data is as follows.

1st scenario:

v1 v2 v3 v4

1 1 1 1

Then the syntax to convert the string numbers, v1 v2 v3 v4, into numerical variables will be as follows:

do repeat x1=n1 to n4

/x2=v1 to v4.

compute x1=number(x2,f8).

end repeat.

exe.

The f8 in function of the compute reads the number of string values you want to convert from the original string variables.

2nd scenario:

v1 v2 v3 v4

a a a a

recode v1 ('a'=1) into n1.

crosstab v1 by n1.

You will have to do it one by one by doing a copy and paste of the above syntax for v2 to v4. This is because it is always a good habit to check your recode to see if you have recoded all the values from your original variable.

Warmest Regards

Dorraj Oet

>
>
> behkami wrote:
> >
> > My Excel file (xlsx) contains more than 1200 columns. I tried to open it
> > using the SPSS version 17.01 but the following error came up: "Error
> > Starting the Java Virtual Machine; unable to open file; "FILE NAME"".
> > I had no choice but copy/paste all the data from Excel into SPSS. But when
> > I do it, all the variables are changed into string (on variables page).
> > Is there a way to convert multiple string variables into numeric using a
> > single command?
> > Any suggestions would be highly appreciated.
> >
> > Behkami M.D
> > PhD student in Immunology
> >
>
>
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